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September 4, 2010 in City
Deputy: One shot fired in death
He saw Creach with gun, then had ‘verbal exchange’
Spokane County sheriff’s Deputy Brian Hirzel told investigators Friday that he saw Pastor Wayne Scott Creach approaching his unmarked patrol car from a distance of about 30 feet with a gun in his hand before they had a verbal confrontation.
Hirzel said in a videotaped interview that he fired one shot that killed Creach on Aug. 25, according to a news release sent Friday by Spokane police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer DeRuwe.
“According to Officer Hirzel’s statement and evidence collected at the scene, ultimately there was a close encounter between the officer and Mr. Creach near the officer’s car,” the release said. “Officer Hirzel stated there was a verbal exchange between himself and Mr. Creach prior to the single gunshot being fired. Officer Hirzel’s statement and the evidence confirms only one shot was fired.”
The news release offered no explanation of what was said or by whom, or why Hirzel felt the need to pull the trigger, killing the 74-year-old pastor in the parking lot of his nursery business at 14208 E. Fourth Ave. in Spokane Valley.
Creach’s daughter, Serena Creach Leonard, said she read the statement released Friday and it left the family with many unanswered questions.
“We have no more answers from that press release really than we had the day after,” Leonard said. “We still feel badly for Deputy Hirzel, but we need the sheriff’s department to communicate to us as a family to let us know what happened that night. Whatever it is, we want the truth.”
The interview Friday came after law enforcement officials allowed Hirzel to travel to Montana and Las Vegas for a scheduled vacation before giving the voluntary statement. Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said Thursday that he didn’t cancel that time off for fear it could taint the investigation by making it appear that he forced Hirzel to give the statement.
DeRuwe said Hirzel, who works for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office but was assigned to work for the Spokane Valley Police Department, told investigators that he drove to the Plant Farm based on a request for a prowl check made earlier in the day by a neighbor.
“Hirzel stated he chose the large parking lot of the Plant Farm because it allowed him to conduct the prowl check safely, and also for its proximity to the address where the prowl check was first requested,” the release said. “Hirzel also stated that he saw Mr. Creach approaching his vehicle from a distance of approximately 30 (feet) and that Mr. Creach had a firearm in his hand.”
But Leonard said the family questions what DeRuwe described as a “verbal exchange” between Scott Creach and Hirzel.
“Based on the information we have been given, which is virtually none, my mother heard one voice. It was surprise and fear and it was my dad,” Leonard said. “It wasn’t an interaction.”
DeRuwe, in the news release, said the investigation will continue. The Spokane Police Department and the Washington State Patrol are investigating the incident under established protocols covering officer-involved shootings. She said investigators, supervisors and prosecutors will meet Tuesday to decide whether more information can be released that “will not jeopardize the investigation. Prior to release of information to the public, the family of Mr. Creach will be briefed by investigators.”
Leonard said the family would welcome more information but they have concerns about the “credibility” of information coming from the Sheriff’s Office.
“We have a great concern about a misdirection of facts regarding Deputy Hirzel,” she said.
Investigators initially told the family, for example, that Hirzel would be interviewed after 48 hours, she said. They were then told the interview would take place after 72 hours. Eventually, the family learned that Hirzel had been allowed to go on vacation. By next Tuesday, it will have been 13 days since her father was shot on his own property, Leonard said.
“The credibility of anything the sheriff’s department has to say to us at this point is in question,” Leonard said. “We are not only grief-stricken but distraught over the treatment we have received at the hands of the sheriff’s department.”
Closing Geiger: Wise or worrisome? 
skierdc1 on September 04 at 6:49 a.m.
Credibility is something that has been blown to hell by Ozzie and the boys here. His rationale of not wanting to taint the investigation by ‘coercing’ Hirzell to make a statement prior to his vacation is both illogical and completely unbelievable. There is clearly a separate standards of law being applied and I hope someone can find some legal grounds to file a complaint against both the department and the union. Hirzell certainly was entitled to plead the 5th amendment but to allow him many days to escape normal investigative inquiry is unconscionable and a sad reflection of the level of police ineptitude we have fallen to in Spokane.
I feel sorry for those hard working officers here who will be held in contempt by the public thanks to the wagon-circling of Ozzie and the unions. Thanks Jen Deruwe and the City Police for chipping in!
lewis8457 on September 04 at 7:29 a.m.
The attitude the police can shoot at any moment will make the lives of the good cops more dangerous, when they have their hands on the gun butt in a traffic stop the citizen will have his hands on his gun butt too. It will simply take a look between the two to start the guns blazing.
Another point was brought up last night maybe the cops should think about that nice paycheck they get before blowing someone away. They have blown away a janitor who had a job and paid taxes and a business owner that had a profitable business that paid goudles of taxes. If you hot heads aren’t careful you may just shoot yourselves out of a job.
I hope the budget cuts next year does lay off cops, I actually feel safer with less cops on the street……….go figure
Ron_the_Cop on September 04 at 8:49 a.m.
There are extensive previous debate threads which are now closed. Here’s the last one:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/sep/03/deputy-saw-pastor-approaching-gun/
ChefGus/ John Olsen on September 04 at 9:01 a.m.
Ms DeRuwe is not “chipping in” it is her Chief Kirkpatrick who’s force is primarily responsible for the ongoing investigation and information to the public. Why on earth Sheriff Ozzie has been the point person with the media is a fact that escapes logic… Where IS Alice/Anne ??? john
ncallahan on September 04 at 9:25 a.m.
Sheriff OZ demanded people of Spokane stop speculating and wait for answers. Well, the police have had plenty of time to give the public some answers, so let the speculation begin.
Like the literal Land of Oz, Oz stands behind the curtain.
Speculation is not a sin Sheriff Oz, and why do you act as though it is? Withholding information to the public you are paid to serve, seems the sinful act.
The “lateral move” deputy Hirzel made from Kootenai County to Spokane Valley police department came about the same time as Kootenai County’s drug scandal involving police. Those records are sealed. Perhaps some answers are in those sealed records. Was Hirzel one of the officers involved in the Kootenai County drug scandal? All Rocky has to do is say is, yes or no. If he says nothing, do we assume Hirzel was one of the officers involved in Kootenai County’s police drug scandal? What does it take to open sealed, not public records about public officials?
Did officer Hirzel surrender bodily fluids for testing, or just the clothing he was wearing that terrible night?
Hirzel has a parking lot history.
Hirzel received “counseling” when found to be spending too much time in High School parking lots down in Cathedral City, California. Why counseling for parking tickets? The counseling aspect is suspicious — did he like exerting power over young people or just looking at them? Counseling? Not training, or discipline? Are we allowed to know the problem he had that required psychological counseling?
Or are we only going to hear of Pastor Creach’s past and personality?
Lateral moves
What is a lateral move in police department procedure? Did Hirzel apply in the usual way — or just transfer? Would a ‘lateral move’ preclude any revelations that are in Kootenia County’s sealed files? Sheriff Rocky Watson and Sheriff Oz would know the answers.
My questions posed, now comes my speculation: Alan Creach could become the next Spokane County Sheriff — a strong write-in candidate is what Spokane County needs to send a clear message to the police. If Alan Creach declined the job, I suppose and speculate that County Commissioners would appoint a new County Sheriff. And in the interium? Citizens could find a good, honest candidate for Sheriff.
And DuRue? How much does Jennifer DuRue cost citzens of Spokane County? Or the City of Spokane? We could hire 4 mentors for youth, and get far more public safety and community relations for the money — I’m sure.
zelda on September 04 at 10:40 a.m.
Let’s hope that good reporters, particularly Jeff Humphrey at KXLY and Marissa Bagg at KREM, keep this story from fading away during the investigation of the probe of the procedure to investigate the protocol of the inquiry.
It didn’t take long for the Creach homicide to enter a Kafkaesque Twilight Zone. Spooky Hollow, indeed.
bszottlinger on September 04 at 11:16 a.m.
I will be interested to see exactly what type of interview was conducted with Officer Hirzel.
If the statement was a Mirandized statement that pretty much speaks for itself. If as in the Thompson statement the officer was not Mirandize and this is a matter of local practice or a part of the protocol that also would be nice to know. As the statement given by Hirzel was obviously an interrogation that prong of Miranda requirements was met. If the Hirzel statement was not a Mirandized statement in order to use the statement in a subsequent criminal case it would be necessary to CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE that Hirzel was NOT in custody and was FREE TO LEAVE AT ANY TIME. If the statement was not a Mirandized statement and the intention or protocol from day one was to obtain that type of statement from Hirzel. The Sheriff was ABSOLUTELY CORRECT IN ALLOWING THE OFFICER TO GO ON VACATION.
To obtain body fluids immediately after the shooting from Officer Hirzel the investigators would have had to obtain one of two things CONSENT or a SEARCH WARRANT.
The officer involved protocol is a public document and should be made public so citizens can understand and evaluate the steps that are supposed to be taken during officer involved incidents. In my opinion a Protocol should specifically document such things as who has the duty and responsibility to inform and interact with the victim family. Who has the duty and responsibility to inform and interact with the press. The methods, consistent with bargaining agreements, that will be utilized in taking officer statements and at which point in the process they will be taken. The specific role of the prosecuting authority. The method utilized to expedite forensic examination etc. etc. I would be very curious as to how detailed this “Protocol” actually is and whether it has been followed.
Brad Szottlinger
acquit on September 04 at 12:00 p.m.
A quick review of Trial Law 101.
Auctor: How does one know if the cop is lying at trial?
Lector: His sworn testimony will match the arrest report.
Re: this situation.
Res ipsa locquitur. Translation, the thing (act) speaks for itself.
bszottlinger on September 04 at 12:03 p.m.
All to often so true!
Ed Byrnes on September 04 at 1:04 p.m.
It is obvious that local law enforcement, through their own ongoing abuse of us citizens, have lost their credibility with us. The way to earn back this credibility is to wholeheartedly open themselves to direct citizen review of any and all uses of lethal force by SPD and SCS officers and deputies. Anything less confirms that they are interested in protecting themselves and each other rather than us citizens.
Some object to my comparison of our local law enforcement agencies with an organized crime syndicate. The code of silence and committing homicides have direct parallels to organized crime so draw one’s own conclusions. As Yogi Berra once said “You can observe a lot from just watching.
I doubt that our civic or law enforcement leaders will take the initiative about this idea so perhaps it’s time for a citizen led ballot initiative.
zelda on September 04 at 1:22 p.m.
It would be interesting to know the lighting situation at Plant Land. There was a full moon the night before and a cloudless sky the night of the shooting. I’m not up for a night drive-by of the shooting scene (might get shot!), but surely there are street lights there and maybe extra illumination in the parking lot area.
But these questions are all academic since Hinzel can adjust his account to fit the circumstances and forensic evidence.
That’s an interesting point raised by ebyrnes. Exactly who is the Valley Police/Sheriff’s Dept. accountable to? Is it the Spokane Valley City Council in this case? (Aye, my head hurts thinking about that clown posse.)
Maybe we can get “48 Hours Mystery,” “Dateline” or “ProPublica” interested in this. That’s our only hope once advertisers begin complaining to KXLY and KREM management about how investigational reporting is bad for business.
bszottlinger on September 04 at 1:22 p.m.
It’s like déjà vu all over again.”
“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over”
acquit on September 04 at 2:25 p.m.
I don’t know the “burn off time” for steroids. That would be my first suspicion IF the guy uses drugs. Meth goes away in a couple of days.
The week vacation seems all too convenient.
Absent a drug test…this whole investigation seems a series of slow, softball pitches.
If this was anyone but a cop, a conviction would be a slam dunk.
bszottlinger on September 04 at 3:27 p.m.
aquit:
You may be right but I can think of a number of scenarios where it wouldn’t be a slam dunk. Everyone is hanging their hat on this trespass issue…it ain’t that simple folks. It would be wise for everyone to read the statue.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.52.090
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.52.080
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.52.070
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.52.010
Does a person who pulls his car into a parking lot because the car has broken down and his only intent is to fix it and leave or get help guilty of trespass? What if that same person has a concealed carry permit and all of a sudden the owner of the parking lot comes out with a gun not understanding what the individual was doing, and the owner of the car has no idea who the person is but wants to protect himself so a shoot out occurs. If the property owner is killed do you charge the driver of the car? If the driver of the car is killed do you charge the property owner? Which one would you want to defend aquit?
Did officer Hirzel have any reason to believe he as a law enforcement officer was not welcome on the property?
“ (3) The actor reasonably believed that the owner of the premises, or other person empowered to license access thereto, would have licensed him to enter or remain; or
(4) The actor was attempting to serve legal process which includes any document required or allowed to be served upon persons or property, by any statute, rule, ordinance, regulation, or court order, excluding delivery by the mails of the United States. This defense applies only if the actor did not enter into a private residence or other building not open to the public and the entry onto the premises was reasonable and necessary for service of the legal process.”
I am not condoning anything that happened in this just trying to provide some perspective as to how complex issues can sometimes be.
And No Shakespeare Quotes Please.
Brad Szottlinger
fredjames on September 04 at 3:30 p.m.
Most of the police statements are enabling. Instead of taking a volunteer statement from the police shooter, the police advise him to go on paid leave and then on a vacation and factually? time actually improved the accuracy of the witness statements? The vacation was paid for so the police would not want to appear as coercing the shooter. This police shooter was a trespasser, who made the foolish decision to trespass late at night and then shot and killed a taxpayer who had no criminal history, and was a very successful Spokane businessman. This killed businessman was investigating, as he had for years , anyone trespassing on his property after business hours. This taxpayer was also very active in support of the community. He was not the criminal or the burglar or the vandal or the hooligan. He was the man who paid the officer’s wage and benefits and vacation, who killed him.
If I were a policeman and had shot a citizen, I would stay and do my job, vacations can be rescheduled and when you kill someone, you need to stick around and take care of business. I have worked jobs were I have had to work 12 hours per day. 7 days per week, for two years straight without any day off, and yet the police officer wanted his vacation
How many vacations did the private businessman miss due to work requirements. As to the shooting, it was a clear case of a trespasser, illegally parked shooting first then asking questions. IF you work in law enforcement then the police should know your business owners who have been in Spokane for years on sight.
Frankly the statement’s and answers’ as given from the police are a slap in the face of every taxpaying Spokane citizen.
zelda on September 04 at 3:44 p.m.
The statements of the Sheriffs’ Assoc. are coming from the deputy’s de facto defender. I just have to wonder if there has ever in the history of Spokane law enforcement been a situation when the Guild or Sheriffs’ Assoc. has not represented the interests of a member. I guess it comes w/being a dues-paying member, but it does give law enforcement a double layer of defense.
Brad — can’t I even say “the quality of mercy is strained”? I’m paraphrasing, not quoting Shakespeare verbatim.
bszottlinger on September 04 at 3:56 p.m.
You bet babe, just not that one I know is coming!
acquit on September 04 at 4:21 p.m.
I can’t see the property trespass angle at all. He was there in an official capacity….a stake-out. He arrived at 11pm and the household had gone to sleep. Technically, He did park there without permission. This is an issue that will surface in the soon-to-come civil suit. Trespass against the person is a bit different.
Here, we have the property owner coming outside his house to see just who is parked in his parking lot. Evidently, there had been past difficulties with vandals and theft, he carried a firearm. Not to be unexpected.
The sheriff seeing the man and the direction he came from, should have concluded that it was indeed the property owner” At that point, the sheriff needed to identify himself and request the man drop his weapon. Two reasonable men should have been able to reach an amiable accord.
Something went awry and “we have what we have here today. Failure to communicate.”
I would like to have more information on the sheriff’s past. I have to wonder about steroid use.
bszottlinger on September 04 at 4:34 p.m.
Aquit:
Okay, then you agree there is no trespass issue here. As far as a private citizen is concerned there could be arguments on both sides and I don’t know the case law.
I agree regarding the “confrontation” issue.
Would you agree it would be necessary to have consent or a search warrant to obtain body fluids?
Brad
lewis8457 on September 04 at 4:53 p.m.
I am not too concerned about the trespass angle either. What i am concerned with was how far was Creach from the cop when he got shot? The report says there was a struggle at the car. Now Creach got shot in the front of his body how far away from the cop could he have been 2 maybe 3 feet?
He wasn’t shot in the back like he was trying to get away.
Struggle at car deputy pulls gun and shoots once, don’t cops usually do a double tap? Most likely don’t need one when you shoot a guy in the chest at the 2 foot mark.
Deputy did not give aid why because he couldn’t see from the splatter?
lewis8457 on September 04 at 4:55 p.m.
Sheriff union will not allow them to be drug tested maybe that is why Hirzel came to the sheriff office.
acquit on September 04 at 5:13 p.m.
Personally, I don’t think there is a trespass issue….obviously, had the shooting not occured, there wouldn’t be. In the criminal case, I suspect it will be glossed over. The civil suit will be quite another matter…there, it will be a major issue. Rightly or wrongly. It all depends on which front pocket the case is being argued out of.
Re the drug tests, there has to be consent. That failing, a Judge must issue a warrant. Any incident ending in a fatality should require a full and complete drug test. Hopefully, they did one here, if only to give some semblance of appearing to do the proper thing. I would like to know if one was done, if not, why not.
When a serious case, such as this, starts out in this fashion, it opens the pandora’s box of speculation.
zelda on September 04 at 5:20 p.m.
In addition to the obvious concerns, I keep coming back to the issue of uninvestigated property crimes. Ironically, it appears (at least on the face of it) that the deputy was doing something to investigate/prevent property crime.
However, if you ask the average person in the street, the answer you’d get is that police, due to fewer resources, no longer investigate property crimes. I don’t know if that’s a fact, but it does seem that they look for patterns and try to nab property-theft rings.
One of the TV stations last night aired a segment about a Northside woman (5-Mile area, I think) whose neighborhood is constantly having thefts from vehicle prowlers. She said that the cops, while taking the report, said they can’t investigate property crimes. Her stolen items are insured, but she said she can’t keep filing insurance claims because her policy will ultimately be cancelled.
And then a couple of weeks ago Anne Kirkpatrick said if there are RIFs in the police force they will no longer investigate property crimes.
So is it any wonder that people are arming themselves? I’m not going to do it (I’m scared of my own BB gun) but it stands to reason that citizens, fearing this general atmosphere of lawlessness, will take matters into their own hands.
It wouldn’t surprise me if there are further tragedies such as what happened to Scott Creach.
I guess we can blame everything on the crummy economy in looking for a root cause, but explanations don’t provide security.
bszottlinger on September 04 at 5:36 p.m.
Aquit:
Would you also agree that some type of format for obtaining body fluid consent should be a part of the “Critical Incident Protocol”?
How much would you like to wager that it isn’t?
Brad
Ron_the_Cop on September 04 at 5:51 p.m.
Brad,
Trespass is a non issue. Perhaps if he entered a fenced in area to the rear of the business but even then if he thought a crime was in progress he was probably okay.
As for blood et al we negotiated an OIS policy that the involved officer must give a sample. Sample is screened by QME to rule out prescription drugs within therapeutic dosage range and below threshold levels of illegal substances. The QME then sends results to agency.
Lewis re your question re number of shots. We went through several models of S&W semi-autos before we switched to the Glock 45 cal. In our combat drills it was generally two shots to the chest and one to the head. It was almost instinctive so when I hear multiple shots fired by one or more officers I’m not surprised when six to twelve shots are fired.
Supposedly only one shot was fired. That’s why I was wondering if there was a hands on physical altercation between the two.
lucs on September 04 at 6:06 p.m.
What possible reason would the pastor have in attacking Hirzel? Furthermore, why would Hirzel allow a man with a gun in hand get that close to him.
Ron_the_Cop on September 04 at 6:16 p.m.
Lucs,
Good points. Problem is we don’t know. Yes, I wouldn’t allow an armed person to get that close. I would be yelling police officer drop the gun if I were in plain clothes. If in uniform that was distinctive and not “blacked out” I would yell drop the gun.
acquit on September 04 at 6:19 p.m.
Brad
I cannot ever foresee the police guilds signing off on something like that. You’ve got a better chance with lie detector testing.
I believe some of the Federal agencies do lie detector tests on their employees.
Seems any testing done is on a voluntary basis. I suspect anything further would run afoul of the union. Private citizens are another matter.
I still suspect that vacation might have been an end run around any test.
bszottlinger on September 04 at 6:22 p.m.
Ron_the_Cop:
I can’t see how any union contract could negotiate away a Constitutional Right (Fourth) so that the officers “must” submit to a UA in cases like this. I know police officers can be random drug tested and some jurisdictions do random testing. I would think in a case like this it would have to be consensual or a search warrant.
I sure would be interested in seeing that protocol. If it is explicit enough it might help people to understand what is going on with this process. On the other hand if it just says, you investigate me and I’ll investigate you and we will give it to the prosecutor, that says something doesn’t it.
Brad
fredjames on September 04 at 6:24 p.m.
RCW 9A.52.080
Criminal trespass in the second degree.
(1) A person is guilty of criminal trespass in the second degree if he knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in or upon premises of another under circumstances not constituting criminal trespass in the first degree.
(2) Criminal trespass in the second degree is a misdemeanor.
[1979 ex.s. c 244 § 13; 1975 1st ex.s. c 260 § 9A.52.080.]
RCW 9A.52.070
Criminal trespass in the first degree.
(1) A person is guilty of criminal trespass in the first degree if he knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building.
(2) Criminal trespass in the first degree is a gross misdemeanor.
tort law originated in England with the action of trespass. Initially trespass was any wrongful conduct directly causing injury or loss; in modern law trespass is an unauthorized entry upon land. A trespass gives the aggrieved party the right to bring a civil lawsuit and collect damages as compensation for the interference and for any harm suffered. Trespass is an intentional tort and, in some circumstances, can be punished as a crime.
tort law originated in England with the action of trespass. Initially trespass was any wrongful conduct directly causing injury or loss; in modern law trespass is an unauthorized entry upon land. A trespass gives the aggrieved party the right to bring a civil lawsuit and collect damages as compensation for the interference and for any harm suffered. Trespass is an intentional tort and, in some circumstances, can be punished as a crime. A person who has a right to come onto the land may become a trespasser by committing wrongful acts after entry. Public officials, for example, do not have any special right to trespass. A property owner who knows that people frequently trespass at a particular place on his land must act affirmatively to keep them out. When the trespass involves violence or injury to a person or property, it is always considered criminal. Necessity does not, however, permit a defendant to enter another’s property when alternative, though less attractive, courses of action exist.[101]
So for all you posters who think that police trespass is going to stand up in court, your are clearly wrong. Here is the issue, there was no crime being committed, there was no 911 call, the policeman could have done his prowl monitor from a public road, so as it states the necessity was not needed. Tht means once the policeman entered private property and harmed the owner , killing him, he created a crime for himself and the taxpayer. Even if the policeman was acting to serve and protect, he killed the property owner , who did not shoot or fight with the policeman. He had been and had to per above take affirmative action to protect his property, and having a gun on your person in Washington State and showing it on your property to a friend or a policeman is not a crime. Killing a businessman while trespassing is a crime, both criminal and especially civil..
bszottlinger on September 04 at 6:35 p.m.
Aquit:
Many federal employees are subject to mandatory polygraph testing beyond initial employment application and the law allows it. Washington State does not allow polygraph testing for police officers beyond the initial application process.
I don’t know much about labor law, but perhaps you are right it would be a working condition that would have to be negotiated. I don’t however see how that could be a negotiable point if it is purely a matter of consent. Unless someone allowed a no ask clause to be a part of the contract. In other words a clause stating the employer is not allowed to even ask the officer for his/ her consent to drug test immediately after a critical incident.
Brad
bszottlinger on September 04 at 6:42 p.m.
Fredjames:
“ So for all you posters who think that police trespass is going to stand up in court, your are clearly wrong.”
Did you mean to say for all of us posters who DO NOT THINK?
Brad
zelda on September 04 at 7:33 p.m.
A police officer can pursue a criminal across private property without liability for trespass. The police officer’s defense to a claim of trespass is her lawful authority to enter.
West’s Encyclopedia of American Law
bszottlinger on September 04 at 8:11 p.m.
Zelda:
Shouldn’t that be her/his lawful authority to enter? :)
Ron_the_Cop on September 04 at 8:17 p.m.
Brad,
Wasn’t my first choice but this arose out of a death in custody situation. It was a foot chase across a fwy and through an US Indian High School. Suspect was tackled and other officers arrived and help restrain suspect hands, waist and feet. Suspect died in the process. This wasn’t a case of hogting like Zehm.
Anyway the Chief at the time wanted to drug test all officers involved. Tests were done and we successfully sued and got a temporary restraining order to prevent the lab from releasing the test results.
Unfortunately at about the same time we had a case of a wild cat “blue flu” by patrol officers that I had nothing to do with. This chief was using IA vindictively and was working up to a preliminary injunction and putting officers on the stand. Asshat comes to mine.
Anyone to avoid the consequences of this injunction and placing officers on the stand under oath we negotiated the drug test policy which included OIS situations but only with the results screened through a QME first.
bszottlinger on September 04 at 8:56 p.m.
Ron_the_Cop
Okay, I understand. What is “blue flu”?
fredjames on September 04 at 9:16 p.m.
Zelda,
And your point is? Was there any criminal persuit,no, was there a 911 call of criminal activity? No. so what case are you posting to, not this one. Ever talk to a Spokane police officer about walking around on private property without a call or permission, try it. I know the answer my grandfather was a sheriff and the answer then and now it the policy and the law is to stay off private property while protecing and serving the public.
bszottlinger on September 05 at 7:51 a.m.
Ron_the_Cop:
Never mind I figured it out. At first I thought it might be something similar to the more common Glenfiddich Palsy.
Brad