‘I support the women on the force.’ Councilmember Saka responds to harassment reports at Seattle Police

In the wake of a tort claim filed last Thursday, which accused a Seattle police lieutenant and Police Chief Adrian Diaz of harassment, Councilmember Rob Saka said he plans to “get to the bottom” of department culture issues.

Saka said he couldn’t comment on pending litigation, but addressed the issues more broadly.

“I am deeply troubled by reports of sexual harassment and gender discrimination that I have had discussions with officers at roll calls about, and that I have heard about as part of the 30 By 30 Report and through reports in the media,” Saka, who is also vice chair of the public safety committee, wrote in a statement to KUOW.

“That type of behavior has no place in our police department,” he wrote. “As Vice Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I plan to exercise my oversight authority to get to the bottom of these culture issues. To that end, I support the women on the force and plan to be in conversation about what we can do as a city to better support them.”

RELATED: Seattle police lieutenant condemns Chief Diaz, says he enables department ‘serial harasser’

The tort claim was filed on behalf of four female Seattle officers who said they faced sex discrimination, harassment, and a hostile work environment at the department.

They called out Chief Adrian Diaz in their claim. Sumeer Singla, the attorney for the four women, wrote that Diaz “engaged in predatory and discriminatory behavior.”

Singla wrote in the claim that Diaz showed romantic interest in Officer Valerie Carson. Diaz allegedly called Carson over for long chats at the end of her shift, he would make flattering comments about her clothes, and he offered to do handy work for her at her house.

Once, Diaz allegedly asked Carson to drive alone with him on New Year’s Eve in 2020, according to the tort. Carson asked that his security detail join, as she was uncomfortable.

Ted Buck, Diaz’s personal attorney, in a statement to KUOW wrote that the claims against Diaz are false.

Allegations against Lt. John O’Neil, the head of the media affairs unit, were also raised in the tort claim. Officers Kame Spencer and Judinna Gulpan said they were sexually harassed by their former supervisor O’Neil.

Lt. Lauren Truscott filed a department complaint in March, which said Diaz enabled O’Neil’s alleged harassment against women.

Carson, Spencer, Gulpan and Truscott are asking for $5 million in damages.

Last week, the Mayor’s Office in a statement said they take these kinds of allegations seriously and that Mayor Harrell is “committed to building a police service that is representative of our community, including ensuring women are empowered and able to succeed.”

Their office recently transferred employee Kerry Keefe to Seattle Police, they wrote, to lead efforts “to address concerns raised in the 30x30 report and advance our mission to build an inclusive and representative police department.”