To somewhat coin a phrase used by James Carville during one of the Clinton campaigns.
The good Cops frustrated with the Culture at the Spokane Police Department once again risk retaliation and bring their concerns to me about a case they were concerned would be swept under the rug by Mayor Nadine Woodward’s Chief of Police Craig Meidl much like the attempt to cover-up the Dan Lesser and other cases that I’ve been able to expose with the help of Good Cops and others.
This time the case involves excessive viewing of pornography using SPD equipment while on duty.
I will not get into all of the details I’m aware of regarding the case here and will only at this point provide a copy of the email I sent to OPO Bart Logue, whom I am sure was not made aware of the case and only learned about it from me.
To be clear, the restrictive OPO Ordinance allows SPD to keep Internal IA Investigations such as this one from the OPO and without someone bringing those Internal IA Cases to the OPO’s attention he likely would never know.
Why would SPD try and sweep something like this under the rug? The answer is pretty obvious, if the Public were to find out that yet another example of SPD’s treatment of women exists it would just add to the other black eyes they have received on similar issues including the conviction of former SPD Officer Gordon Ennis and the aftermath of that case with other SPD Officers receiving punishment.
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/jun/04/ex-spokane-police-officer-convicted-of-rape-claims/
Aside from the Ennis case SPD has a history of shoddy rape investigations for which some Officers have received Bad Boy Letters.
Beyond SPD’s treatment of women there is also the issue of staffing and workload which according to SPD is so bad they can’t handle all the work. Obviously if a Cop has time to watch porn on duty in a way which has been described to me as “excessive” he at least needs more work to do and the question arises as to how many others need the same.
Many of the Good Cops who were hoping for a Culture Change are frustrated with new Mayor Woodward as she is giving no indication she will get rid of Craig Meidl the Karl Thompson Salute Participant who former Mayor Condon manipulated and orchestrated the hiring of. In their view as well as mine no changes at he top means no changes in CULTURE.
You might ask why Jacquelyn MacConnell the former Phoenix Police Officer who was hired by SPD as the Director of Strategic Initiatives overseeing the Spokane Police Department’s IA Unit and who is supposed to provide a “Civilian Voice” to the IA Process is pictured above, the reason is simple Public Records demonstrate she did all she could to mitigate the Dan Lesser video, and she being a woman should have at least some concern about the conduct of Officer Cole. Since the OPO and the Public now knows what is going on it will be pretty hard to try and mitigate this one and it is her responsibility to make sure this one is properly investigated and proper discipline if that is where the evidence leads is given.
Cam Zorrozua, whom I have a lot of respect for is quoted as making this statement in SR Reporter Jared Brown’s recent story.
“Center for Justice staff attorney Cam Zorrozua said Bugbee’s rationale makes sense, given how people who have had violent interactions with the police might fear retaliation.
“I would not blame any individual for not coming forward, for self preservation,” Zorrozua said.”
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/jan/16/spokane-police-officers-kick-on-handcuffed-suspect/
Cam Zorrozua is exactly right regarding Citizen coming forward, but also consideration has to be given to the Good Cops who come forward and the retaliation they can count on because of SPD’s Culture.
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/jul/10/wanted-trust-in-spokane-police-force/
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/nov/01/shawn-vestal-initial-internal-reviews-watchdog-ass/
Buffalo Brian Breen 