The City of Seattle will pay $2.6 million to the four female police officers who sued the city over alleged sexual harassment and gender discrimination against former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz and prior Seattle Police Department leadership.
The settlement concludes a legal case years in the making, addressing claims made by the officers regarding the department’s culture toward women.
Sumeer Singla, attorney for the four female officers, characterized the legal proceedings by noting, “This is one of those cases where the twists and turns kept on coming.”
Singla stated that his clients “didn’t want to be subject or victims of harassment or discrimination, but they found it necessary to speak up when they saw something that was wrong.”
He added that his office continues to receive inquiries from other officers, saying, “We’re still getting calls. We’re still getting inquiries from officers about what’s happening within the department.”
The City Attorney’s Office issued a statement regarding the settlement. The statement said, “The City has resolved this case and believes the agreed resolution allows all parties to move forward.”
It further clarified that “all parties agree that the settlement does not reflect an admission of wrongdoing or unlawful conduct, nor is it a comment on the character or actions of any of the named individuals in this case.”
Former Seattle Police Officer Diaz previously denied the allegations in 2024. Seattle’s Former Mayor Bruce Harrell was questioned about Diaz’s denials. Harrell stated that it was “not my job to be a trier of fact on his factual representations.”
Singla expressed that a key takeaway from the settlement is the importance of accountability.
He conveyed his and his clients’ hope that “this settlement is a wake-up call not only for the Seattle Police Department, but hopefully for other departments within the country.”
The Seattle Police Department referred requests for comment on the settlement to the City Attorney’s Office.