Seattle Police must report what it’s doing to hire women: City Council resolution

The Seattle City Council has weighed in on the five lawsuits filed against the police department — all alleging racial and gender discrimination.

On Tuesday, the City Council passed a resolution mandating that the police department report what it is doing to hire more women and address allegations of sexism and racial discrimination — much of it detailed in KUOW reporting.

“It’s time for the behavior described by women at SPD to end — full stop,” said Councilmember Tammy Morales in a statement.

The resolution came one day after Captain Eric Greening filed a lawsuit saying Chief Adrian Diaz dismisses feedback from BIPOC and female officers.

Women currently make up 12% of officers at the Seattle Police Department. The department has pledged, through its collaboration with the 30x30 initiative, to increase that to 30% of its recruiting class by 2030.

Ted Buck, Chief Adrian Diaz’s personal attorney, wrote in a statement that the police department is “deeply committed to enhancing diversity department-wide.”

Buck noted that Diaz launched the Relational Policing Initiative in 2022, “which focused on changing the future of policing.”

Buck added, “Also, for the first time in department history there is an Executive Director of Employee Support Services to oversee general officer wellness. Her sole focus will be building and maintaining officer resilience.”