As most folks know I receive a considerable amount of information from sources about local law enforcement that other Reporters don’t and even though I might receive information from a number of reliable sources on a particular issue I still do my best to independently confirm and corroborate as much of the information I can. Such was the case with an ongoing IA Investigation into the possibility of inappropriate conduct between SPD Officers and a young female Co-op/Explorer.
I keep the OPO and the Spokane City Council aware of what I find but the Spokane City Council is nowhere to be found, nor is there any evidence the even care about the problems at SPD, which I find odd considering many of them are trying to get elected. One would think that Lori Kinnear, even though she championed the hiring of Craig Meidl as SPD Chief and is the Chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee and who is running for re-election would have an interest, but she obviously doesn’t.
I sometimes wonder if the City Council is dumb enough to believe Chief Craig Meidl’s “Kill the Messenger” plan?
You would think that the City Council would figure out that I don’t make-up the information I receive, it comes from good honest folks who are very aware of SPD’s downward slide and want that changed. But then again it is an election year and having the endorsement and financial backing of the Police Unions is very important.
Sources advised me of what could be a significant problem regarding the relationships between some SPD Officers and a young female Co-op/Explorer and provided me with quite a bit of information I was able to confirm including that the female Co-op was removed from the program for what was described as…well…Conduct Unbecoming a Co-op/Explorer.
When I get information of this magnitude I think it is important to get to the bottom of it and try and determine if it is true or not, so in this case while trying to confirm some of the information I had I basically gave Chief Craig Meidl a heads up and even though some information was all over the Public Safety Building and other areas of City Government, Meidl claimed he knew nothing, and he may not have, but he needed to know, since this email I’ve provided SPD folks with even more helpful info.
I think the people who read my stories are very aware that for a long time I have been looking into the very serious problems with the SPD Police Anti-Crime Team, as a matter of fact I was the first reporter to report on the 2 million dollar claim against the City and County by Detective Lonnie Tofsrud and the only one so far who has been reporting an important story for the entire Community.
https://examplepro.me/2019/04/03/story-update-two-million-dollar-claim-made-against-spd/
Josh Kelety who replaced Mitch Ryals at the Inlander followed up on my story in his May 2, 2019 Inlander piece. From what I see so far I think Kelety is doing a good job replacing Mitch Ryals who was on top of things for the Inlander until he made it to the big time. Kelety is at a bit of a disadvantage however being new to the area (Oh…my gosh…Seattle! 😊) and one of his peers at the Inlander has somewhat hindered the development of good sources.
BACKGROUND:
https://examplepro.me/2019/04/24/hiding-the-problems-with-spd/
I should note that this September 9, 2018 story of mine is no longer accurate the full-court press is on!
SPD has initiated an IA Investigation based upon the information I supplied, which is a real good thing considering the circumstances and has interviewed some of the Co-op/Explorers which I recommended. My hope is that it turns out not to once again tarnish SPD and we get the results of the IA Case soon.
I think however I may have provided more information to SPD which could extend the length of the IA Investigation. While looking to the SPD PACT and Border Patrol arrest of Adam Doe who has since been deported and which once again caused problems between Detectives and SPD PACT I reviewed Body Warn Camera footage of the arrest and low and behold saw the female Co-op/Explorer was inexplicably present at Adam Doe’s arrest. I immediately knew who she was when I saw the footage based upon other photos and documents I had in my possession, but it was necessary to confirm it was her which I did.
To confirm the identity of the female Co-op I reached out to Public Safety PIO Michele Anderson who gave me confirmation.
Buffalo Brian Breen 