Pierce County Declines to Charge Deputy Seattle Police Chief Over Domestic Violence Allegations

According to prosecutors, the claim was filed shortly after Barden became engaged to Amy Smith, the head of Seattle's CARE Department.

By Erica C. Barnett

The Pierce County Prosecutor has declined to charge Assistant Police Chief Eric Barden in a criminal case involving an allegation of domestic violence by his ex-girlfriend. The woman accused Barden of slapping her, grabbing her, and pushing her into a banister during an argument at Barden's house in January 2023.

In a memo explaining the decision, deputy prosecutor Megan Winder wrote that the case would rest entirely on the woman's testimony about what happened, and that her "impeachability" would be a problem because she told prosecutors she wanted to make Barden pay by losing his job. 

"Specifically, I am concerned about the victim’s statement about the suspect losing his job and not deserving the kind of money that he is making, as well as the timing of the disclosure of the allegations being close in time to when the suspect got engaged and appears happily ensconced in a new relationship."

Barden is engaged to Amy Smith, the head of the city's Community Assisted Response and Engagement team. The CARE Department, formerly known as the Community Safety and Communications Center, includes the city's 911 center and a team of civilians who respond to low-priority 911 calls, accompanied by police.

In a memo responding to Winder, Pierce County Prosecutor Mary Robnett wrote that she agreed Barden's ex-girlfriend had credibility issues, given the reasons she gave prosecutors for coming forward with her allegations this year, rather than in 2023 when the alleged abuse took place.

"Her explanation for reporting now is that 'he should not hold the position he holds' and 'people should know what kind of person he is.' This explanation for the delay also undermines her credibility."

Additionally, Robnett wrote, the woman's actions could be seen as "vindictive" because Barden became engaged to Smith shortly after their relationship ended. "Apparently at least one witness believes she may be motivated to be vindictive because she believes he has a new relationship with another woman." This theory was also floated to PubliCola by someone close to Barden.

Robnett also said the fact that the woman waited so long—15 months—to report the alleged incident; the fact that she had no physical signs of injury; and the fact that she admitted being drunk the night the alleged abuse took place all called her credibility into question. "[I]n terms of assessing credibility, the victim reports that she was intoxicated during the events but avers that she remembers '100%.' She then goes on to say that she doesn't really remember the chain of events and she doesn't remember which side of her face got slapped.," Robnett wrote.

"According to the victim, any existing video of the event will corroborate that she was intoxicated, screaming and angry."

Barden is still under investigation by the Seattle Office of Police Accountability for allegedly asking a Pierce County deputy to lie on a police report and not arrest the woman after a separate incident, when she allegedly violated a protective order Barden obtained against her after the January incident by showing up at his house and banging on the door. The allegations have landed Barden, at least temporarily, on Pierce County's "Brady list"—a list of officers whose testimony in court is suspect because they have a history of dishonesty. 

If you are experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can help.