SPD captain claims Chief Diaz has ‘history of misogyny’ in newly-filed lawsuit

SEATTLE — Seattle Police Captain Deanna Nollette filed a lawsuit against the city, department, and Chief Adrian Diaz this week, asserting a pattern of gender discrimination.

According to the filing, Chief Diaz allegedly “has a history of misogyny.”

“He is demeaning to women in the police force, articulating his bias that women should not hold leadership positions in the police force,” it reads, going on to claim that the chief excluded female leaders from command staff social events, and offered travel, training, and network opportunities only to male officers.

“Many times, when (Nollette) presented an idea to Diaz, he would ignore her and give credit to a male officer,” the filing continues.

Nollette further cites one instance where she claims Chief Diaz suggested women in the department act as cheerleaders for an SPD flag football team created as a “team building exercise.”

Nollette has been with the department for 27 years, and was promoted to assistant chief in 2018. After Diaz became the permanent head of the department, he demoted Nollette and fellow Assistant Chief Eric Greening, both of whom had applied to be chief before Diaz was eventually selected.

After she was demoted, Nollette says she spent five months on medical leave “because of the emotional toll Diaz’s discrimination took.”

“When she returned, Diaz assigned her to for a newly-promoted white male captain with less experience, training and accomplishments, in a less-than comparable job,” she alleges.

This comes after a lawsuit filed in 2023 by SPD Detective Denise “Cookie” Bouldin,” which alleges years of racial and gender discrimination against the 43-year veteran of the force.

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