Adrian Z. Diaz

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Adrian Diaz

| office = Chief of the Seattle Police Department

| termstart = September 2, 2020

| termend = May 29, 2024

| predecessor = Carmen Best

| successor = Sue Rahr

| status =

| education = Central Washington University (BA)
University of Washington (MPA)

| 1blankname = Mayor

| 1namedata = Jenny Durkan
Bruce Harrell

}}

Adrian Z. Diaz is an American law enforcement officer who served as the chief of the Seattle Police Department from 2020 to 2024. Diaz had previously served as deputy chief of the department. Diaz assumed office in an acting capacity on September 2, 2020, following the resignation of Carmen Best.{{Cite web |first1=Quixem |last1=Ramirez |date=2020-08-10|title=Seattle Police Chief Best makes stunning retirement announcement after department cuts|url=https://komonews.com/news/local/chief-best-announces-retirement-from-police-department-after-city-council-approves-cuts|access-date=2020-08-11|publisher=KOMO}}{{Cite web|date=2020-08-11|title=Seattle police chief to quit following city's move to shed dozens of officers|url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-08-11/seattle-police-chief-carmen-best-resign-following-department-cuts|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812010849/https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-08-11/seattle-police-chief-carmen-best-resign-following-department-cuts |archive-date=August 12, 2020 |access-date=2020-08-11|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Seattle's Police Chief Resigns After Council Votes To Cut Department Funds|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/08/11/901280451/seattles-police-chief-resigns-after-council-votes-to-cut-department-funds|access-date=2020-08-11|website=NPR.org|language=en}} On September 20, 2022, Diaz was appointed to the permanent position.{{cite news | newspaper=The Seattle Times | last=Taylor | first=Sarah Grace | date=September 20, 2022 | title=Mayor Bruce Harrell appoints Diaz permanent Seattle police chief | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/mayor-bruce-harrell-appoints-diaz-permanent-seattle-police-chief/ }}

Diaz and the Seattle Police Department are facing lawsuits relating to sex and race discrimination from officers in the department.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-12 |title=SPD captain claims Chief Diaz has 'history of misogyny' in newly-filed lawsuit |url=https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/spd-captain-claims-chief-diaz-has-history-misogyny-newly-filed-lawsuit/PY6IV24N5JEPFIDMGL4V4GDVJU/ |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=KIRO 7 News Seattle |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-09 |title=Black SPD detective of 43 years sues over years of alleged racism, 'culture of retaliation' |url=https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/black-spd-detective-43-years-sues-over-years-alleged-racism-culture-retaliation/E2BFGE4J3FAOHKZKL5CEIF3ZAQ/ |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=KIRO 7 News Seattle |language=en}} On May 29, 2024, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced that Diaz was removed from his position as chief and subsequently reassigned to another division. Former King County Sheriff Sue Rahr was appointed as the interim chief of the department.{{cite web |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/adrian-diaz-out-as-seattle-police-chief/281-067be874-a2d6-495c-974e-e857824cecca |title=Seattle mayor says Diaz out as police chief; former King County Sheriff Sue Rahr will serve as interim |date=2024-05-31 |accessdate=2024-12-20 |publisher=KING-TV}}

Diaz was fired as of December 17, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Hiruko |first=Ashley |date=2024-12-17 |title=Seattle mayor fires former Police Chief Adrian Diaz, cites affair |url=https://www.kuow.org/stories/seattle-former-police-chief-adrian-diaz-fired-by-mayor |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=KUOW |language=en}} The city claims that Diaz had an affair with Jamie Tompkins, who had been hired from the evening anchor desk at KCPQ to become Diaz' Chief of Staff.{{cite web |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/806392456/Diaz-investigation-report |title=Investigation Report Regarding 2024OPA-0286 |date=2024-11-20 |first1=Shayda Z |last1=Le |accessdate=2024-12-20 |via=Scribd}}{{cite web |first1=Kipp |last1=Robertson |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/report-romantic-letter-seattle-police-chief-adrian-diaz-jamie-tompkins/281-98394b8f-312b-4a76-b768-5d055f2b3078 |date=2024-12-18 |title=Day after former Seattle police chief is fired, city releases romantic letter at center of case |publisher=KING-TV |accessdate=2024-12-20}} Tompkins had resigned on November 6, 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/adrian-diaz-termination-denies-allegations |title=Fired Seattle police Chief Diaz denies affair allegations, calls investigation flawed |date=2024-12-17 |website=Fox13Seattle |accessdate=2024-12-20}}

Early life and education

Born in Santa Ana, California,{{cite web |title=Meet Seattle's top police officer, Adrian Diaz |url=https://www.seattlechannel.org/videos?videoid=x145695 |publisher=Seattle Channel |access-date=31 October 2024 |date=February 15, 2023}} Diaz was raised in Anaheim, California and Mercer Island, Washington. Diaz earned a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from Central Washington University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington.{{Cite web|title=Command Staff - Police|url=https://www.seattle.gov/police/about-us/about-the-department/command-staff#:~:text=Assistant%20Chief%20Diaz%20holds%20a,Senior%20Management%20Institute%20of%20Policing.|access-date=2020-08-11|website=seattle.gov}} Diaz has stated his father was a police officer while serving in the Air Force and later managed a grocery store. His older brother also works for Seattle Police Department.{{cite web |title=SPD Chief Diaz wrestling as liberation |url=https://nwasianweekly.com/2021/05/spd-chief-diaz-wrestling-as-liberation/ |publisher=NW Asian Weekly |access-date=31 October 2024}}

Career

Diaz stated he worked managing grocery stores before joining the Seattle Police Department. He also worked as a wrestling coach. He began his career with the department as a bike patrolman and undercover officer and expressed uncertainty if he really wanted to be a police officer. Diaz also works as a Master Defensive Tactics instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.{{Cite web |title=Who is taking over for Carmen Best? Here's what we know about Interim Chief Adrian Diaz|url=https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/who-is-taking-over-carmen-best-heres-what-we-know-about-interim-chief-adrian-diaz/QPGQ4GL4D5ASZIIXU2UCELVSW4/|access-date=2020-08-13|publisher=KIRO|date=August 12, 2020 |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Diaz came out as gay in June 2024, amid allegations of discrimination and retaliation and a $5 million tort claim filed against him by 4 female officers.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-19 |title=The former Seattle police chief denies allegations made against him by 4 female officers |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-seattle-police-chief-denies-allegations-made-4-female-officers-rcna157739 |access-date=2024-06-19 |publisher=NBC News |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Timing of former SPD chief coming out raises questions amidst legal, administrative turmoil |url=https://mynorthwest.com/3962895/timing-former-spd-chief-diaz-coming-out-raises-questions/ |publisher=MyNorthwest |access-date=31 October 2024}} He was also sued by a police captain for discrimination and retaliation.{{cite web |title=Seattle police captain sues chief, claims retaliation for reporting discrimination |url=https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-police-department-lawsuit-captain-eric-greening-discriminatory-practices-chief-diaz-community-outreach-youth-violence-prevention-units-alternative-response-team-civilian-cpb-spd-law-enforcement-bipoc-gender-bias-city-attorneys-pending-litigation- |publisher=KOMO News |access-date=31 October 2024}} In October 2024, Diaz sued the city of Seattle for $10 million for discrimination, harassment and retaliation.{{cite web |title=Former Seattle police chief files $10 million claim against city |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/former-seattle-police-chief-adrian-diaz-files-10-million-claim/281-485b67b3-1aa1-4c14-95af-21accbd76f12 |publisher=KING-TV |access-date=31 October 2024}} He was on paid administrative leave at the time with a $338,000 salary.{{cite web |title=Pay Records Show Diaz Listed As 'Chief' With $338,000 Salary |url=https://publicola.com/2024/07/05/pay-records-show-diaz-still-listed-as-chief-with-338000-salary-spd-wont-respond-to-records-requests-until-2025-2/ |publisher=Pubicola |access-date=31 October 2024}}{{cite web |title=Former Seattle police Chief Adrian Diaz on paid administrative leave |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/former-seattle-police-chief-adrian-diaz-paid-leave/281-c4b7fa67-f0b5-4f59-9c64-3cd635a345b5 |access-date=31 October 2024 |publisher=KING-TV}}

References

Category:Living people

Category:American law enforcement officials

Category:Chiefs of the Seattle Police Department

Category:Central Washington University alumni

Category:University of Washington alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:American gay men

Category:LGBTQ people from Washington (state)

Category:People from Santa Ana, California