Seattle mayor opens up about SPD chief's removal, reelection bid and more

Mayor Bruce Harrell suggested multiple lawsuits against the Seattle Police Department and the distractions led him to make a “strategic decision” to remove the chief, and that is has nothing to do with a planned reelection campaign.
Harrell spoke to KOMO News for 20 minutes about the recent shakeup and made his first comments since Diaz’s revelation about his sexual orientation.
“There wasn't one final straw, there's a combination of factors," Harrell said. "The first factor always is, 'Can any department head, and in this case, a police chief, can they provide optimal performance?' Or are there distractions and impediments toward that optimal performance? In this case, with the abundance of lawsuits the chief was facing, named as a defendant and the department itself, I made the decision that we would be better served as a city to bring in new leadership. Again, it was a strategic decision, not one out of just pure reaction.
“It's never been proven that he's done anything wrong. I've known him for quite some time now, maybe 15 years, and he's been a fine public servant. That was not the issue."
Diaz has since disclosed that he is gay, and that he had told Harrell about it as turmoil was surrounding the department. Diaz has been accused of sexual harassment, discrimination and intimidation, leading to a hostile work environment for multiple top staffers.
“He shared his personal revelation to me a few months before - I'd say sometime in March," Harrell said. "It was just a personal discussion between he and I, and ultimately, his communication to the world rests with the chief and I applaud him for believing when he disclosed this to the world that it was the right time."
Harrell was asked if he believed a gay individual could not sexually harass someone.
"No, I don't think data or history would suggest that proposition at all," Harrell said. "I think every human being is capable of being prejudiced or being unfair or unkind or discriminatory toward another human being, regardless as to how they identify."
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[@ResidentOfTheAbyss]

DEI mayor is going to be replaced with another DEI mayor is what is going to happen.

[@6thface]

Oh look, another racist.

[@6thface]

Resource issues? The SPD consumes 23% of the cities general funds budget. How much should they get? All of the budget? The SPD and this mayor sure think so.

[@eddieg6436]

……I personally know several SEASONED Seattle PD officers who recently left. One moved his family to Missoula, Montana, the other retired early to Phoenix. I don’t blame them ONE BIT. 🤷🏼‍♂️🤷🏼‍♂️🤷🏼‍♂️

[@6thface]

I wish I had a pension after making 6 figures for years on the do nothing force.

[@juliushoward7119]

You should have joined. Then you would have.

[@eddieg6436]

@@6thface …..exactly!! AND, he moved to a place HALF as expensive to live as Seattle!! 😀😎🥂

[@MaestroWenarto]

Best mayor