By Chris B. Bennett, The Seattle Medium
The City of Seattle has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed by Seattle Police Department Detective Denise “Cookie” Bouldin, a pioneering officer whose decades of community work have made Bouldin one of the most recognizable and trusted figures in Seattle, particularly in Central and Southeast Seattle.
The settlement, finalized Feb. 26, resolves claims brought by Bouldin alleging years of racial and gender discrimination within the department. The agreement does not include any admission of wrongdoing by the city and requires Bouldin to dismiss the case with prejudice, permanently closing the lawsuit.
According to the signed agreement, Bouldin has served as a commissioned law enforcement officer with the Seattle Police Department since 1979, including years as a detective.
Under the terms of the settlement, the city will pay $750,000 in non-economic compensation within 30 days of the agreement’s effective date. In exchange, Bouldin waives the right to pursue additional claims related to employment, including discrimination claims under federal and state law. The agreement states the payment represents a compromise of disputed claims.
Bouldin, who initially sought $10 million when the claim was filed in 2023, also agreed to pay attorney’s fees and costs and to split mediation expenses with the city.
A veteran officer with more than four decades of service, Bouldin is widely known across Seattle for a style of policing rooted not in enforcement alone, but in relationship-building, mentorship and long-term presence in the community. As one of the first African American women to join the Seattle Police Department in the 1970s, Bouldin helped redefine what community policing could look like in neighborhoods that have historically experienced strained relationships with law enforcement.
Over the course of a career spanning more than 40 years, Bouldin has built deep and lasting connections with young people and families, particularly in Central and Southeast Seattle. Bouldin has been known for organizing and leading youth-centered programs designed to create alternatives to violence and strengthen community ties.
Those efforts have included long-running chess programs, anti-violence workshops and educational initiatives aimed at giving young people structure, opportunity and support. At locations such as the Rainier Beach Community Center and Rainier Beach Library, young people have participated in regular programming focused on discipline, critical thinking and conflict resolution.
The chess programs, which bring together youth ranging from elementary school students to teenagers, have served as more than recreational outlets. They have functioned as spaces for mentorship, engagement and trust-building, where relationships between law enforcement and young people are developed over time.
In addition to those programs, Bouldin has worked with schools and community organizations across Seattle, providing mentorship, tutoring and anti-violence programming for students. Those efforts have included anti-bullying workshops and ongoing engagement designed to keep young people connected to positive support systems.
Through that work, Bouldin became not only a police officer, but a consistent presence in the lives of many young people and families, helping to shape how policing is experienced in communities of color.
“Det. Bouldin is a pioneer at the Seattle Police Department who has been a beloved and deeply trusted presence in our community for decades,” said City Attorney Erika Evans. “The City is thankful this case was able to resolve.”
Despite that legacy, the lawsuit alleged that Bouldin experienced discrimination throughout a career that spanned more than four decades. The claim alleges that Bouldin faced unequal treatment and repeated incidents that contributed to what was characterized as a hostile work environment.
According to the claim, those incidents included situations in which officers allegedly refused to provide backup when needed, raising concerns about safety and professional support. The claim also alleges instances of racial mockery involving African American officers, contributing to an environment described as both uncomfortable and discriminatory.
The claim further alleges that dog feces and dog food were left near Bouldin’s locker after complaints about workplace conditions, as well as broader concerns about unequal treatment compared to similarly situated personnel. The claim states that Bouldin was denied access to necessary work resources, overlooked for overtime opportunities and given lower performance evaluations.
The claim also raises concerns about scrutiny related to Bouldin’s relationships within Seattle’s Black community, relationships that have long been central to Bouldin’s role as a community liaison and to broader efforts to build trust between law enforcement and communities of color.
The lawsuit further alleges retaliation connected to complaints about workplace conditions, including the handling of personal belongings and changes in assignments following complaints.
While the settlement resolves the legal dispute, it does so without a determination on the merits of the allegations, and the agreement states that the city denies liability.
The settlement closes the case, but for many in Seattle, Detective “Cookie” Bouldin’s legacy will be measured not by the lawsuit, but by the generations of young people and families reached through decades of community policing and service.
