Shakeup of command staff at Seattle Police Department

Command staff at the Seattle Police Department is undergoing dramatic changes, according to an email sent to the department on Monday morning.

Chief Adrian Diaz has added a deputy chief role, which goes to Eric Barden, who has been with the department for 35 years. Barden previously oversaw harbor patrol, SWAT, and K9 (dogs) unit, among other units.

Diaz is also adding a Relational Policing Innovation Team. “Everything we do is about Relationships,” he wrote.

Two assistant chiefs were demoted to the rank of captain: Eric Greening and Deanna Nollette. They were the notably two assistant chiefs who threw their hat in the ring for chief, when Diaz was still interim.

Nollette was previously assistant chief of the criminal investigations bureau and has been with the department for 27 years; Greening was assistant chief of the Collaborative Policing Bureau and has been with the department for 28 years.

There is also the addition of a chief of staff position – new to the department. That role goes to Jamie Tompkins, a former TV news anchor at Q13 News in Seattle. Tompkins started at Seattle Police Department in late May as the head of communications.

In the email, Diaz said he is also downsizing bureaus because so many officers have left the department.

“With fewer sworn personnel, I have decided to downsize the number of bureaus from six to five,” Diaz wrote.

Isolde Raftery can be reached at iraftery@kuow.org or via private direct message on Twitter @isolderaftery or Instagram @isoldedenise.