Interim Seattle Police chief paid more than former chief, contract reveals

The useful part

Newly appointed interim Seattle Police Chief Andre Sayles is paid more than former chief Shon Barnes, whose compensation package raised questions when it was first released, Sayles' contract obtained by The Center Square shows. On an annual basis, Sayles makes $373,443.20 per year compared to the $361,862 annual salary Barnes received before he resigned in July following the Bite of Seattle shooting. Barnes received more than $100,000 in taxpayer dollars to take the role in 2025.

How it works

• Although his contract required he remain in the role for five years to keep the hiring bonus, Wilson's Office told The Center Square he was allowed to keep it as part of his severance package.
• While the Mayor's Office is defending Sayles' salary, Taxpayers Protection Alliance President David Williams told The Center Square that the salaries in the Seattle police department are more than taxpayers...
• "It's alarming to see that, whether it's a police chief or anybody in city or any sort of government, making more than $300,000," he said after The Center Square told him about the contract.
• "That is a drain on the budget, on the resources, and that is money that isn't going towards policing, going towards safety, and you're also increasing the baseline of all agency heads' salaries.
• There should be a salary, and that salary should be reasonable, fiscally responsible, and if the city truly cared about public safety, t...

Details worth keeping

He was asked to resign by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson. In total, Barnes received $700,000 as part of his severance package. There should be no signing bonus for any public servant.