Officer who punched cuffed man investigated

The Spokane Police Department has launched an internal investigation into the actions of a police officer who pleaded guilty this week to punching a handcuffed suspect in the face.

Nathan Kyle Bohanek, 28, pleaded guilty Wednesday to fourth-degree assault in connection to an arrest on April 26. He received a deferred sentence, a $250 fine and six months probation.

Since the incident, Bohanek was placed on administrative leave until three or four weeks ago, when he started answering phones at the dispatch center, Police Chief Roger Bragdon said.

“He was an exceptional officer prior to that night. As I sit here, I have no idea why he did it that night,” Bragdon said. “It just shocked all of us.”

In cases like this, there are two investigations – one criminal, the other internal.

Bragdon said the internal probe should not take long since Bohanek has already been interviewed.

“The main difference in the two investigations is in the rights of the accused,” he said. “In a criminal case, the accused has the right to remain silent. In an administrative investigation, the accused must answer all questions.”

According to court records, the assault took place after Bohanek and Officer Derek Bishop contacted Michael E. Rieder on a bicycle at about 11 p.m., April 26, on the Trent Avenue bridge, just west of Hamilton Street on Trent Avenue.

Court records don’t indicate why Rieder was wanted, but Bragdon recalled that Rieder had an active warrant for his arrest.

Rieder attempted to flee and was subsequently found by a K-9 unit about 200 to 250 yards away hiding in the back of a cargo van, court records state.

The K-9 officer, Kris Honaker, and Officer Bishop escorted Rieder back to a patrol car when Officer Bohanek approached.

“Officer Bohanek grabbed Rieder with his left arm behind Rieder’s head in what appeared to be a hair-hold,” according to testimony by Officer Bishop. “After a few words were exchanged, Officer Bohanek struck Rieder on the right side of the face with a closed fist.”

Rieder has twice declined to file a complaint about the assault, Bragdon said.

Asked why the department didn’t publicize the April assault until August, Bragdon blamed delays in court.

“Our (criminal) investigation was done within a week or so. Once we submitted to the prosecutor, it’s out of our hands,” Bragdon said. “What you have here is just the slow criminal justice process.”

The public wouldn’t necessarily have known about the incident sooner had Rieder assaulted Officer Bohanek, he said.

“We have officers assaulted every week. It’s probably a sad commentary,” Bragdon said. “In the old days it used to be a big deal when someone assaulted an officer. But it happens so frequently now.”

While officers are held to a higher standard, they are also subject to the same stresses and strains as everyone else, he said.

“It happens very rarely,” said Bragdon, who guessed it has been nine years since an officer had faced a criminal charge. “This is a stressful job. When you come to a job where there’s a lot of frustration meeting the same bad guys every night, sometimes this happens.”