Seattle’s new interim police chief vows to hire women as part of nationwide effort

SEATTLE – When Mayor Bruce Harrell appointed Sue Rahr as interim chief of the Seattle Police Department, he called her an expert in recruiting female police officers.

“I will try to live up to my title as the national expert in recruiting here,” she said at her introductory press conference on May 29. “I hope we can work together as a team to make the Seattle Police Department the most attractive department for women.”

Rahr is actively involved in the nationwide “30×30” initiative, which aims to increase the proportion of female police officers to 30% by 2030.

The SPD joined this initiative in 2021.

On Tuesday, just one day before the department’s restructuring, hiring women was a central focus of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting.

For over an hour, a representative of 30×30 presented the group’s work together with his SPD colleagues.

According to their presentation, about 15 percent of sworn SPD officials are female.

“We need to change the culture from warrior to guardian. We need to make it representative of our population and bring in the skills of women,” said City Councilor Cathy Moore.

The panel, speaking on behalf of the 30×30 initiative, said the department has focused on flexible working hours, child care, mentoring and increased recruitment efforts to appeal to more women.

“At least three of my clients are currently being used by the department as recruitment tools to encourage more women to apply to the department,” said attorney Sumeer Singla, who represents the four officers who filed a $5 million lawsuit against the department accusing former chief Adrian Diaz and other senior executives of sexual harassment and discrimination.

“These are the same officers who made them the poster children for why people should work for the agency. But then the agency and its top officers discriminated against and harassed those officers,” he said.

Diaz has denied the allegations.

Although Rahr is not expected to hold her post for long, she made it clear that she has a mission.

“If I can do this, the Seattle Police Department will be the largest recruiter of female recruits.”

Rahr will take office on Thursday, May 30.