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Happy trails, Adrian Diaz — Seattle fires its former police chief

Diaz and Tompkins during a 2022 interview

One of the rougher rides in Seattle leadership is at last coming to an end.

Former police chief Adrian Diaz has finally been fired.

Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the termination this week after a long investigation documented (PDF) Diaz’s sexual relationship with a woman he hired and the lies the then-chief of police told to cover his tracks.

“A lot of it was about my sexual orientation because I came out as gay to her,” Diaz reportedly told the Office of Inspector General investigator about the many hours he spent meeting with the woman.

Diaz, who is suing the city over bias, caused a stir earlier this year after being removed from his role by Harrell by announcing he was gay amid harassment allegations. Diaz continues to maintain that he did not have an affair.

The disgraced chief was placed on administrative leave in October by Interim Police Chief Sue Rahr as Diaz brought the $10 million bias claim against the city.

Jamie Tompkins, the former chief of staff to Diaz, resigned in November as her relationship with Diaz was being investigated. Before working at SPD, Tompkins was a television news anchor.

“Based on the findings from the Office of Inspector General’s report, I made the decision to remove Adrian Diaz from the Seattle Police Department,” Harrell said about the long process to terminate the former chief. “While they take time, this is why we do investigations that are robust and thorough and why we use facts to support decisions that are aligned with the values of our city.”

A 27-year Seattle Police Department veteran, Diaz represented continuity and a safe choice as the city looked at external candidates to lead its department through Seattle’s pandemic recovery and out of the years of Blacks Lives Matter and anti-police protests after Chief Carmen Best bailed on Seattle.

With Rahr’s stated intention to only serve as an interim chief until a replacement is found, the appointment process is expected to play out through early 2025. Madison, Wisconsin chief Shon Barnes has been considered a favorite for the job. His department is busy this week investigating the Abundant Life Christian School shooting.

Diaz, meanwhile, had tossed his hat in the ring to become the police chief in Austin, Texas but was not selected as a finalist for the job.

 

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Kyell
Kyell
6 months ago

Now let’s clean up the s-hole that is currently having bypasses of a whole area by transit due to how bad the area has gotten.

Richard
Richard
6 months ago

bUt wE nEeD mOaR cOpS!

CD Balooka
CD Balooka
6 months ago
Reply to  Richard

We do! More Cops, More Education, More Mental Health, More Medical Care, More Affordable Housing.

chris
chris
6 months ago

why do WA and TX exchange police chiefs so much … a new industry of planting morons around the nation.. or an old one

Stumpy
Stumpy
6 months ago
Reply to  chris

He’s from Wisconsin.