The 33-page very well-prepared Motion to Suppress regarding United States of America v. Tvar Louis Jackson No. 2:17-CR-169-SAB-1 a copy of which I’ve linked below points out considerably more than just seriously questioning the veracity of members of the SPD Patrol Anti-Crime Team it also may very well offer an explanation of exactly why Mayor David Condon, Chief Craig Meidl, and Director Jacqui MacConnell don’t want OPO Bart Logue and his staff as well as the OPOC to have unfettered access to IA Cases and SPD Body Camera footage.

The motion makes it real clear that despite all the virtue extolling of Body Warn Cameras it really boils down to a matter of the integrity of the Officers wearing the Body Cameras and the accountability process of disciplining Officers who refuse to follow policy. Do Officers often turn off their Body Cameras when there is a possibility that something exculpatory might be discussed between Officers? It is difficult to tell how often it happens if Mayor Condon, Chief Meidl, and Director MacConnell continue in their efforts to hide pertinent information from the OPO, OPOC, and the Public.

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Aaedcf60d-27f8-489e-98f5-b49555ae2b95

Having spent over 40 years doing investigations as an SPD Detective and doing Criminal Defense Investigations, including many at the Federal level, I know full well that once the Defense identifies solid issues involving the integrity of Law Enforcement Officers involved in the case preparing a Motion to Suppress and simply showing it to the Prosecution, or just sitting down with the Prosecutor and telling them what you have will result in something like this.

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Aa7a837ea-edad-42cb-aeb8-56642377c31e

When you read the actual Indictment of Tvar Louis Jackson it gives you some idea of the kind of people that are back on the Street because of a lack of integrity on the part of Law Enforcement.

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A5d2da05c-324f-47bb-b85c-12576007fd32

It is always better to play the game by the rules, even if it means having to let a real rat walk, there will always be a next time, and bad cases make bad law!  

Here is a little background material to get some folks up to speed. 

https://www.inlander.com/spokane/why-a-dispute-between-spokane-police-and-the-civilian-ombudsman-is-at-a-standstill/Content?oid=15661189

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/dec/12/shawn-vestal-police-union-again-undermines-indepen/

https://www.inlander.com/spokane/its-not-retribution-tensions-mount-between-spokane-police-chief-craig-meidl-and-his-civilian-watchdog/Content?oid=16201113

https://www.inlander.com/spokane/where-spokanes-mayoral-candidates-stand-on-police-oversight/Content?oid=15882346

https://examplepro.me/2019/01/23/feels-like-retributionsayeth-bart-logue/

As it stands today Mayor Condon, Chief Meidl, and Director MacConnell are not taking the long and well documented problems with the SPD PACT in the least bit seriously and are taking all steps available to them to sweep it under the rug.

https://examplepro.me/2019/01/15/the-game-has-ruleswhich-must-be-followedor-not/

https://examplepro.me/2019/01/17/story-updatea-rare-and-rather-cryptic-response/

https://examplepro.me/2019/01/31/let-me-see-if-i-have-this-correctchief-meidl/

https://examplepro.me/2019/04/06/it-is-like-a-high-school-cafeteria-food-fight-over-civil-rights-violations/

I REPORT YOU DECIDE!!!

Things have really gone down hill at the Spokane Police Department since the Spokane City Council approved the hiring of Frank Straub and subsequently approved the hiring of Craig Meidl whose “mentor” and close friend Karl Thompson went to prison for violating Otto Zehm’s Civil Rights and lied about doing so by a vote of 6-1.

There was just one right-minded City Council Member who voted against the approval of Craig Meidl, Karen Stratton, who must have seen the handwriting on the wall that Meidl who had an extensive hand in establishing the Karl Thompson Culture and has done nothing to try and change that culture at SPD.

https://examplepro.me/2016/10/11/at-least-there-is-one-rightminded-person/

BACKGROUND:

https://examplepro.me/2019/04/04/to-answer-the-question-i-received-regarding-what-evidence-i-have/

https://examplepro.me/2019/04/04/with-a-little-help-from-my-friends/

https://examplepro.me/2019/04/03/story-update-two-million-dollar-claim-made-against-spd/

https://examplepro.me/2019/01/31/let-me-see-if-i-have-this-correctchief-meidl/

https://examplepro.me/2019/01/17/story-updatea-rare-and-rather-cryptic-response/

https://examplepro.me/2019/01/15/the-game-has-ruleswhich-must-be-followedor-not/

https://examplepro.me/2018/09/19/no-leak-investigation-regarding-the-battle-between-spds-detectives-and-the-patrol-anti-crime-team/

https://examplepro.me/2018/11/16/why-do-we-waste-taxpayer-dollars-on-experts-to-make-recommendations-when-they-are-never-followed/

Lets now take a quick look at the most recent documents I have received regarding Civil Rights Violations by the SPD Patrol Anti-Crime Team. One of the key players in this fiasco is the current Commander of SPD’s PACT, Lt. David Staben, whom some might remember was the Cop who falsely accused Ombudsman Bart Logue of leaking information to me while Staben was in charge of SPD IA.

https://www.inlander.com/Bloglander/archives/2017/08/10/spokane-police-hunt-for-internal-leaker-fails-undermines-other-efforts-toward-transparency

https://www.inlander.com/spokane/loose-lips/Content?oid=5107347

I have reported earlier about Detective Lonnie Tofsrud’s Human Resources Complaint against other members of SPD who accused him of being a “Brady Cop” for bringing forward his concerns about the SPD PACT violating Citizens Civil Rights.

The first installment of PRR Responses I received are very, very, telling, and clearly demonstrate a bias on the part of Lt. Staben against Detective Tofsrud which will not go unnoticed by Tofsrud’s lawyers in his 2 million dollar claim against the City and SPD.

Lt. Staben’s on the record report reminds me a lot of other successful lawsuits SPD Officers have made against the City and SPD. Including the Jeff Harvey case where Anne Kirkpatrick’s then Assistant Chief Jim Nicks testified in his deposition that Kirkpatrick was out to get Harvey.

https://www.kxly.com/news/local-news/four-years-later-spokane-finally-settles-wrongful-termination-lawsuit_20161121040413772/176540877

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/oct/15/city-apologizes-fired-detective/

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/oct/13/council-consider-350000-firing-settlement/

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/may/18/spokane-police-department-rehires-detective-with/

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/oct/17/guild-blames-former-officials-for-bungled/

First it is important to note that the only real outcome of the HR Investigation, is what I consider a, “No shit Sherlock”, that Staben needs training on dealing with subordinates.

Staben in his statement once again accuses Tofsrud of being a liar (Brady Cop), a statement which will surely be brought up in his deposition if Tofsrud’s claim gets to a lawsuit.

Staben clearly points out in his statement that Chief Craig Meidl knew damn well about problems with PACT and TCU prior to 2017.

Staben blames all of the problems on a complaint Tofsrud and apparently Sgt. Meyer made about Civil Rights Violations back in 2017. Obviously Meidl either didn’t take the complaints seriously and did nothing or wanted it all swept under the rug. The information I have provided earlier regarding Federal cases sure as heck supports Tofsrud’s claims and based on his witness list will be a big factor in his lawsuit.

Staben takes a big shot at TCU and Sgt. Preuninger who was TCU Brass before he became a full-time PIO. Preuninger was the only other Cop besides Tofsrud who was disciplined in the McCollough case.

Staben points out that Chief Meidl knew about the problems in November of 2016, and supposedly sent Staben in to clean up the mess. Obviously Staben wasn’t able to do it and things just got worse. Keep in mind that Meidl is listed a witness in Tofsrud’s claim.

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Aaa71d356-6977-4023-afab-1d61accb2b4e

Just the tip of the iceberg folks, lots more coming. Gotta wonder where most of those City Council Members are on this issue especially considering the stance most Liberals have on Civil Rights Violations. It might be a good idea to worry less about what Border Patrol is legally doing at the Intermodal and more about what your own Law Enforcement Agency is doing.

I REPORT YOU DECIDE!!!

The answer is lots. However, because Chief Meidl refuses to investigate the PACT issues it is necessary for me to hold back information I have until SPD  discontinues the cover-up.

The images below show just a snippet of what is available.

I REPORT YOU DECIDE!!!

As an update to yesterday’s story I thought I would offer my help to other reporters who are finally asking some questions about the SPD’s Police Anti-Crime Team based upon my story about the 2 Million Dollar Claim filed by Detective Lonnie Tofsrud.

https://examplepro.me/2019/04/03/story-update-two-million-dollar-claim-made-against-spd/

This is another one of those situations where finally, after months of work and several stories some other media friends are finally starting to recognize that it is our role as Journalists to dig into any issue coming to our attention that may be evidence of government misconduct, and it doesn’t matter who originally exposes the issue.

Something other reporters should take note of in Tofsrud’s claim is his witness list because you will see some of their names come up in other stories I will be doing. At this point SPD’s efforts to sweep everything under the rug isn’t working well.

This early email exchange will give you some background regarding some of the things that have been going on.

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A55d10c0a-ea98-4218-a146-74f7ec63cb20

The statements made by Meidl, and MacConnell are not in the least bit accurate as SPD is making effort not to conduct a legitimate investigation into it’s PACT…but more on that later.

The email interaction also points out just some of the flaws in the OPO Ordinance that Mayor Condon and the City Council sold out to the Police Unions back in 2014 and is by no means “a really good thing for the community” or any kind of a “victory lap”.

“This isn’t a matter of me saying, ‘This is as good as we can get,’ ” Stuckart said. “This is me saying, ‘This is good for the citizens.’

“This should’ve been a time to take a victory lap,” he said. “Together, the citizens and the council forced the mayor to get it done, and it’s going to be a really good thing for the community.”

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/feb/14/shawn-vestal-ombudsman-rule-imperfect-but-promisin/

https://examplepro.me/2016/04/27/an-indepentent-police-ombudsman-how-now/

Here is Tofsrud’s lengthy witness list and I have highlighted individuals that could be key witnesses should this case go to litigation.

The two ATF Agents Julius and McNall whose names come up in other documents and I suspect are listed to establish that ATF stopped taking SPD cases because of problems with the PACT cases referred to ATF.

Although not highlighted, Human Resources Director Christine Cavanaugh herself the subject of a number of complaints might have some really interesting testimony especially regarding the HR Investigation of Tofsrud’s complaint against Meidl and MacConnell. The City is of course slow walking my PRR regarding that investigation during which a number of City Employees were interviewed.

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Aeb97456a-6d52-47ed-90c7-bc524168fc03

I tried to get a statement from Chief Meidl regarding my story about Tofsrud’s claim, but as is the case with Meidl with me at least he ran and hid. Maybe another reporter he is less afraid of can get a statement from him.

I should note that I did receive contact from a City Council Member who is very concerned about the issue, but only one CM even though they are aware. Gotta wonder where Chief Meidl’s close friend Lori Kinnear the Chair of the CC Public Safety Committee is hiding?

A LITTLE HELP FOR MY FRIENDS!!!