Cheney Police Department Under The Gun Business Owners Hit By Burglars Say Officers Not Responsive

Dick Lee is close to living out of his bar. And not because he can’t get enough of having a good time.

Lee, owner of Bill’s Tavern in Cheney, said sleeping in his business is the best way to protect it. The reason: He has no confidence in the town police.

The tavern was one of four downtown businesses burglarized during a five-hour period early in the morning one day last month.

“Since then, I’ve come down here sometimes and thrown a cot on the floor and slept in here myself,” Lee said.

In addition to Lee’s place at 405 First St., burglars hit Jim and Dodie’s Silverworks, 420 First, Showie’s Tavern, 414 First, and Goofy’s Tavern, 407 First.

The police department, at 611 Second, is a two-minute walk from the neighboring businesses.

“We’ve got some damn nice officers here, but I think there may be some laziness involved,” said Jim Canaday, the jewelry store owner.

Cheney Mayor Al Ogdon disputes the charges by some storeowners that police are incompetent.

“This is the same group who have complained that we have too many police,” Ogdon said. “They’re tavern owners. Doesn’t that answer the question?”

But in the case of Goofy’s Tavern, even Police Chief Jerry Gardner said the officer didn’t do his job.

Bonnie Szuch, a newspaper carrier, noticed an open door at Goofy’s and heard suspicious noises inside about 3 a.m. She rode her bike to the police station and told Officer Mark Hartfield what was going on.

He never left the police station.

According to a letter from City Administrator James Reinbold to Lee, Hartfield suspected the noise at Goofy’s was caused by workers cleaning the place.

“That assumption was terribly wrong, and the officer was given punitive action,” said Gardner, who has been chief for 23 years. “Nothing like this has ever happened before. An officer made a bad decision, and why it’s on the 6 o’clock news I don’t know.”

Gardner wouldn’t say what discipline was taken against Hartfield, who is no longer a member of the police force. Shortly after the robbery, he took a job with police in Federal Way, Wash.

“As far as we’re concerned this is over,” Gardner said. “It’s a done deal.”

City Councilman Dwayne Paul said police made a “bad mistake” in not looking into the activity reported by the paper carrier, but he also said the incident is not reflective of the job all officers perform.

“That’s just not representative of the whole police force,” Paul said.

At the last city council meeting Sept. 24, residents and tavern owners expressed their frustrations and concerns. Afterward, Ogdon approved the disciplinary action Gardner recommended against Hartfield and closed the case. Ogdon defended Hartfield, saying the officer was “very busy” working on some domestic violence cases.

“Because there isn’t somebody in jail doesn’t mean we have a derelict police department,” Ogdon said. “There are a couple of people who are not happy because there isn’t a public hanging.”

According to Sgt. Larry Smith, burglaries are “a different animal” to investigate.

“It’s a whole different set of circumstances. Unlike Spokane, most businesses out here don’t have alarm systems. They’re an added expense, but it’s the cost of doing business.”

Unlike the three taverns, the jewelry store has an alarm. Despite the security, Canaday reported four break-ins in the last five years. No one has ever been arrested.

“I was unaware they’d been robbed before,” Ogdon said. “In all honesty, I’ve never heard that before.”

When Canaday arrived at his store the morning of Sept. 16, the alarm was still blaring in the shop. The thieves tried to cut the alarm, but the system still going at reduced volume.

Canaday lost $32,000 worth of jewelry, primarily silver. Showie’s lost $800 and Goofy’s $300. Bill’s Tavern was broken into, but nothing was stolen.

Hartfield is one of two Cheney officers bound for Federal Way, according to Gardner. He said his staff is now down to nine full-time officers with only one on duty in the early morning hours.

“People are frustrated about this,” said Tom Showalter, owner of Showie’s. “(The stolen money) is an inconvenience, and I can survive it. But there is this feeling on the part of Gardner and Ogdon that this was just an isolated incident.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo