Protocol sends inquiry over to Sheriff’s Office

The investigation into the shooting of a suspected auto thief by an off-duty Spokane police officer will be the first time that the department has relinquished control of a probe to an outside agency.

Under an agreement struck earlier by Spokane police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick and Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, each department has agreed to let the other take the lead investigative role whenever one of their officers is involved in a shooting or fatality.

“This is the first time we’ve used it,” said Knezovich. “I think this is going to be a good thing. We are working out all the bits and pieces, then the change in procedure will be put in writing.”

The interdepartmental policy, referred to as the Officer Involved Fatal Incident Protocol, was invoked following the shooting early Monday, authorities said. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigator.

In the past, it’s been the opposite. If a Spokane officer was involved in an incident, the department’s detectives would have taken the lead, with the Sheriff’s Office as a shadow investigator.

The shadow investigation in this case means the detectives from each agency pair up, Sgt. Jim Goodwin said. If there are disagreements, the county’s decision overrides city opinion.

Despite the protocol’s name referring to fatal incidents, “we have become accustomed to adopting it any time an officer uses a gun,” Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Dave Reagan said.

Spokane police Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said, “It is our desire to turn over all such investigations to the Sheriff’s Office, pending the development of the future revised protocol.”