SEATTLE — Recent documents from the Office of the Inspector General provide new insights into the investigation surrounding former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz and allegations of an affair with his chief of staff, Jamie Tompkins.
The city initiated an investigation into Diaz’s purported relationship with Tompkins in 2024, ultimately placing him on paid administrative leave before terminating his employment based on the findings.
In the released documents, interviews reveal that Diaz reportedly confirmed to two members of his security detail that he was involved with Tompkins. This admission allegedly occurred prior to her hiring as chief of staff for the Seattle Police Department.
The investigation documents reflect separate interviews conducted with two security officers in June and September 2024, respectively. Both individuals testified that concerns arose when they became aware that Diaz was attempting to hire Tompkins for the role, which had not been publicly advertised for other candidates.
“No one cares who you sleep with, but then you can’t hire her,” one witness remarked to the investigator, expressing that the relationship became problematic given Diaz’s role in Tompkins’ employment.
Fears of retaliation emerged among the witnesses, with one officer expressing worry about job security due to family obligations, yet he believed cooperating with the investigation was the morally right choice.
Moreover, during spring 2024, a cascade of lawsuits against both Diaz and the Seattle Police Department came to light, alleging sexual harassment and racial discrimination by top officials. Witnesses recounted being summoned to Diaz’s office, where he hinted at their conversations about his relationship with Tompkins, stating, “You don’t know what you think you know.”
At that juncture, Diaz allegedly came out as gay, leading witnesses to feel as though he was attempting to reshape their understanding of his previous statements regarding Tompkins.
When an investigator inquired about whether they sensed he was trying to discourage them from sharing what they knew, one witness responded, “Absolutely.”
In interviews conducted with Diaz in the summer of 2024, he maintained that his relationship with Tompkins was strictly platonic, highlighting moments they spent together outside of work, such as dinners and assisting her with moving. Diaz claimed to have come to terms with his sexuality around January 2022.
Tompkins, interviewed in August 2024, described Diaz as a friend but stated that they weren’t particularly close. She asserted that she received assistance in moving from him but rejected claims that Diaz had single-handedly created the chief of staff position for her.
Further into the investigation, a card allegedly written by Tompkins was presented, which included a love note to Diaz. Both Diaz and Tompkins denied any familiarity with the card, nor did they recognize the handwriting contained within.
The card was discovered in a Seattle Police Department vehicle in November 2024, featuring initials that matched Diaz’s. The note included affectionate language, stating, “I hope I always know your kiss. I hope I always feel your influence. I hope to always know you and me. I love you.”
Continuing to deny any involvement in a romantic relationship, both Diaz and Tompkins stressed the damaging nature of the allegations to their professional reputations.
Tompkins publicly stated, “The allegation that Chief Diaz and I were in a romantic or sexual relationship is completely false and highly damaging to both his and my professional reputations,” after Diaz was dismissed from the department in December 2024.
As legal proceedings unfold, both individuals have made claims against the city for wrongful termination and sexual harassment, respectively, stemming from rumors regarding their relationship.
An additional layer of investigation involved a handwriting analyst who assessed the birthday card in question. The findings demonstrated a “high probability” that Tompkins had authored the card, despite her claims to the contrary.
The analyst also noted an effort by Tompkins to disguise her handwriting in a sample she provided specifically for the investigation.
As the inquiry continues and allegations persist, the ramifications of this case extend beyond individual reputations, touching upon broader issues of workplace dynamics, ethics in leadership roles, and accountability within public institutions.
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