SEATTLE — The City of Seattle is narrowing its search for its next police chief with a top candidate being identified, according to a source.
Chief Shon F. Barnes, of the Madison Police Department in Madison, Wisconsin is reportedly the top candidate to come out of the months-long search.
Interim Chief Sue Rahr told KING 5 in November that the top role would be decided before the end of the year. Sources told KING 5 last month that Rahr had interviewed several candidates and that Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell was in the process of interviewing them.
Barnes, who has been serving as chief of police in Madison since February 2021, was previously the director of training and professional development for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability in Chicago, Illinois, according to his biography on the department's website. He has also served as the deputy chief of police in Salisbury, North Carolina (2017-2020) and captain in Greensboro, North Carolina where he began his career as a patrol officer in 2000.
His biography says he has worked to implement a neighborhood approach to policing. focusing on "smaller police beat response, police neighborhood ownership, and community engagement"
In internal documents obtained in October by NBC sister station WMTV, Barnes addressed his staff after speculation he interviewed for a chief position in San Jose, California.
In the documents, Barnes reportedly said he was approached by a consulting group about the position, but he ultimately decided "the city's needs were best met by someone with closer ties to San Jose."
In the document, Barnes went on to say his work and efforts were rooted in Madison.
Seattle's former police chief Adrian Diaz was removed from the top leadership role in May and was reassigned to special projects within the department before being placed on administrative leave.
Diaz in June spoke out against allegations of misconduct against him involving several female staff members within the department.
Diaz is facing lawsuits from at least seven employees who have alleged racial and gender discrimination, along with a female officer alleging she has dealt with sexual harassment from Diaz.
Diaz filed a $10 million claim against the city in October alleging discrimination and harassment. He claimed he was wrongfully discharged and was discriminated, harassed and retaliated against after expressing his sexual orientation to Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess.