By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
On Monday, Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes delivered his first State of Safety address, the department’s equivalent of the State of the Union, outlining the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) achievements, challenges, and forward-looking strategy. Held in front of community stakeholders, city officials, and department personnel, the speech laid out Barnes’ vision for policing in Seattle and detailed both progress and areas for improvement.
“Today, I stand before you encouraged,” Barnes said. “Not only by what we accomplished in 2025, but by the partnerships we’ve strengthened and the new ones that we will create in 2026. Let me be clear, let me be clear on this. This is not a victory lap. This is the first lap in a long marathon toward public safety.”
Barnes said that the safety and well-being of the community begin and ends with public trust. He stated that meaningful, lasting progress is only possible when residents believe in the integrity, transparency, and accountability of their police department.
Foremost in his remarks was the acknowledgment of recent tragedies that have shaken the city. The chief addressed the fatal shooting of two high school students in Rainier Beach just days earlier, as well as another fatal shooting that occurred less than 48 hours later.
“I want to begin by acknowledging the deep pain our community is carrying this morning. On Friday afternoon, two Rainier Beach High School students were tragically shot and killed,” said Barnes. “All weekend, we’ve been working closely with Seattle Public Schools to support students, educators, and families as they return to class under what I know firsthand to be an incredibly difficult circumstance.”
“For less than 48 hours later, another young man was killed after a party,” Barnes continued. “Three others were hospitalized after being shot. Their losses underscore the truth that we cannot ignore. Preventing gun violence requires all of us. Everyone in this room to work together. Law enforcement plays a critical role, and we are committed to doing more. But this challenge demands, in my opinion, a whole government response. A whole community response. Every neighborhood, every partner, every system, including our courts, our corrections, our prosecutors, play an important part in reducing violent crime.”
Throughout the address, Barnes struck a balance between optimism and urgency. While he celebrated measurable improvements, he made clear that systemic challenges remain.
Barnes’ vision for the department rests on four core pillars: community engagement, a commitment to excellence, selfless public service, and evidence-based policing. He explained that accountability is fundamental to these values, extending from rank-and-file officers to top leadership, including the chief himself.
“In this department, everyone is accountable to our community, and that begins with me,” Barnes said. “This past year has been a testament to what can happen when a city works together. When a department embraces change, innovation, and a southern accent, and when the community refuses to settle for anything less than safety, dignity, and of course, accountability.”
Addressing crime trends from 2025, Barnes presented data showing an 18 percent reduction in all reported crimes across the city. Homicides dropped by 36 percent, resulting in the lowest number of killings Seattle has seen since before the pandemic. The department’s homicide clearance rate stood at 86 percent, reflecting its success in identifying and holding perpetrators accountable.
Additionally, the number of individuals struck by gunfire decreased by 36 percent compared to the previous year. Reports of shots fired — a leading indicator of public safety sentiment — fell by 12 percent.
“For the first time in a very long time, we did not see the traditional spike that we see during the warm summer months,” Barnes said. “These are encouraging signs, and they reflect both the strong partnership and commitment.”
Barnes also spoke about firearms recovery efforts and the city’s complex relationship with the Second Amendment. While respecting lawful gun ownership, he noted the dangers posed by illegal firearm possession and use. In 2025, SPD recovered more than 1,500 firearms — an increase of 74 percent from the previous year.
Violent and property crime also saw improvements. Assaults, robberies, and auto thefts decreased by 8 percent, which Barnes said resulted in nearly 320 fewer victims — equating to roughly one less victim per day. Burglaries dropped by 18 percent, sparing 1,571 people the trauma of discovering their homes or businesses had been violated.
“These statistics were just a few of the landmarks obtained during Barnes’ first year at the helm of the police department,” the department noted in its report.
Looking ahead to 2026, Barnes introduced several key initiatives to expand SPD’s community engagement and operational capabilities. Among them: improving officer recruitment and retention, continuing the Police Neighborhood Resource Officer (PNRO) program, and strengthening the department’s use of crime pattern analysis.
The chief also said the department is committed to the Summer Parks Safety Plan and proactive policing strategies. A special focus will be placed on the “30 for 30” initiative, aimed at recruiting and retaining more women officers — a critical step, Barnes said, in ensuring the department better reflects the community it serves.
One program receiving particular attention is the Magnuson Neighborhood Resource Officer pilot, which achieved notable results: a 4 percent decrease in community calls for service, a 9 percent reduction in property crime, and 64 percent of area arrests tied directly to officers assigned to that neighborhood.
Barnes concluded with a message of aspiration and shared responsibility.
“At the Seattle Police Department, our vision is simple and yet ambitious. We want to build a police department that you can be proud of,” Barnes said. “We want to build a police department that stands as a national model for exceptional policing.”
