Spokane7
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The responses I’m receiving about last Friday’s acquittal of Jay Olsen – the boozed-up off-duty cop who shot Shonto Pete in the head after a wild chase two years ago – can be filed under two categories. 1. Purple-faced anger and … 2. What the “BLEEP!?!” disbelief. Then we have Lee, a 47-year-old North Side Spokane resident, who took a more subtle approach, thanks to a diabolically creative mind. Lee, by the way, doesn’t want his full name in the paper because of fears of reprisal. Whatever. I’m more interested in what came out of his disgust with the aforementioned verdict. And that is the Shonto Pete Bulletproof Hat/Doug Clark, SR. More here.
Related: Police launch Olsen inquiry/Karen Dorn Steele, SR
Question: Why do the cops in Spokane seem to get in a lot more trouble than their counterparts in North Idaho?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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Arch_Druid on March 17 at 10:04 a.m.
I sure haven’t heard of too many NI cops being hauled into court for misconduct.
cantyoureadthesigns on March 17 at 10:04 a.m.
While they do have, in general, a more stressful environment to contend with in Spokane, compared to surrounding communities, the main reason they get into more trouble than their counterparts is a deeply ingrained kick arse attitude.
toadman on March 17 at 10:51 a.m.
We live in a hole over here.. they pump “crazy” into the air.
Charlie on March 17 at 11:07 a.m.
Must be something in the water. I’ve lived in the Inland area for 30 years now and if it isn’t a cop, a fireman or an elected official getting into some public scrape then it has to be in the good ole boy system. Kind of like the Keystone Cops.
Lynne on March 17 at 11:09 a.m.
What Charlie said. The thought of any of the local agencies “investigating” each other is a joke here.
OrangeTV on March 17 at 11:24 a.m.
Cd’A cops are better trained at being sneakier.
Fishwife on March 17 at 1:45 p.m.
Great piece by Mr. Clark. Cops in North idaho can operate under the radar with impunity without the overwatch of a police ombudsman. One is desperately needed.