Spokane7
65°
September 29, 2010 in City
Creach son questions Valley police contract
The son of pastor Wayne Scott Creach, killed by a Spokane County sheriff’s deputy last month, urged the Spokane Valley City Council on Tuesday to change its police services contract with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
Alan Creach said the council should talk to Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich about the practice of allowing officers to “trespass” by parking patrol cars on private property without informing the property owner. He also told the council he was unhappy with the investigation by the Spokane Police Department, calling it full of “gaping holes.”
“I am not confident that we are getting what we are paying for,” he said of the city’s contract with the Sheriff’s Office. “If getting my father shot is what we’re paying for, I would recommend we suspend our payments.”
Creach, 74, was carrying a pistol when he confronted Deputy Brian Hirzel, who was in an unmarked patrol car in the parking lot of Creach’s nursery Aug. 25. The deputy says Creach refused repeated orders to drop the gun and get on the ground.
1992 murder trial begins against sex offender 
lewis8457 on September 29 at 7:01 a.m.
If we all stopped paying our property taxes we could get them to listen. Since a property owner can be 3 years late on his taxes we could just wait them out.
I suppose Hirzel is still on paid leave. How can the leaders of our community sleep at night?
Another baby was beat to death last night by his babysitter. That child will see more of the justice system them Scott Creach will ever see.
hawken on September 29 at 10:51 a.m.
Lies… Lies…. and More Lies…. Creach was gunned down!
Haven’t we already established that Creach secured his weapon in his back waist band at the officer’s command to drop the gun? I would not drop a $500 weapon in the gravel when I am the property owner on my own property potentially confronting a burglar, thief, armed criminal. I would secure it in the small of my back as Creach did once I determined the man in the car was in fact a police officer. I’m thinking not easily and quickly done when the deputy is trespassing late at night in an unmarked patrol car.
Creach’s son asked a valid question? What’s a deputy doing, parked on private property in an unmarked patrol car, late at night? I live in the county and have a huge, gravel, driveway. If I had a deputy parked in my driveway, marked or unmarked patrol car, I would ask him to leave…. If I saw a car parked in my drive, late at night, that was not readily identifiable as a patrol car, I would have approached the vehicle with my Glock in hand.
It simply does not make sense that the deputy allegedly struck Creach with his baton on the leg, which is not corroborated by any evidence. Why would the deputy strike Creash with a baton for any reason??? … other than that he wanted to punish Creach for not falling on his face in the dirt? After all, if the gun Creach had was a threat to the deputy’s life, as he wants to assert…. what’s he doing striking Creach with his baton? Why pull out your baton when you think you are in a gun fight?
Creach was not struck by the deputy with a baton…. Creach secured his weapon in the small of his back at the deputy’s command to drop his gun…. Creach thought he would be approaching a prowler, burglar, potentially armed criminal of some kind late at night… the deputy was parked on Creach private property in an unmarked patrol car, late at night, Creach has experience a number of burglars, thieves, criminals on his property late at night in the past, Creach has a legal, constitutional right to carry a firearm and to defend his property, Creach secured the weapon in his waistband when commanded by the deputy to drop the gun.
The deputy has two reasons that he uses to justify his shooting of Creach: 1- He had to strike him with a baton…. 2- He saw the butt of the gun coming out of Creash’s waist band. Interesting that the deputy did not say…. Creach pulled his gun…. Or, Creach pointed his gun at me…. No, it was coming out of the back of his back waistband.
Now…. here’s what we don’t know since the suspect deputy is the only survivor in this incident: Did Creach identify himself to the deputy as the property owner? I am highly suspect that the deputy would admit that Creach did identify himself as the property owner, if he did.
Somebody needs to invite our DA out from under his desk concerning this shooting. The investigative team did not report that Creach’s shooting was “justifiable homicide” based upon their investigation… according to the SR. So now, it’s in the hands of our DA who has been silent on this matter to date unless I have missed something.
The deputy’s account is full of holes and even contradicted by the lack of forensic evidence. The investigating team took a neutral position as to whether or not the killing was “justifiable homicide,” and we have a no-show DA to date… Oh, yea, I almost forgot…. the shooter was allowed to take vacation time before he was interview by investigators!
This case has been very instructional for me. My life is more at risk from a police than a burglar or armed criminal on my property. Fortunate for me that my neighbors live far enough away not to involve the police without my knowledge. If I have such an incident, I will call the police after the fact…. It’s much safer for me to confront burglars, prowlers and other criminals armed or not, on my property without the police.
RobertHLocksley on September 29 at 10:59 a.m.
Hawken:
Very well said.
Sadbuttrue on September 29 at 12:27 p.m.
Lewis has a good idea.
Everyone hold back their property taxes for three years until we get the sweeping decapitation of local law enforcement that is necessary and that we deserve. This latest round of insane and unhinged police shootings would indicate the necessity of everyone at the rank of Sargent and above being summarily fired, stripped of their law enforcement credentials and permanently-banned from LE employment.
Onetime on October 13 at 11:07 a.m.
Well I have sat here and listened to all this for long enough….
First, the police depts are here to protect and serve!!??? Is this what these guys are doing?
I have never seen such cronyism in a town/county/state that says it is MODERN
This also includes the TOTAL LACK of Investigative Reporting on behalf of the PRESS, both written and electronic!!!.
The press is spoon fed items to say and “blamo” its news!
Hmm, lets say, I get a ticket for speeding and decide to take it to court,,,OK,, Now I tell the Judge that I dont need the Officer to testify because the passenger in the car, (who is my brother) was actually an eye witness and has much more info on what happened!
I am sure the Judge would say “Good Idea!” we will get to the truth this way….Do you think that would fly????
Well lets see, someone came out with some Xlnt ideas to bring support to law enforcement (I cant remember, it has been such a long time ) and let the people know they are safe>>>>>>>>>> Officers involved in fatal Shootings can be interviewed immediately, I guess this is so they(cops) can remember what happened..Boy, that makes me feel better!!
So where is this investigation now!
What have the LEADERS done to better equip the officers to handle these dangerous situations,,,,,more training?..more skill sharpening, more contact with the folks to gain trust and find out how to better SERVE the NEEDS of the public???….
There have been a few more shootings, and “oops” somehow they didnt get the story straight at first…. but the suspects lived and could give an account of what happened, soooooooo we better take a look at this.
COPS ARE HUMAN, They make mistakes!!!!, but They, like us MUST learn from those mistakes if one is made, not hide it under the rug..!!! 2+2 is 5??? more training needed…
I have only heard One voice say something about this process, that is FRANK MALONE!, Who came up with a simple, common sense idea to avoid suspicion involving the investigation!!!! I am not saying this as a political ploy, I am not a political animal, I could care less,,,
But what has been going on, does this make sense???
Why hasnt there been a move to get the people to regain,(or just Gain) some confidence in these depts.!!!!!
It starts at the TOP..
They hide, hope it will go away!!! oops there goes another rubber tree plant, or shooting!!!!…..(if your old enough you remember that song).
The paper will just put a pretty cute police dog on the page ,,oh its so cute.
What in the world is going on!
These Officers need to HAVE the CONFIDENCE of the people who they SERVE, they have an extremely difficult job, life threatening!!!,,but they wont and cant do their job until the leadership takes charge. They (OFFICERS) put their lives on the line to SERVE ANd PROTECT US, but if we cant trust their actions and their accountibility to the LAW, then they are only a problem and untrustworthy!!!
WE THE EMPLOYERS, the PUBLIC, MUST DEMAND ACCOUNTIBILITY from THESE PEOPLE WE EMPLOY AND MAKE THEM DO WHAT IS RIGHT!
Well I have said enough for now, I will see if they even post this.
OT