Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz is at the center of a cluster of lawsuits: several current and former officers have sued him and the city alleging discrimination, retaliation, or harassment during his tenure, and Diaz himself filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in May 2025 after being fired that December. Multiple cases have already settled for a combined total in the millions, with no admission of wrongdoing by the city.
Captain Eric Greening’s Retaliation Case
Eric Greening, a Black captain with nearly 30 years at SPD, sued the city and Diaz in King County Superior Court on May 20, 2024, alleging retaliation in violation of the Washington Law Against Discrimination.1PubliCola. Greening v. City of Seattle Complaint Greening had been one of three finalists for the chief job in 2022 before Mayor Bruce Harrell selected Diaz. From 2020 to 2023 he was the only Black member of SPD’s command staff.2Seattle Times. Seattle Police Veteran Sues Chief, Alleging Discrimination, Retaliation
Beginning in 2021, Greening raised concerns to Diaz and HR about discriminatory patterns, including his complaint that Diaz bypassed Black supervisors, relied almost exclusively on white male advisers, and treated him differently than other assistant chiefs.2Seattle Times. Seattle Police Veteran Sues Chief, Alleging Discrimination, Retaliation1PubliCola. Greening v. City of Seattle Complaint
The city settled in April 2025 for nearly $1 million, including more than $300,000 in attorney fees. The agreement kept Greening on paid administrative leave until February 1, 2026, and contained no admission of wrongdoing.3PubliCola. City Settles Discrimination Lawsuit by Black Police Captain Demoted by Former Police Chief Diaz4KIRO 7. Seattle to Pay Nearly $1M in Settlement With Police Captain Who Alleged Discrimination Diaz, through his attorney Ted Buck, had said he was “confident that an objective review of the circumstances underlying Mr. Greening’s claims will show the department’s actions were appropriate.”2Seattle Times. Seattle Police Veteran Sues Chief, Alleging Discrimination, Retaliation
Sexual Harassment Suit by Four Female Officers
In April 2024, officers Lauren Truscott, Valerie Carson, Kame Spencer, and Judinna Gulpan sued alleging sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and a hostile work environment involving Diaz, Lt. John O’Neil, and others. The city settled the case in June 2026 for $2.6 million, divided evenly among the four plaintiffs, again with no admission of wrongdoing.5Seattle Times. Seattle Pays $2.6M to Settle Sexual Harassment Claims Against Ex-Chief
Lt. John O’Neil’s Discrimination Suit
Lt. John O’Neil separately alleged racial discrimination and retaliation, claiming the four female officers had conspired to spread false allegations against him. The city settled his case in August 2025 for more than $200,000.6Fox 13 Seattle. John O’Neil Settles Lawsuit
Lacey Gray’s Whistleblower Claim
Lacey Gray, a former records manager in Seattle’s Office of Inspector General for Public Safety, filed a $5 million tort claim in January 2025. She alleges she was fired for raising concerns about the illegal release of confidential records connected to the Diaz investigation. Her lawsuit is scheduled for trial in May 2026.7Fox 13 Seattle. OIG Botched Diaz Affair Probe
Diaz’s Firing and His Own Lawsuit
Diaz was demoted and replaced as chief in May 2024 after the Office of Inspector General opened an investigation into allegations that he had a romantic relationship with his chief of staff, Jamie Tompkins. He was formally fired in December 2024. Mayor Harrell’s termination letter cited dishonesty, conflicts of interest, and violations of professionalism policies.8KUOW. Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz Sues City Over Firing
Diaz rejected that account. In October 2024 he filed a $10 million tort claim accusing the city of discriminating against him based on sexual orientation; he had come out publicly as gay after the investigation surfaced.9Police1. Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz, Who Had Been Demoted, Is Fired In May 2025 he followed with a wrongful termination lawsuit in King County Superior Court against the city and Mayor Harrell, claiming his firing was retaliation for refusing the mayor’s demand to terminate an officer without due process.8KUOW. Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz Sues City Over Firing
The Broader Financial Picture
When Greening filed his complaint in May 2024, it was reported as the seventh discrimination-related legal action against SPD and the sixth against Diaz personally.2Seattle Times. Seattle Police Veteran Sues Chief, Alleging Discrimination, Retaliation Between September 2022 and September 2024, Diaz was the subject of 52 complaints to the Office of Police Accountability, and department-wide equal employment opportunity complaints were on pace to more than double in 2024 compared to the prior year.10The Urbanist. Seattle Police Department Increasingly Unstable
From 2021 through 2023, Seattle paid over $13 million in lawsuit settlements involving SPD, more than double the roughly $6 million paid over the previous six years. The city increased its budget for legal judgments and claims by $26 million for the 2025–2026 period.11City of Seattle Office of Inspector General. 2024 Report on Claims and Lawsuits Involving Seattle Police Department10The Urbanist. Seattle Police Department Increasingly Unstable