‘They’ve stalled us’: Attorney alleges Seattle delaying records in SPD harassment case

Seattle attorney Sumeer Singla is suing the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and the City of Seattle, alleging public records violations and mishandling of complaints from four female officers who claim they faced sexual harassment, retaliation, and a hostile work environment under former SPD Chief Adrian Diaz.

KIRO host John Curley spoke with Singla about the ongoing case and the challenges of holding the city accountable on “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio.

“Since we talked last, we filed a lawsuit, and we’re underway,” Singla explained. “We entered into mediation. Unfortunately, that was not successful, so we’re going to be looking at a trial.”

Singla detailed how the city has delayed providing requested documents, forcing his team to file public records requests to access critical information.

“We asked for all of the information that we were supposed to get in discovery, and now they’ve stalled us, and they say that they’re not going to produce this information to us until September, a month before we’re going to go to trial,” Singla said.

He noted this tactic is not uncommon but stressed that public records are the people’s records, and SPD has a legal obligation to provide them.

Despite the hostile environment, three of the four officers remain with the department and are reportedly thriving under new leadership. Singla added that retaliation continues in some forms, though the department’s administration has changed.

“One of our clients that got so bad that she had to be escorted out of the building because one of the people that she’s accusing of harassing her was in the same building as her, and the department wasn’t helping her out, so she had to find her colleagues to escort her out of the building so she wouldn’t run into this guy,” Singla said.

Singla also discussed the city’s approach to lawsuits, noting that while lawyers can advise settlement, political and ego-driven decisions often influence outcomes. The case is scheduled for trial in October, with depositions beginning soon.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to John Curley weekday afternoons from 3 – 7 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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