(The Center Square) – Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz and Seattle Police Department Director of Communications Jamie Tompkins have been placed on paid administrative leave, the department confirmed.
This move comes amid Diaz facing lawsuits alleging grooming and harassment. A $5 million tort claim was filed in late April by four female Seattle Police Department officers, who allege sex discrimination, sexual harassment and a hostile work environment within the department.
The following month, Diaz stepped down from the police chief position, as previously reported by The Center Square.
After Diaz stepped down, he was moved within the department to “work on special assignments.”
In June, Diaz responded to claims of sexual discrimination and harassment by the female officers in an interview on “The Jason Rantz Show.” During the interview, Diaz revealed that he is gay.
Tompkins was not included in the tort claim.
SPD declined to add any more details to the decision to place the two on paid administrative leave.
“Without commenting further on pending personnel matters, the Seattle Police Department can confirm that Executive Adrian Diaz and Director of Communications Jamie Tompkins have both been placed on paid administrative leave,” the department emailed The Center Square.
Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr sent an internal email to the department, saying that it is a complex situation and it was deemed inappropriate to share any additional details at this time.
This is not the first time a high-ranked SPD officer has been placed on leave this year. In May, Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis was placed on paid administrative leave reportedly due to a complaint from the Community Police Commission, where he served as a department liaison.
Davis was reinstated a week later.
