Jailers Accused Of Violating Policy

A Whitman County jailer was fired Thursday and another quit after being accused of violating department policy, Sheriff Steve Tomson said.

Officer John DeWolf, 40, of Colfax, was fired for having what Tomson called “an inappropriate relationship with an inmate.”

Tomson declined to say if the relationship was sexual, but said it probably would not have been ruled a crime under pending legislation that would make any sexual relations between corrections officers and inmates a felony.

The relationship was also consensual, he said, but “any type of a personal relationship with a jail inmate for a corrections officer is not appropriate.”

DeWolf, who was hired in February, was still on probation and cannot appeal his firing to the Civil Service Commission, Tomson said.

Deborah Lowery, 27, of Spokane, resigned before a scheduled administrative hearing Thursday afternoon. Tomson said Lowery was investigated for violating department ethics. Spokane police reported seeing her wearing a department jacket while with a woman with an extensive criminal history.

“It’s a violation of our policy” to associate with felons, he said.

, DataTimes