Three months after Shon Barnes left the job, Seattle's search for a permanent police chief has moved into its next round. Mayor Katie Wilson's office said this week that more than 40 qualified applications came in by the end-of-October deadline, with both internal and external candidates in the mix.

The advisory committee reviewing those applications is co-chaired by retired State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu. The city says the committee will advance top candidates for a competitive examination later this month, followed by final interviews with Wilson in December and a final selection in the next few months.

The city's summary of public input sketches out the profile it wants in the next chief: someone closely connected to Seattle, focused on accountability and transparency, and able to rebuild trust while improving operations such as 9-1-1 response times, visible patrols, coordination across departments, and measurable safety outcomes.

The report also emphasizes a balanced public-safety approach that pairs enforcement with prevention and diversified response. It describes a chief who can work across Seattle's communities, build strong relationships, and lead with cultural competence, emotional intelligence, humility, and collaboration.

The update says no open public listening sessions were held in West Seattle, though the report notes individual meetings with three community organizations there. The mayor's office also said it is using an internal survey and meetings with Seattle Police Department staff as part of the search process.