Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes delivered his first State of the City address on February 2 at the Northwest African American Museum, reporting a significant 18% decrease in overall crime throughout 2025 compared to the previous year. Attributing the progress to his "Seattle-Centric Policing Plan," Barnes emphasized that while 2025 showed positive momentum, the department remains committed to a "long marathon" toward city-wide safety.

Dramatic Reductions in Violent Crime and Homicides

A primary highlight of the address was the decline in the city's most serious offenses. Homicides fell by 36%, with 37 lives lost in 2025 compared to 58 in 2024. This represents 21 fewer lives lost and marks the lowest homicide level the city has seen in over five years.

Furthermore, the department achieved a homicide clearance rate of 86%, successfully solving 32 of 37 cases. This is a substantial improvement over the 57% clearance rate in 2024 and significantly exceeds the 61% national average. Barnes credited this success to community leads and internal collaboration, particularly the Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC). Despite only launching in May, the RTCC assisted in 17 homicide investigations (45% of all cases) and helped close 10 of them.

Addressing Gun Violence and Firearm Recoveries

While 80% of homicide victims were killed by gunfire, broader gun violence trends showed improvement. The Chief reported that:

• The number of people struck by gunfire decreased by 36%.

• Reports of shots fired fell by 12%, notably avoiding the usual summer spike.

• Officers lawfully recovered 1,500 firearms, representing a 74% increase from the previous year.

Despite these gains, Barnes acknowledged the tragic shooting deaths of three people, including two high school students, that occurred just this past weekend, reinforcing the need for continued community-wide vigilance.

Declines in Property Crime and Assaults

The address detailed reductions across several other crime categories:

• Aggravated Assaults: Fell by 8%, resulting in 320 fewer victims.

• Stolen Vehicles: Reduced by 24%, affecting 1,821 fewer victims. This was aided by a strategic threshold where four vehicles stolen within a quarter-mile radius over 7 days automatically triggers police action.

• Burglaries: Decreased by 18%, meaning 1,571 fewer people experienced the violation of their home or business.

• Car Prowls: Dropped by 7%, though Barnes warned that 206 firearms were stolen from vehicles last year, reminding owners that "cars make terrible gun safes".

The Path Forward for 2026

Looking ahead, the Seattle Police Department plans to accelerate recruitment efforts to sustain a "record-breaking hiring surge" and prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup games. The department will also expand its Neighborhood Resource Officer Programs specifically to the areas of 3rd and James as well as 12th and Jackson.

Community engagement will continue through the "Our City, Our Safety" conversation series, with the next session scheduled for February 10 at 6 PM at the Loyal Heights Community Center