On Monday, Mayor Bruce Harrell wrote a letter to the Seattle Metropolis Council informing them of his resolution to fireside former Seattle Police Division (SPD) Chief of Police Adrian Diaz. Harrell instructed the Council that an Workplace of Inspector Basic (OIG) report supported accusations that Diaz had a romantic relationship with an worker who he employed for a high place at SPD, after which repeatedly lied concerning the relationship.
Within the letter—which Harrell additionally despatched to the Metropolis’s police accountability departments, and Metropolis Lawyer Ann Davison—they mayor stated that the OIG report confirmed Diaz had a romantic relationship with the worker, who he employed by means of a casual course of for a place that had not existed at SPD for someday, promoted the worker, mentioned his sexual relationship along with her with different members of SPD, and when confronted about it, denied the connection existed.
Harrell stated within the letter that he mentioned the findings of the report with Diaz on December 12. Diaz continued to disclaim a romantic relationship with the worker, however Harrell wrote that he discovered Diaz’s arguments unpersuasive in opposition to the proof from the OIG: Along with statements from different SPD staff who stated Diaz had instructed them immediately about his romantic relationship with the worker, the OIG investigation turned up a handwritten word from the worker that talked about their romantic relationship. A member of Diaz’s govt safety element discovered the word whereas cleansing a automotive Diaz used, and the OIG introduced in a handwriting skilled who stated, “it was extremely possible,” the word was written by the worker.
Given the proof a romantic relationship between Diaz and the worker had taken place, Harrell discovered that Diaz’s statements denying the connection to the Mayor, the general public, and SPD command workers violated the division’s insurance policies round dishonesty.
Harrell additionally stated that the OIG report discovered conduct that violated the division’s insurance policies on professionalism, together with making “crass and private statements” concerning the worker whereas discussing the intimate relationship with different SPD staff. Harrell referred to as the feedback particularly “egregious” as a result of Diaz made these statements to his subordinates. Harrell additional discovered Diaz violated insurance policies round conflicts of curiosity and avoiding improper relationships between supervisors and their subordinates.
Within the December 12 dialog with Harrell, Diaz maintained that he’d solely ever had a platonic relationship with the worker. He additionally attacked the credibility of witnesses in addition to the thoroughness and objectivity of the investigation into his conduct. Particularly, Diaz stated investigators by no means reviewed his private cellphone data. Nonetheless, Harrell discovered Diaz’s arguments unconvincing and identified that Diaz had failed to show over his cellphone data when an OIG investigator requested them.
Diaz’s last departure from SPD comes after a drawn out course of that began in Could when Harrell demoted Diaz from his place as Chief of Police, leaving him in an amorphous particular project whereas permitting him to maintain his $370,000 wage. The demotion got here amid a smattering of lawsuits accusing Diaz of a tradition of racism and sexism at SPD, in addition to rumors about his romantic relationship with a subordinate. A couple of month after his demotion, Diaz went on Jason Rantz’s conservative speak radio present and got here out as homosexual, saying that, if he’d revealed his id sooner, it may need helped him save his job. OIG opened an investigation into the hiring of the highest aide across the time of Diaz stepping down as chief. Then in October, Diaz was positioned on administrative go away. Shortly after that he filed a $10 million tort declare in opposition to the Metropolis.
An lawyer for Diaz didn’t instantly return a request for remark. In an e-mail to workers Tuesday, Interim Chief of Police Sue Rahr stated Harrell had dealt with the termination of Diaz and he or she had no different data to share about it. SPD directed all requests for details about the firing to the Mayor’s Workplace.
In Harrell’s assertion relating to the firing of Diaz, he acknowledged the prolonged investigation and referred to as it “strong and thorough.” He added that he appeared ahead to asserting the Metropolis’s subsequent police chief within the close to future.
