Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz divulged personal details about his sexuality, revealing that he is gay, according to an intimate interview on The Jason Rantz Show. Diaz, who had been combatting allegations of sexual harassment and grooming, decided to publicly share this aspect of his identity following these acrimonious events. "It’s a story that it’s struggled with, over the last four years, that I’m a gay Latino man," Diaz said, noting his concern wasn't for himself but for his children and the potential challenges they may confront, according to 770 KTTH.
Diaz also disclosed, according to a conversation with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, that he decided to come out in February. The mayor was reported to have been supportive, a detail that stands in contrast to the tumult surrounding Diaz's leadership and the claims against him. After a $5 million tort claim surfaced over the chief's purported predatory behavior, Harrell pursued an independent third-party investigation into the allegations, which preceded Diaz's departure as chief.
Speaking about his exit, Diaz said, as per 770 KTTH, "I would have loved to still continue to do the job. Don’t get me wrong. I love this city. I love the officers. I love this department. I believe that for 27 years, I’ve given my heart and soul to it and I would have loved to finish out every ounce of my career here. It makes me sad that I’m not able to. But … you kind of know when that time is to say, ‘OK, how do I actually make the department able to move on?'" His reflections were aired as part of his candid discussion on the show. He joined the Seattle Police Department in 1997 and served as chief since January 2023, initially stepping into the role as an interim chief in September 2020.
Diaz is also considering a future opportunity, particularly with the Austin Police Department, as mentioned in a KOMO News report. "I want to make sure people understand who I am," Diaz elucidated. "I want to live my truth. I don’t want to be hidden behind any curtain or anything like that. I want another opportunity to serve a city. And, you know, it’s not easy when you have some false allegations against you. I don't want to have any secrets if I decide to go to another city."
