Former Seattle and Madison police chief brings 30 years of public service to helping agencies strengthen leadership, responsibly adopt technology, and better serve their communities

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MissionRT (Mission Ready Technologies) today announced that Dr. Shon F. Barnes, former chief of police in Seattle, Washington, and Madison, Wisconsin, is joining the company as Head of Public Safety Programs and Strategy to help law-enforcement agencies align public-safety strategy, technology, and organizational leadership.

Barnes brings 30 years of public service, including service as a police chief, to a role focused on helping police executives make informed decisions, strengthen operational readiness, and guide their departments through change. His appointment expands MissionRT’s ability to connect technology solutions with the practical demands of leading a police organization: supporting officers, managing limited resources, coordinating across agencies, and earning community confidence.

“I am not leaving the mission of policing. I am bringing that mission to a new platform so I can help more first responders succeed,” said Barnes. “I know what it means to be accountable for the people you lead and the communities you serve. Chiefs need partners who understand that responsibility and stay engaged as they put new capabilities to work. At MissionRT, my focus will be helping departments connect the right tools with the right leadership, training, and strategy, so innovation translates into meaningful results for officers and communities.”

Barnes’s career spans frontline policing, executive leadership, research, and education. A North Carolina native and former public school teacher, he brings a perspective shaped by service in communities with different needs, resources, and expectations. His experience includes evaluating police technology, guiding organizational change, and mentoring the next generation of law-enforcement leaders.

As chief in Madison, Barnes led a body-worn camera pilot that helped inform community and municipal deliberations about the technology’s use. In Seattle, Barnes championed evidence-based policing, technology, and community engagement around measurable public-safety outcomes. In 2025, Seattle reported an 18% decline in overall crime, homicides fell 36%, and SPD’s homicide clearance rate rose from 57% to 86%. The city’s Real-Time Crime Center, whose final implementation Barnes helped guide after the initiative began before his arrival, supported 17 homicide investigations and contributed to 10 case closures. During his first 100 days, Barnes also participated in approximately 300 meetings across Seattle with residents, community organizations, public officials, service providers, and law-enforcement partners. His work in technology integration, regional initiatives, and interagency information-sharing partnerships took place in North Carolina.

Those experiences inform a central principle of his work at MissionRT: successful implementation requires both technical expertise and the ability to help people and organizations adapt. A new system must fit an agency’s mission, work within its operational environment, and be supported by clear policies, training, and leadership.

“Public-safety leaders carry a responsibility that cannot be understood from a product demonstration alone,” said Richard E. Coleman II, chief executive officer of MissionRT. “Chief Barnes has carried that responsibility. He knows that the real test of any investment is whether it helps people perform when their communities need them most. His leadership strengthens our ability to work alongside agencies from understanding the mission through implementation, with a clear focus on readiness, accountability, and lasting value.”

As Head of Public Safety Programs and Strategy at MissionRT, Barnes will focus on helping state and local public-safety agencies connect operational needs with technology, strategy, and organizational readiness. He will work with chiefs, command staff, and other public-safety leaders to understand MissionRT’s products and services, evaluate relevant capabilities, and develop practical approaches to adoption. His work will include helping agencies build internal support for change, strengthen coordination, and assess whether new initiatives are delivering the intended results. Agencies interested in connecting with Barnes about MissionRT’s products and services can reach him at sbarnes@missionrt.com.

The appointment reflects MissionRT’s emphasis on trusted partnerships and integrated solutions. By combining Barnes’s operational perspective with its technology ecosystem, the company aims to help agencies prepare for emerging challenges while keeping their people, mission, and communities at the center of decision-making.

For more information, visit www.MissionRT.com.

About MissionRT

MissionRT (Mission Ready Technologies) connects mission-critical organizations with technologies and partners that help them protect people, strengthen operations, and prepare for evolving challenges. Serving federal, state, and local government, defense and intelligence, education, and healthcare markets, MissionRT brings together an open ecosystem of capabilities built around integration, collaboration, and each organization’s operational needs. Its mission is to enable the people who serve and protect our communities through technologies that support a safer world. Learn more at www.MissionRT.com.

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SOURCE MissionRT