Information presented today regarding discipline recommendations for those involved in an ongoing police misconduct investigation is unofficial and potentially inaccurate. The incident in question originally occurred on April 17, 2010. The Chief of Police has not made a decision and is the only one with the authority to impose discipline in this matter. Chief John Diaz is expected to announce his decision in the coming days. The person or persons who provided this information did so without the permission or authority of the Chief of Police.
Seattle Police Department investigators initially investigated this case criminally and referred their findings to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO). When the KCPAO determined that the case did not meet their filing standards, investigators referred it to the City Attorney’s Office. The City Attorney consulted with an independent law enforcement agency with a request to review the force used in this incident. The independent agency found the force used to be within the parameters of the law, resulting in a decision by the City Attorney’s Office not to file criminal charges. The case has been in the hands of Office of Professional Accountability investigators since. If investigators determine that any administrative violations occurred, the most discipline the Chief of Police can impose is termination. The most discipline the Chief can impose short of termination is 30 days off without pay. Other discipline may include a transfer or additional training.
An official announcement will be made at the conclusion of this investigation.