Key keywords: Seattle Police Department, SPD Chief weekend travel, grossly misstated reports, law enforcement leadership accountability, Seattle public safety governance, city official attendance transparency, local media fact-check, Seattle community trust in police The Seattle Police Department (SPD) chief addressed widespread public speculation this week after multiple local outlets published anonymous claims that he leaves Seattle entirely every weekend, leaving the city’s top law enforcement post unmanned during high-risk timeframes. In a packed press conference Wednesday, the chief called the claims “grossly misstated” and presented detailed documentation to refute the rumors. According to official records he submitted to the Seattle City Council and shared with reporters, the chief has only left the Seattle metropolitan area for non-work purposes on 3 weekends out of the past 26, all of which were pre-approved by the city’s human resources department and paired with a full, documented handoff of command to a senior assistant chief who remained on call 24/7 during his absence. He also presented timestamped photos, event attendance logs, and dispatch records showing he was present for 17 separate weekend public safety operations over the past 6 months, including the downtown Seattle Pride parade security coordination, the South Lake Union summer festival crowd management, and the response to a rare multi-alarm fire in the International District that required cross-agency coordination. The chief acknowledged that his immediate family maintains a second home in Portland, Oregon, to support his child’s specialized medical care, but emphasized that he only travels to that home during formally requested vacation time, and never leaves the city without formal notification to the city manager and command staff. The controversy has sparked calls from several city council members for an independent third-party audit of the chief’s attendance records, a request he has fully endorsed, stating he has “nothing to hide” and welcomes the opportunity to put the rumors to rest. He also noted that the spread of unsubstantiated reports about his attendance risks undermining the progress SPD has made over the past year, including a 14% drop in violent crime rates, a 21% reduction in property crime reports, and a 30% increase in community-led policing partnerships across Seattle neighborhoods. City officials have stated the audit will be completed within 30 days, and full results will be released to the public to ensure full transparency for Seattle residents.