The City of Seattle has agreed to a $3 million settlement with longtime Seattle Police Department official Deanna Nollette, following her claims of gender-based discrimination and retaliation within the department.
Nollette, who spent five years serving as an assistant chief at SPD, alleged in a lawsuit that she experienced significant emotional distress after being removed from her leadership role and reassigned as captain. Her demotion came after former Police Chief Adrian Diaz reopened applications for the assistant chief position in 2022, and Nollette was not chosen to continue in the post.
According to the settlement finalized in June, Nollette filed multiple internal complaints accusing the department—and Diaz specifically—of discriminatory and retaliatory actions following her demotion. These complaints, as outlined in the agreement, eventually led to her reassignment to a night duty captain position.
While the city has agreed to the settlement, neither the Seattle Police Department nor Chief Diaz have acknowledged any wrongdoing or violation of the law. Still, as part of the resolution, Nollette will be reinstated to her former rank of assistant chief.
In addition to the financial compensation, the agreement stipulates that Nollette will be granted 1,020 hours of paid administrative leave. After completing that leave, she is expected to retire from the department.
Nollette’s career at SPD spans several decades, and she was one of the highest-ranking women within the department prior to her reassignment.
