NEWS GLEAMS | Seattle Mayor Hires Firm to Investigate Police Harassment Claims

A roundup of news and announcements we don't want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle.

by Vee Hua 華婷婷

Mayor Bruce Harrell Hires Firm to Investigate Harassment Claims From Female Officers at SPD

Four female police officers have notified the Seattle Police Department of their intent to sue the department alleging a hostile work environment, harassment, and sexual discrimination.

Their tort claim — which is a necessary prerequisite for a case to be officially filed — names Police Chief Adrian Diaz for participating in "predatory and discriminatory behavior," as well as Lt. John O'Neill for harassment, including uncomfortable private encounters and intimidation tactics.

The tort goes into extensive detail about specific incidents spanning an extended period of time and includes lewd comments, unwanted solicitations, and attempts at what the women describe as "grooming."

The four officers participating in the case, which asks for $5 million in damages, include Lt. Lauren Truscott, Officer Valerie Carson, Officer Kame Spencer, and Officer Judinna "Jean" Gulpan. They are represented by Sumeer Singla, a former assistant city attorney for Seattle. Truscott was the first to speak publicly with the press, as her rank allows her to speak to the media in specific circumstances, unlike lower-ranking officers.

In her complete statement that called for third-party, non-biased investigation, Truscott cited comments O'Neil made regarding Gulpan's sex life and his allegations that she forged her timecards. O'Neil was supervising Gulpan at the time. Following the conversations, Truscott researched the circumstances around O'Neil's statements and alleged that "a disturbing pattern and practice of sexual harassment and sexual discrimination emerged. It appears Lt. O'Neil has weaponized the [Equal Opportunity Office] and [Office of Police Accountability] complaint process to punish these subordinate female employees and to keep them quiet."

City of Seattle and SPD Response to the Allegations

Mayor Bruce Harrell has since hired the independent firm MFR Associates to investigate the claims raised by female officers. In a Tuesday, April 30, letter to the Seattle City Council, Harrell wrote, "I take these recent allegations very seriously and believe it is essential for public trust and confidence to commission an external and independent review."

He went on to explain that Marcella Fleming Reed of MFR Associates will investigate whether the gender discrimination and sexual harassment claims are supported by evidence and, following her review, will share recommendations for systemic improvements. Harrell also shared that the claims from female SPD officers have already undergone review with agencies and independent oversight groups, such as the Seattle Office of Police Accountability, the Seattle Office of Inspector General for Public Safety, SPD's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) office, the Seattle Department of Human Resources, and external investigators.

Following the filing of the tort claim, the SPD's Office of Public Affairs wrote in a statement to KUOW that it "does not litigate tort claims in the media," yet went on to write, "For that reason, the department will not respond to the personal attacks rooted in rough estimations of hearsay reflecting, at their core, individual perceptions of victimhood that are unsupported and — in some instances — belied by the comprehensive investigations that will no doubt ultimately be of record."

The personal attorney of Diaz, Ted Buck, released a statement denying the allegations and claiming that their roots were based in "modern politics" which has shown that "salacious allegations and propaganda will routinely beat fact checking." The statement continued, "These claims against Chief Diaz are both false and contradicted by the claimants' earlier statements in extensive EEO investigations. As a Hispanic American with decades of experience in law enforcement, Chief Diaz has faced significant discrimination throughout his career … The reality is a modern big city chief will always be the target of disgruntled, dissatisfied claimants. Chief Diaz recognizes that and is prepared to allow a fair, thorough review of the evidence to establish the truth about these allegations."

Past Harassment and Discrimination Claims From SPD Officers

The allegations also build upon anecdotes shared in a 3030 report released last September but which came to light publicly last February. In the report, responses were compiled from interviews and focus groups assessing the culture of SPD and women's place within it, which described SPD as a "good old boys club" full of sexism and favoritism. The largest theme to emerge from the interviews was "masculine culture, expectations for women, and double standards," where women shared challenges of "fitting into the inherently masculine police culture, and how women in policing are perceived differently than men … that women do not feel that they can behave in the same way as their male counterparts, as they will be thought of as difficult, challenging, or problematic."

The latest harassment claims are not the first involving SPD or Diaz. In November 2023, Detective Denise "Cookie" Bouldin filed a lawsuit alleging she faced daily racial and gender discrimination during her 43 years with SPD, especially regarding her close ties with Communities of Color. Another similar lawsuit was filed in January 2024 by 27-year department veteran Deanna Nollette against SPD and Diaz for misogyny and retaliation.

In late 2023, a number of complaints were filed with the Office of Police Accountability to investigate Diaz's romantic involvement with a woman he would later hire for a high-ranking legal advisor role. Diaz and his lawyer denied the allegations, and an Equal Employment Opportunity office investigation later concluded that the rumors were spread by a temporary employee who did not have ample evidence.

As SPD attempts to boost enrollment in their police force, they have named a goal of hiring 30% female officers by 2030, in line with a national 3030 Initiative, which aims to advance women in policing. SPD signed onto the goal in 2021; the local 3030 report was conducted and released as a part of the requirements for participation.

Seattle Restored Calls for Artists to Help Activate Vacant Storefronts

The annual Seattle Restored program is now inviting artists to apply for art installations and art residencies that will help activate vacant storefronts across Seattle. The program aims to support BIPOC artists and local entrepreneurs through one of two pathways:

Art Installation

Participants exhibit and sell artwork via QR codes from a street-facing window. They will be given a $1,500 participation stipend, with general liability insurance coverage, no-cost display lease, and free creative entrepreneur business support.

Art Residency

Participants will receive six months of free rent in a converted studio space, which will also allow artists to display and sell their work to the public. They will be given a $2,000 participation stipend, $500 in tenant improvement funding, general liability insurance coverage, and creative entrepreneurial support.

Apply for Seattle Restored by May 30 by 8:00 p.m. Application details are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Somali, Amharic, Korean, Tagalog, and Russian.

Join Shunpike, the Seattle Office of Economic Development, and Seattle Good Business Network on Wednesday, May 15, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for an info session. RSVP on Shunpike's website.

📸 Featured Image: A Seattle police badge on the sleeve of body armor of an officer clearing out the Capitol Hill Occupation Protest on July 1, 2020. Photo via VDB Photos/Shutterstock.com.

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