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Sunday, March 23, 2008

Media acquired list of decertified officers in Washington & Idaho

...As in Idaho, Washington agencies must contact the commission if an officer has been fired. Through an investigation and a series of reviews, a decision is made whether to take away an officer’s credentials...

Washington, Idaho officers decertified

decertified
The Spokesman Review, WA
Jody Lawrence-Turner
March 22, 2008
[Excerpts] Twenty-five Washington law officers and 14 in Idaho were stripped of their badges last year for transgressions as serious as theft and drug charges, and as basic as telling a lie. For Washington, it’s still a fairly new process. Prior to 2002, an officer could be fired from one agency and go to work for another. Since then, 78 officers have been told they can no longer work in law enforcement anywhere in the state – a third of them last year alone – in a process called decertification. The public in Washington has never before been told who’s been decertified, or why. Until the records were recently requested by The Spokesman-Review, the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission considered the information confidential, even though similar information about decertified teachers and health professionals is considered public. The newspaper’s request prompted a review of that policy, and the commission ultimately determined that state law did not shield the decertified officers from disclosure... With about 10,000 law enforcement officers in Washington and 3,541 in Idaho, only a tiny minority ever face the ultimate disciplinary action of decertification. But more officers are losing their badges than in the past, and Jeffry Black, executive director of Idaho Peace Officers Standards and Training, said the decertification process isn’t the only reason. “I think problems have always been there, but now agencies are being more proactive,” Black said. Washington has only had the process in place for six years.“One reason (that Washington adopted the process) was to ensure that those who were unfit to be law enforcement officers couldn’t work somewhere else”... Disgraced officers used to move from one location to another without leaving the field of law enforcement... Washington officers were decertified in 2007 for reasons that included domestic violence, reckless driving, theft, forgery and dishonesty. Since 2002, there have also been Washington officers decertified for child molestation, assault, burglary and child rape. Black says the most common reasons Idaho officers lose their certification is having sex on the job. In Washington, domestic violence and dishonesty are the most common... Prior to 1996, Idaho officers had to be a convicted of a crime – misdemeanor or felony – before they were disqualified to work in law enforcement. The statute since has been changed to include violations of codes of conduct, such as lying during an internal investigation, insubordination, mishandling evidence or having sex while on duty.... Investigations are reviewed by a 15-member board comprised of several law officers, including chiefs and sheriffs, an FBI agent, the criminal law division chief for the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, executive director of Association of Idaho Cities, and executive director of the Idaho Association of Counties. That board decides whether an officer loses his credentials. The Washington commission has 14 members, including Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick. Idaho’s hearings board and Washington’s commission are appointed by their respective governors. As in Idaho, Washington agencies must contact the commission if an officer has been fired. Through an investigation and a series of reviews, a decision is made whether to take away an officer’s credentials...Since 2002, the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission has stripped 78 officers of their badges – a third of those last year... [Full article here]

Lists of decertified law enforcement officers (PDF files)
Sample:
  • ID Trooper Elias Leija decertified_for dv (Idaho State Police)
  • ID Officer Sean Bryan Hart decertified_battery (Boise PD)
  • WA Trooper Sholtys decertified for domestic (WSP)
  • WA Deputy Brandon Clark decertified for Firearm crime (Stevens Co. SO)
  • WA Cpt Mike Haymon decertified for domestic (Aberdeen PD)
  • WA TPD Officer Skola decertified for domestic (Tacoma PD)
  • WA Deputy Godsey Hyram decertified for domestic (Jefferson Co. SO)
  • WA Officer Derek Arnett decertified for domestic (Kelso PD)
  • WA TPD Officer Michael Torres decertified_fam child rape (Tacoma PD)
  • WA Deputy Mark Mercer decertified for domestic (Skamania Co. SO)
  • WA Officer Steve Kelly decertified_harrassment (Cheney PD)
  • WA TPD Marco Rahn decertified for domestic (Tacoma PD)
  • WA Officer Brian Dahl decertified for domestic (Yakima PD)
  • WA Officer James Covey decertified for domestic (King Co. SO)
  • WA Deputy John Spier decertified for domestic (Franklin Co. SO)
  • WA Sgt Greg Wilson decertified for domestic (Poulsbo PD)
  • WA Deputy Amaad DeAllah decertified for domestic (King Co. SO)
  • WA Officer Vergara decertified for domestic (Pasco PD)

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