Seattle Chief of Police Adrian Diaz is toast, at least as the city’s top hog, according to a source.

by Ashley Nerbovig

Seattle Chief of Police Adrian Diaz is toast, at least as the city’s top hog, according to a source. After a series of lawsuits accusing him of allowing a culture of sexism and racism at the Seattle Police Department, combined with rumors about an inappropriate relationship with a top aide, his stint as chief has come to a close after less than four years. 

On Tuesday, the day of Diaz’s departure, the City’s Office of Inspector General sent out an email explaining that it planned to investigate a complaint against Diaz over his hiring of a top aide, who he allegedly had an intimate relationship with.

The City has scheduled a press conference at 1 pm today. 

Diaz became interim chief of the department in 2020 after the departure of Carmen Best. Mayor Bruce Harrell officially appointed Diaz to the position in September 2022. Before he began overseeing the department, he led SPD’s Collaborative Policing Bureau, which focused on community policing efforts such as youth violence intervention and educating the public about policing. 

This is a developing story.

The Stranger