Spokane7
33°
September 8, 2010 in City
Sheriff regrets way vacation decision was made
Knezovich first learned of Hirzel’s trip after he was gone
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich told the media Friday, August 27, 2010, that his department wants to “express to the family of Wayne (Scott) Creach our sorrow for their loss.” A press conference was held outside the Spokane County Courthouse. A Spokane Valley Officer shot Creach Wednesday night in the parking lot of Creach’s Plant Farm in Spokane Valley, Wa.
(Full-size photo)
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich is frustrated and caught off-guard by the public reaction to the decision to allow Deputy Brian Hirzel to leave for vacation just hours after he shot and killed a Spokane Valley pastor late last month.
Knezovich acknowledges that everything with his department ultimately is his responsibility. But he believes he’s been unfairly portrayed in the decision to allow Hirzel to leave town before explaining the encounter that resulted in the death of 74-year-old Wayne Scott Creach.
Hirzel “was already on vacation when I found out he was on vacation,” Knezovich said. “How do I un-ring that bell? I could have said bring him back in. But I would have just countermanded everything that the (investigative) team had done. That was not my role in the investigation. My role was to stay out of it and not influence it.”
Hirzel told investigators he fired on Creach after the older man refused an order to get on the ground, and instead reached for his gun in the waistband of his pants. The interview that revealed those details didn’t come until Friday, after Hirzel returned from Las Vegas, more than a week after the shooting.
Knezovich said he spent the day after the Aug. 25 shooting traveling to Spokane from Philadelphia. The next morning, Aug. 27, he received an in-depth briefing about the shooting at Creach’s nursery business, at 14208 E. Fourth Ave.
At the briefing, Knezovich said he first learned that a team in charge of the investigation had allowed Hirzel to leave the day after the shooting to visit his mother in Montana.
The team included troopers from the Washington State Patrol, midlevel sheriff’s office supervisors and detectives from the Spokane Police Department – who are heading up the probe as part of an agreement between local law enforcement officials to avoid investigating officers from their own agencies.
Later that same day, Knezovich publicly offered condolences to the Creach family and vowed that the shooting would receive a complete investigation.
“Even at that time, (investigators) were talking about getting the interview done before (Hirzel) went on his second leg of the vacation,” he said.
Then on Aug. 30, Spokane Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer DeRuwe responded to a question about when Hirzel would be interviewed by saying that he had not been made available by the sheriff’s office.
Knezovich only then discovered the investigative team allowed Hirzel to travel on to Las Vegas before providing the interview.
Asked if he has since spoken to his midlevel managers about that call, Knezovich replied: “It’s safe to say that decision won’t be made again any time soon.”
Knezovich wouldn’t name those responsible. “It was a group decision. I don’t know who all was in play. I’d hate to mention the wrong person and ruin a career. I’m not into that.”
Alan Creach, son of the slain pastor, said much has been said about the decision to allow Hirzel to go on vacation. But he wants to know what kind of person would continue with vacation plans after such a traumatic event.
“I think we need to look at the mentality of a man who could do that and then go to Las Vegas on top of it,” Creach said. “To me, after something as grave as that, I couldn’t have taken that vacation. I would have thought that will reflect poorly on everybody, including myself. I have just taken from this family and for me to do that would be heartless and cruel.”
Knezovich was reluctant to comment on Hirzel’s decision to continue with his vacation.
“The decision was made and it’s a decision that he is going to have to deal with. When you go through something traumatic, sometimes you are not thinking as clearly,” he said. “Going to visit your mom, I have no issues with that part. As a matter of fact, you would probably want to go visit your mom.”
And the Las Vegas leg of the trip? “Again, that was Brian’s decision. I don’t want to judge it one way or another.”
Knezovich acknowledged that the decision by others in his office hasn’t helped his reputation.
“Let’s face it, being at the top, the buck stops here,” he said. “I hope that people understand that … I regret that the decision was made the way it was. I’m happy the truth is coming out about that. I wasn’t just a sheriff who was, carte blanche, letting (Hirzel) go on vacation because that’s not what happened.”
Federal Defenders office gets new director 
EWU Text-to-Win Contest 
WSU Text-to-Win Contest 
Enter to win tickets to see Adam Carolla at the Knitting Factory 
force_vector on September 08 at 9:03 p.m.
Translation: uh oh, the people are still mad. Better claim ignorance and hope it sticks. If not, well, I could always go to Vegas and I won’t judge my self “one way or the other” for it.
Pathetic.
Ron_the_Cop on September 08 at 9:13 p.m.
Seems to me when they debrief on this investigation that the critical incident protocol should be thoroughly reviewed by all. This protocol should be made public for all to see. The PIOs should have been educating the press/public on the specifics of this protocol from day one of this incident. The relevant questions have been raised in these discussion threads. I realize that some information must be delayed until all witnesses have been interviewed and any inconsistency followed up from forensic evidence and other witness statements. I have issues with the 48 hour protocol as Brad and I have discussed in the other threads.
I’m very disappointed that Chief Kirkpatrick didn’t make herself available to the media and left Sheriff Knezovich in the lurch. SPD was the lead agency and Chief Kirkpatrick should have been the front person and not just deferring to her PIO. I’ve been vocal in other threads saying the Mayor Verner should fire Chief Kirkpatrick and the new chief should fire Asst. Chief Nicks. See this article:
http://tinyurl.com/2454jjf
While on the subject of firing I’m also on record that Mayor Verner should fire the Fire Chief Bobby Williams for the AMR fraud and the hoodwinking the public on the fire bonds:
http://tinyurl.com/2w6njxs
Also MIA in this process is Co Prosecutor Steve Tucker. While not in this specific case he should be taking a leading role to ensure that all players in these critical incidents are playing off the same sheet of music. Tucker has yet again been invisible. Let’s see how long his office takes to review this case once it has been given to him? I’m guessing we won’t have any answer until after the November election.
BTW I’m voting for Frank Malone as Tucker in my opinion is incapable of making decisions and leading this very important office.
misjustice on September 08 at 9:15 p.m.
This will be the first in a long line of regrets for Ozzie, sad to say.
misjustice on September 08 at 9:17 p.m.
Tucker isn’t invisible, Ron; he’s busy practicing his golf swing!
zelda on September 08 at 9:26 p.m.
“Let’s face it, being at the top, the buck stops here.”
How does it stop? What is the accountability? He takes responsibility but shifts blame simultaneously to a team of faceless investigators. That’s called buckpassing.
Knezovich sounds dumber than a bag of hammers with these statements. Clearly, he has no credible chain of command when he’s out of town.
This is like watching the mainspring of a clock break.
zelda on September 08 at 9:29 p.m.
The descriptions of their own process don’t make sense or align. How can we expect the investigation of a homicide to be believable?
Ozzie says “he’s glad the truth is coming out.” Isn’t it his job to get the truth out the first time? How much more “truth” can we take?
misjustice on September 08 at 9:38 p.m.
Wellllllllll, there’s “truth” and then there’s truthiness…
hjackson67 on September 08 at 9:38 p.m.
Anyone who actually believes that Hirzel will be anything other than exonerated is either naive or, new to Spokane. The investigating police force, those same wonderful souls who brought us Jay Olsen and the “officer” who killed Otto Zehm will find that Hirzel did nothing wrong. In fact, they probably already have and are just spending this time coming up with a yarn that they can sell the public.
Next, after clearing Hirzel, the Spokane City Attorney will sue the Creach family for defaming the character of Officer Hirzel. Far fetched? Again, only a newcomer to Spokane would think that beyond the realm of possibility.
bszottlinger on September 08 at 9:48 p.m.
I feel that if the decision was made, and I don’t care by whom, to allow for the possibility of the officer’s voluntary statement, Mirandized or not, it was a good decision. In either case it would, and likely will be necessary, for the investigators, the Chief and the Sheriff to demonstrate that the interview was not in any way coercive, required, or custodial at a time when the criminal investigation was ongoing.
The buck stops at the top and the Sheriff must rely on input not only from his staff but also the lead investigative agency when it comes to a decision like this. No heads should roll and no justification is needed if the decision was based on a sound, specific investigative need. The most important thing that has to be done in this entire case is a competent investigation which will ultimately provide justice for the Creach family and Officer Hirzel.
Like it or not the community can wait and draw their conclusions once all of the facts are public. If people interpret my statement as “public be damned” then so be it, but they are sadly mistaken.
I for one could not and would not turn my back on the responsibilities I would feel toward the Creach family, the Sheriff, and my co-workers by even requesting leave at such a critical time.
Brad Szottlinger
zelda on September 08 at 9:51 p.m.
(from KREM.com)
Hirzel said he hit Creach with a baton when he refused. Creach buckled, but didn’t fall to the ground.
Alan says the medical examiner showed him evidence there are markings on Creach’s knees showing he was kneeling on the ground at one point.
“There on his knees are the marks—he did spend time on his knees, so we want clarification there,” said Alan Creach.
Spokane_Citizen on September 08 at 9:54 p.m.
Gee. This is an admission of loss of command and control by the primary law enforcement officer for Spokane County. If he’s not responsible, who is? Nobody?
I really used to be a ‘law and order’ kind of citizen. I’m really starting to believe it’s more a matter of ‘law and disorder’.
vinnydogg on September 08 at 9:58 p.m.
I’m actually afraid to leave a comment now . . .
bszottlinger on September 08 at 9:59 p.m.
Ron_the_Cop:
One of the things that just chaps me is that all of this critical investigative detail is coming from one source, with the exception of the SPD Lt’s blunder in the press conference, the family.
Review the damn protocol they need someone to come in and write the damn protocol for them.
bszottlinger on September 08 at 10:01 p.m.
Cousin Vinny:
Go ahead I can take it!
vinnydogg on September 08 at 10:08 p.m.
It’s just a sad, sad, sad commentary, when we can’t rely or depend on those who claim to “Serve and protect” … .
When we become afraid of the police the anarchists win.
I just don’t know what to say except that I’m renewing my CPL and diggin’ in . . .
SAD
Scoutster on September 08 at 10:09 p.m.
Ozzie gets points for saying the office blew it. It can be very difficult in an executive position when you think something is as obvious as the nose on your face, but then people left in charge do some of the most bonehead things. That’s what happened here. Like, you have to TELL someone:
“If a shooting happens, don’t let the shooter go on vacation before we get to talk to him.” You sort of expect a base level of sense. Doesn’t always happen.
But, iif he was really interested in solving the problem instead of justifying his behavior, Ozzie would have said what RontheCop said and…
admitted the protocol itself is flawed and needs careful review and by the way we want to include the city Ombudsman and some citizens into this discussion because it is so critical no single department can make these decisions without broad community input.
# # #
It still doesn’t look like anyone is really in control or really “gets it”. Where’s Thad Allen?
Mr_Bloggy on September 08 at 10:21 p.m.
Anybody really believe Ozzie didn’t know? Please. Blackberries and email and phones. Of course he okayed it. That’s why he isn’t giving up his scapegoats, either. They got his back and he’s got theirs. You’d think cops would know better than anyone how the lying game works and how eventually they get caught. Sad.
Spokane_Citizen on September 08 at 10:22 p.m.
Scoutster…there’s no ‘points’ for the sheriff admitting that a subordinate ‘blew it’. The first rule of leadership is that you’re always responsible. The sheriff is plainly not taking responsibility.
This is my last post on the subject because, frankly, the local law enforcement community is becoming seriously disturbing. They’ve lost the community’s trust, a very difficult thing to rebuild.
Shylock13 on September 08 at 10:25 p.m.
Yet another “fact”! Why did we not hear this before? Is Ozzie running for reelection?
We really do need a Citizen Review Board!!
bszottlinger on September 08 at 10:27 p.m.
Q. Are you sure Mr. Creach didn’t at any time go to his knees?
A. Come to think of it now that you bring that up he might have gone to his knees everything happened so fast I just can’t remember.
Q. On the video tape you demonstrated a lateral baton blow to the knee area consistent with your baton training in an effort to take Mr. Creach to the ground.
A. Yes but the more I think about it there may have been with less force than I demonstrated because now I remember I was also holding my weapon in the opposite hand and I couldn’t get my hips to swing properly. I think I may have also been trying to holster my weapon at the same time, so it might not have been that hard of a blow.
Q. Did you holster your weapon and re-draw it.
A. It all happened so fast I really don’t remember.
Q. Go through for us again the commands you gave to Mr. Creach.
A. You know I heard about this guy in the garage that might of heard something, and it all happened so fast maybe I only got a single command out.
Just a few.
Shylock13 on September 08 at 10:27 p.m.
The officer had a lot of nerve to just depart on vacation. Do you really believe that no other law enforcement knew he was going to do that? Or the prosecutor???????
zelda on September 08 at 10:29 p.m.
This thing that Ozzie’s doing — isn’t it called plausible deniability? Yeah, I think so. Let’s see how long it works.
vinnydogg on September 08 at 10:34 p.m.
Oh ! And There’s the Rub … .
bszottlinger on September 08 at 10:36 p.m.
Zelda:
That is a copyrighted Federal Government tactic. Locals can not use it.
vinnydogg on September 08 at 10:41 p.m.
It’s only going to make Spokane the laughing stock of the WASPC . . . . .
vinnydogg on September 08 at 10:43 p.m.
Ha Hahaha ahahahaa haaahaahaaaaa a … …eeeesh … .
bszottlinger on September 08 at 10:43 p.m.
Is there anyone posting here besides me that understands why from a legal standpoint that was a good decision?
vinnydogg on September 08 at 10:45 p.m.
Ya lost us there bsz … What decision ?
vinnydogg on September 08 at 10:46 p.m.
to let him have a Vegas vacation ?
vinnydogg on September 08 at 10:49 p.m.
Wa. Ass. of Sheriffs und Police Chief’s
bszottlinger on September 08 at 10:51 p.m.
Cousin Vinny:
I have repeated it several time here, but it is late and my paid staff is going to put me to bed now. I’m not in a position to argue with them.
vinnydogg on September 08 at 10:55 p.m.
Gnite bro
ericdx on September 08 at 11:04 p.m.
“How do I un-ring that bell?” BY BEING A LEADER!!!! If that had been a normal person who had shot someone, and they knew who it was, they would have alerted the police where he had gone, and had them pick him up abd send him back to Spokane in Steel bracelets with 2 armed chauffers.
First and foremost, if the shoot happened in the middle of the night, why was he not awake and leading his department. it is not like new York, where there are police involved shootings every day. Here in Spokane, that should still hopefully be a rare enough occurrance that the Sheriff (or the chief) are woken up whenever it happens.
Second, the immedicat supervisor of the officer should have known that the Deputy was going on leave, and had the intelligence, and the LEADERSHIP INSTILLED IN HIM BY UPPER BRASS IN THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE to tell the Deptuy that he was not to leave town.
The rush to get out of town by the deputy now looks even more like an attempt to get out of town to make up a plausible story, and he has not even done that very well.
That comment right there, more than anything esle in this whole, sad tragedy, tells me that the SCSO and the Sheriff are a bunch of screw ups, and makes it even more apparent that SPD is just going to help them cover the tracks of the deputy.
THE BS KEEPS PILING HIGHER, TO TRY AND OBSTRUCT THE REAL ISSUE, THAT A DEPUTY PANICKED AND SHOT DOWN A 74 YEAR OLD PASTOR.
oink on September 08 at 11:07 p.m.
We all should have known at the time this shot that was heard around the county. That nothing is going to happen to any of the john laws involved….except free time off with pay…just in time for huntin’ season. Brian will have plenty of paid time off to practice his boint blank fury and Spokane cop justice.
Heck, Thompson and Olsen and Hirzel are probabaly settin’ up the Spokane Police Guild Huntin’ camp…opps i mean shootin’ camp as you read this, on the taxpayers dime. This week end they will be swappin’ stories and makin’ up new ones, for the lucky cop / deputy who gets to plug the next one of us and spend the rest of their days on paid administrative leave until the retirement checks start rolin’ in.
Can I have 3 cheers for the Police union and someone pass the hat…bulllits are not cheep.
I myself will feel much safer when the they have to cut 45 shooters from the Police guild ranks as the new budgeit kicks in
Quincynotforhire on September 08 at 11:08 p.m.
Cops are trigger happy these days- period. This, I believe, emanates from the fact that there is very little accountability. Someone somewhere will, at just the right moment, inject the right spin to clear an officer of wrongdoing. It’s a case of the foxes investigating themselves when chickens come up missing.
Some details that caught my eye in this case in no particular order are:
1) No round in the chamber of Creach’s .45. This isn’t “cowboy” behavior, this is good gun safety. With no, as yet, identifiable threat this ensures an added movement to make the weapon ready to fire. This saves your feet, arms and legs if startled not to mention nearly eliminating the possibility of shooting someone you didn’t intend to shoot.
This additional movement of jacking a round into the chamber is also a very good way to alert a would be attacker you’re now serious.
2) The parking lot appeared to be fairly well lit. This is a critical point. The wife could see the patrol car, her husbands’ body and even the positioning of the body from the front of the house. This means that Creach had a good view of the patrol car and that the officer could clearly see Creach.
3) Most people, especially merchants, are familiar with the makes and models of marked and unmarked police cars used by their local police. The exception would be the Narcs who use whatever they seize but this was not the case. Creach most likely had a good idea that the car in his parking lot was a police vehicle but until he was certain he approached the vehicle with the weapon at his side- a prudent move.
4) By the officers’ own admission Creach had advanced to within two feet of the patrol car before the officer exited the vehicle. This too is critical. In a well lit parking lot a seventy year old shirtless man carrying a sidearm by his side advanced to within two feet of the patrol car before he was noticed by the officer. How?
5) No officer worth his salt would take his eyes off his surroundings before he was convinced the area was clear of threats. Double the caution if the officer was aware of a complaint received earlier of a prowler in the vicinity.
6) Creachs’ many previous encounters with trespassers, thieves and vandals would have meant that the local police were aware of the way Creach protected his property. It also indicates that the police and Creach had interacted on many occasions previously. Meaning that in a well lit parking lot sighting Creach with sidearm at his side should not have surprised the officer.
With all of the above stated I can say that I have a theory. My theory is that the officer was engaged in an activity inside the patrol car that had him so distracted that Creach was able to walk up to the car unnoticed. And I don’t think it was typing up tickets.
From a distance of two feet Creach was able to observe what the officer was doing and it probably wasn’t kosher.
Think for a moment what kind of activity Creach could have observed the officer engaged in that was so bad as to cause the officer to become completely unhinged. One of those “I could lose my job over this” activities. Which, by the way, is usually career ending for a police officer.
Ask yourself how many of these sorts of activities is usually out of the bloodstream within ninety six hours and definitely with the span of a weeks vacation?
Anybody see where I’m going with this? Would that have been a good enough reason to keep the wife away from her dying husband who may have had something to say in his last minutes?
Maybe I’m barking up the wrong tree and probably I am. But I know this. Everything I’ve read about this stinks to high heaven. I know that cops are people too and possess the same weaknesses, vices and virtues as the rest of us.
The only difference between us and them is that they carry badges and guns and generally get away with using them both however they choose.
lewis8457 on September 08 at 11:20 p.m.
How could a real feeling human being shoot someone at arms length and then go vacation less then 12 hours later? I couldn’t do it. What is the point how enjoyable is it going to be?
I think that is issue too do our police have human feelings?
spokelooneh on September 08 at 11:26 p.m.
I think the supposed baton hit will be used by Hirzel to argue that he first employed non-lethal force which was ineffective so he HAD to shoot the pastor.
Rationale being he lead with non-lethal force, but the “suspect” would still not comply, so he went to deadly force. IOW, he’s not trigger-happy.
Except that, whoops, we have forensic evidence that the victim DID get down on his knees, and how would he have done that, if one knee was clobbered by a baton?
don’t think I could have kneeled down on that knee after a massive blunt trauma upon such by a LEO’s baton.
lewis8457 on September 08 at 11:27 p.m.
Quincy i think you hit I also believe Creach saw something he shouldn’t have.
kaywrightmcg2003 on September 08 at 11:40 p.m.
Why are we not asking the Spokane Police Depatment about this investigation?? Ozzie is a stand up Sheriff and is taking far too much critisim here - just my opinion. Going on vacation after ANY shooting will never be understood.. but this is not the Sheriff’s fault.. who are the SPD investigators here? no mention of them at all.. maybe out drinking.
JUSTICE4ALL on September 09 at 12:11 a.m.
ANOTHER MAJOR LIE IN PRINT BY POLICE…
Am I missing something obvious? Was this referenced in someone’s comment here?
In a September 2nd article, the Spokesman Review reported that “Knezovich said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference that he approved Hirzel’s vacation partly because the county would have been on the hook to pay for travel costs had Hirzel and his wife canceled. But the sheriff said his greatest concern was that he didn’t want to ‘taint’ the investigation by making it appear he was forcing Hirzel to submit to the interview”.
“This case is more important” than a vacation, Knezovich said. “We have to ensure the integrity of this investigation, and I’m not about to do anything that looks coercive that would jeopardize this investigation.”
HOWEVER (LIE), in the article posted today, Knezovich contradicted himself by admitting that Hirzel “was already on vacation when I found out he was on vacation…How do I un-ring that bell?”
SERIOUSLY, please politely tell me whether I am missing something or not on this issue. Good Day…
liarsinnews on September 09 at 12:32 a.m.
Isn`t anybody concerned as to why Jennifer DeRuwe, the SPD PR lady, was assigned to release stuff about something as horrific as the killing of Pastor Creach while the Chief is sitting on her duff in silence? Makes me think a huttle was called between Chief Anne and Mayor Mary and Assistant Chief Niks who was with his mouth piece, Attorney Rocky Treppiedi both sitting on the side line while Rocky was trying to figure out when to file his law suit against Alan Creach. Nothing, but nothing, would surprise me even though Ozzie`s latest statement came close to it. Buck passing, yup. Ozzie in my opinion, needs to go down the road with Tucker. Ozzie`s silence with the Otto Zehm murder and no opinion about it only a few remarks which made no sense, and now this blunder is too much to be tolerated.
Ron_the_Cop on September 09 at 12:52 a.m.
Justice4all,
That statement you were referring to was corrected later on and attributed to Sgt. Reagan, the Sheriff’s PIO.
Ron_the_Cop on September 09 at 12:55 a.m.
BTW a new thread now exists in a new post of this article:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/sep/09/sheriff-rues-vacation-flap/
JUSTICE4ALL on September 09 at 1:14 a.m.
Thanks Ron. That makes more sense. However, I am still curious how many of the average interest readers are aware of that correction. When and where was that correction published?
DHF on September 09 at 8:04 a.m.
Since you only have the officers version to this tragic incident, I would like to know . Was Pastor Creech’s body tested for gunshot residue to determine if the shot was fired at close range or at a distance. Was the officer’s car tested for gunshot residue. I believe that an independent Polygraph should be administered to the officer that might show truth or deception as to some of his answers.Anyhow this was a tragedy. DHF
fredjames on September 09 at 10:26 a.m.
So far what the head of the police department is saying is double talk, he is responsible for his department, but was out of town, and while responsible, he does not know, over two weeks after someone that works for him, made the decision to allow a killer to leave town. Can you go ask, or do you need to go out of town like the killer so as to not do your job.
Suspicious statements ! Would a killer of a policeman be allowed to leave town to visit his mother in Montana?
What a bunch of BS. 13 days will improve the killer statement and the accuracy, very suspicious. Yes, you have the authority to cancel any employee’s vacation at will, you chose to let a killer go on vacation, that was very suspicious ! You could have used your authority to find out who allowed a killer to leave town, and demanded the killer return to Spokane for questioning. Let’s see, I am sure the Creach family does not want you to wreck another police mans career by fingering the wrong guy who allowed the officer to leave town, so find the right guy like right now .Do something! The double talk is killing me !
Ron_the_Cop on September 09 at 1:44 p.m.
Justice4all,
Here’s a comment I made in this article thread. This was a sidebar to an article written by Clouse about the time of this post that appeared in the print version. I can’t find it in any of the web versions. Perhaps the WebTeam could link in the web version to this correction box to the article where it appeared in the print version:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/sep/03/pastor-buried-in-oklahoma/?comments#c187439
Also see the correction box re the comment reimbursement issue of the plane ticket was attributed to Sheriff Knezovich which in fact it was a comment made by Sgt. Reagan. Sheriff Knezovich said this was not a factor in his decision to allow the officer to leave on vacation.
chouligirl on September 19 at 10:02 p.m.
Bravo Quincynotforhire. Thank you for posting. I think you are right on target. Something sent Hirzel over the edge. How in the world does this guy get permission to leave for vacation??? He just murdered a man and rather than give his statement he thinks it’s okay to leave on his vacation?? Really, how do you do that? And his boss is okay with that?? That REALLY screams cover-up to me. Right from the start…and it’s still being covered up.