Spokane police officer accused of armed burglary

A Spokane police officer was arrested by officers of his own department Tuesday night after he allegedly busted open the front door of his girlfriend’s house during an argument. Officer John Yen, 25, was arrested on a first-degree armed burglary charge in the 1100 block of East 11th Avenue after police responded to a witness report shortly after 9 p.m. Yen, who joined the Spokane Police Department in 2013, is accused of speeding to his girlfriend’s house in a truck, arguing with her on the front porch, forcing the door open and following her into the house, despite being told to leave. He was off duty and armed with his own gun, a loaded revolver, according to court documents. The girlfriend, a deputy prosecutor in the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office, told responding officers that Yen has a “bad temper” and has yelled at her in the past, according to court documents. The two had been dating for about three months. Yen was booked into the Spokane County Jail around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday. On Wednesday afternoon, Superior Court Judge Greg Sypolt ordered Yen released from jail and to cease communicating with the girlfriend. He is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation. Officer Teresa Fuller, police spokeswoman, said the department has not decided whether to conduct the internal investigation while the criminal trial is underway, or wait until the trial is over. She said the department will not comment on the case until findings have been reached. Spokane County Prosecutor Larry Haskell said because the alleged victim works in his office, he has asked the Lincoln County Prosecutor’s Office to handle the case to avoid a conflict of interest. Yen’s attorney, Rob Cossey, said he’s been contacted by several law enforcement officers who trust and support Yen. “They said he’s an excellent police officer, excellent for this community, and they’re very concerned about his career,” Cossey said.