[WA] Police say they saw SPD Domestic Violence Unit Sgt. Murray assault girlfriend in public

...Until today, [Seattle Police Sgt. Ronald] Murray was a member of the Seattle Police Domestic Violence Unit...  "A few of our officers saw Mr. Murray dragging the female victim by the upper part of her jacket and hair through the gravel parking lot," [Chelan County Det. Sgt. Jerry Moore] told seattlepi.com. "Numerous witnesses as well as officers saw the assault take place"... Deputies noted the woman was intoxicated but did not indicate whether Murray, 55, was believed to be intoxicated. The arresting deputy noted that Murray said he knew he was wrong and had no excuse for his behavior... Police sources say the victim in this case also works for the department...  "She was literally being dragged"...

Video

SPD DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFICER ALLEGEDLY DRAGGED GIRLFRIEND BY HAIR
KOMO
Oct 17, 2011
[Excerpts] An officer with the Seattle Police Department's domestic violence unit was arrested Saturday night for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. The incident happened in Leavenworth where Sgt. Ronald Murray was attending an Octoberfest with his girlfriend, said Sgt. Jerry Moore with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office... "He was witnessed by two of our officers dragging the female by her hair and the upper portion of her jacket through a gravel parking lot," Moore said. "She was literally being dragged"... Murray was arrested and booked into the Chelan County Jail for investigation of fourth-degree assault, domestic violence. Murray later posted bail... [Full article here]

SEATTLE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INVESTIGATOR ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
wenatcheeworld.com
By Dee Riggs
Monday, October 17, 2011
[Excerpts] ... Untiil today, Murray was a member of the Seattle Police Domestic Violence Unit, according to a Seattle Police Department press release issued this afternoon. Murray, a 28-year police veteran, is being transferred to another department pending the outcome of the investigation, according to Detective Mark Jamieson with the Seattle Police Department’s public affairs office. He said Seattle officials have started a complaint process with the department’s Office of Professional Accountability... October is national Domestic Violence Awareness month, according to the Seattle Police Department press release.... [Full article here]

SPD DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERGEANT ARRESTED FOR DV ASSAULT: Incident happened at Octoberfest; no plea entered yet
Seattlepi.Com
By Casey Mcnerthney
Monday, October 17, 2011
[Excerpts] A Seattle police sergeant in the domestic violence unit was arrested at Octoberfest in Leavenworth after police say he dragged his girlfriend in front of Chelan County sheriff's deputies... Sgt. Ronald Lee Murray, 55, and his 44-year-old girlfriend were waiting for a shuttle bus... "A few of our officers saw Mr. Murray dragging the female victim by the upper part of her jacket and hair through the gravel parking lot," [Chelan County Det. Sgt. Jerry Moore] told seattlepi.com. "Numerous witnesses as well as officers saw the assault take place." The alleged assault came after the woman, also from Puyallup, was upset that Murray gave away $20 in beer tickets, according to police. She was described as being "clearly intoxicated," but there were not incident report notes on Murray's possible intoxication... Murray identified himself as a Seattle Police officer, was cooperative and "advised he knew he was in the wrong," according to the Sheriff's Office incident report... Moore said Murray has been charged with fourth-degree domestic violence assault and a no-contact order with the victim was issued after his arrest. Seattle police spokespeople did not name Murray or give details of the incident, but Det. Mark Jamieson said in a department statement the 28-year veteran "will receive an investigatory transfer pending the ongoing investigation... The department has initiated the Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) complaint process... The OPA will actively monitor the ongoing Chelan County criminal case for developments. Upon the conclusion of the criminal case, OPA will proceed with a separate administrative investigation into the employee's conduct"... [Full article here]


DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT COP IS ARRESTED HIMSELF
Seattle Times
By Christine Clarridge
Originally published October 17, 2011
Page modified October 18, 2011
[Excerpts] A sergeant with the Seattle Police Department's Domestic Violence Unit [Ronald Lee Murray] was arrested over the weekend for investigation of domestic violence after an incident during Leavenworth's annual Oktoberfest... Chelan County sheriff's Detective Jerry Moore said two deputies were working at Oktoberfest late Friday when they saw a man dragging a woman by her hair and jacket through a gravel parking lot... Deputies noted the woman was intoxicated, according to Moore, but did not indicate whether Murray, 55, was believed to be intoxicated. The arresting deputy noted that Murray said he knew he was wrong and had no excuse for his behavior... Seattle police learned of the arrest early Sunday, according to a statement. The department has transferred the sergeant out of the Domestic Violence Unit, pending the criminal investigation, police said. A complaint process has been initiated with the department's Office of Professional Accountability (OPA). According to police, the OPA will begin a separate administrative investigation into the employee's conduct after the conclusion of the criminal case. [Full article here]


SPD DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERGEANT ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
publicola.com
Jonah Spangenthal-Lee
October 17, 2011
[Excerpts] ...Department sources say within the last week, Sgt. Murray taught a domestic violence training class to other officers on the difference between felony and misdemeanor domestic violence incidents... Police sources say the victim in this case also works for the department. We’re not providing any additional details about the victim or her position within SPD to protect her identity. [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety irony hypocracy washington state politics cop on cop]