Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said Friday that the city's next police chief should be someone who is "consistently present in Seattle" and "who can navigate the inevitable criticism" that comes with the job.

The big picture: Former Seattle chief Shon Barnes, who resigned last week at Wilson's request, frequently traveled to visit his family in Chicago and was out of town at a conference when the Bite of Seattle shooting occurred July 26.

• The day after the fatal shooting, Barnes had a tense confrontation with a reporter who asked about his travel schedule.

What they're saying: Wilson said Friday that "multiple factors" played into her decision to ask Barnes to resign, including events surrounding the July 26 shooting.

• She criticized the lack of information coming from the police department that night, including about whether suspects remained at large.
• "That information should have been shared earlier," she said.

Going forward, the mayor said, "I will be looking for someone who is consistently present in Seattle, keeping travel to an appropriate minimum, and who also ensures that when they are away, there is sufficient SPD leadership in town to guide our city through any emergency."

The other side: Three Seattle City Council members released a statement last Thursday criticizing Wilson's decision to part ways with Barnes.

• Making "a significant leadership change in this moment puts our city in a precarious situation," Councilmembers Joy Hollingsworth, Bob Kettle and Debora Juarez said in their joint statement.

What's next: Wilson said she will soon begin the process of searching for a permanent replacement.

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Former Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes will receive nearly $600,000 after agreeing to resign and waive potential legal claims against the city.

The big picture: The settlement attempts to give Seattle a clean break from its former police chief less than two years after hiring him.

By the numbers: Barnes will receive about $560,000, the equivalent of 18 months' salary, under his resignation agreement. He was making about $373,000 per year before.

• He'll also receive $30,300 for a year of COBRA health insurance coverage for him and his family.
• Barnes won't have to repay a $50,000 lateral hiring bonus or $60,000 relocation benefit he received when he came to Seattle.

What they're saying: Barnes, in a farewell essay Friday, said he was proud of what he accomplished in Seattle, while rejecting what he called "false narratives about my commitment to this city."

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Seattle has had nine police chiefs in less than two decades, following 30 years with just three.

Catch up quick: Since Gil Kerlikowske left to join the Obama administration after nine years on the job in 2009, no permanent Seattle chief has served more than four years.

Since then, the department has turned over early and often:

• John Diaz (2009-13): Retired as the department entered a federal consent decree following the DOJ's findings of widespread excessive force following high-profile incidents, including the fatal shooting of Native American woodcarver John T. Williams.
• Kathleen O'Toole (2014-17): Left for a position in Ireland after leading the department's federal consent decree reforms.
• Carmen Best (2018-20): Retired abruptly after the City Council voted to cut the police budget amid the 2020 racial justice protests and the CHOP occupation, saying she felt targeted by city leaders.
• Adrian Diaz (2020-24): Fired after he was found to have violated department policies amid allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation. He denied wrongdoing.
• Shon Barnes (2025-26): Stepped down after about 18 months.

Plus: The city has also had four interim police chiefs since 2009, including Andre Sayles, whom Wilson appointed last week to take over for Barnes.

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🧢 The Mariners have traded starting pitcher Luis Castillo to the White Sox. In exchange, they got relief pitcher Seranthony Dominguez, outfielder Nolan Jones and catching prospect Boston Smith. (CBS Sports)

🚆 Sound Transit's Link light rail service resumed yesterday after a train derailed near the Chinatown-International District station late Saturday. No injuries were reported.

• It's believed to be just the second time a derailment has disrupted passenger trips since local light rail service began in 2009. (Seattle Times)

📈 Microsoft's market value surged amid continued growth in its Azure cloud business. (Axios)

🦝 Jimothy's fame has spread all the way Alabama's minor league, where the Rocket City Trash Pandas are throwing a Jimothy Night, featuring a raccoon parade, trash can concessions and Jimothy mask giveaways.

• Meanwhile, the Mariners' Aug. 5 Jimothy Night sold out so quickly that the team added a second Jimothy ticket special for Aug. 7. (Clarridge)

🐒 Woodland Park Zoo has named its new baby colobus monkey Ngobi. (KOMO)

The Starbucks that closed in the Seattle Center Armory building earlier this year has been replaced with a new coffeeshop, The Groundskeeper.

💭 Melissa's thought bubble: Anyone who's wrangled kids through the Children's Museum downstairs knows why this is welcome news.