Seattle Police Captain Demoted for Reporting Racism Receives $1 Million Settlement

Police Captain's Lawsuit and Settlement

• 💰 Eric Greening, a 30-year veteran and Black police captain in Seattle, has been awarded nearly $1 million in a settlement.
• ⚖️ The settlement resolves a lawsuit where Greening alleged he was demoted and retaliated against by former Police Chief Adrien Diaz for reporting racism and gender discrimination.
• 📌 Greening's suit claimed Diaz demoted him to captain, a role with a significant pay cut, after he reapplied for his assistant chief position.

Allegations of Racism and Discrimination

• 🧐 Greening, who led the department's race and social justice initiative, reported that community outreach duties were disproportionately assigned to women and minority members.
• 🚫 He also alleged that Chief Diaz excluded women and BIPOC command personnel from decision-making and circumvented Black supervisors.
• 🗣️ When Greening raised concerns in 2022, Chief Diaz reportedly responded, "I can't fix all this."

Departmental Culture and Settlement Details

• 📉 Greening's demotion resulted in the abolition of the collaborative policing bureau he led.
• 💸 The $1 million settlement includes $638,000 for Greening and $312,000 for his attorney, with a portion for back wages and non-economic damages.
• 🚫 The settlement explicitly states it is not an admission of wrongdoing by the city or the police department.
• 💔 The narrative suggests the department prioritized paying the settlement over addressing the alleged systemic issues and transforming its culture.