Memo: Bellevue police chief 'appalled' by officers' behavior
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BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Bellevue’s police chief is not happy with the September incident at CenturyLink Field involving two of her own officers.
KOMO News has obtained memos from Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo to Officers Dion Robertson and Andre Hanke.
The memos state the two men went to the Seahawks game on Sept. 16 as a part of a group that included other officers and a city employee.
The group met at Robertson's house and began drinking before Hanke drove to the game, the memo said. The group tailgated, kept drinking and became "very intoxicated," according to the document.
As they walked to the stadium, a Seattle police officer spotted a woman in the group littering, and asked her to pick up her trash.
The woman did, but Hanke took offense and aggressively asked the Seattle officer, "You're going to make my wife pick that up? You're going to pick out a cop's wife? I'm a Bellevue police officer," Pillo wrote.
Robertson swore at the Seattle officer, prompting the Seattle officer to call for backup.
Inside CenturyLink Field, a fan, sitting with his young son, called security after Robertson and Hanke repeatedly shouted profanities. The group was escorted out, and the littering woman told that fan to "be careful driving in Bellevue," the memo said.
Eventually the group went home in a car driven by an intoxicated Hanke, according to the document.
Robertson later admitted to the chief he was "blacked out" for most of the events and said, "if somebody said I did it, then I’m sure I probably did."
Pillo said both men apologized and pledged to correct their behavior, the memo said, but she told both of them, "I am appalled and very disappointed by your actions that day. Your obnoxious drunken behavior brought disrepute not only to you, but the entire Bellevue Police Department.”
Robertson was demoted from corporal to officer, and removed from a leadership position on the bomb squad.
Hanke was kicked off the bomb squad and suspended without pay for 160 hours, which is about four weeks.
KOMO News has obtained memos from Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo to Officers Dion Robertson and Andre Hanke.
The memos state the two men went to the Seahawks game on Sept. 16 as a part of a group that included other officers and a city employee.
The group met at Robertson's house and began drinking before Hanke drove to the game, the memo said. The group tailgated, kept drinking and became "very intoxicated," according to the document.
As they walked to the stadium, a Seattle police officer spotted a woman in the group littering, and asked her to pick up her trash.
The woman did, but Hanke took offense and aggressively asked the Seattle officer, "You're going to make my wife pick that up? You're going to pick out a cop's wife? I'm a Bellevue police officer," Pillo wrote.
Robertson swore at the Seattle officer, prompting the Seattle officer to call for backup.
Inside CenturyLink Field, a fan, sitting with his young son, called security after Robertson and Hanke repeatedly shouted profanities. The group was escorted out, and the littering woman told that fan to "be careful driving in Bellevue," the memo said.
Eventually the group went home in a car driven by an intoxicated Hanke, according to the document.
Robertson later admitted to the chief he was "blacked out" for most of the events and said, "if somebody said I did it, then I’m sure I probably did."
Pillo said both men apologized and pledged to correct their behavior, the memo said, but she told both of them, "I am appalled and very disappointed by your actions that day. Your obnoxious drunken behavior brought disrepute not only to you, but the entire Bellevue Police Department.”
Robertson was demoted from corporal to officer, and removed from a leadership position on the bomb squad.
Hanke was kicked off the bomb squad and suspended without pay for 160 hours, which is about four weeks.
"Bellevueâs police chief is not happy with the September incident"
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Yet of course no one will be fired. Instead they are allowed to carry a gun and do something else stupid so some lawyer can fleece the tax payers when they do.
Cops driving drunk. What a shocker!!!!!!!! Hypocrisy at its finest.
Bellevue officials are condoning this behavior by giving these two officers, nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Which, will only allow them to do it again. Just because they were demoted means absolutely NOTHING! I doubt seriously they have LEARNED a damn thing. It's quite apparent that they suffer from GOD Syndrome, and all the officials KNOW THIS!
Bellevue officials should find their b**** and get rid of their "TRASH" better. IF it were Joe Blow acting this way, dollar to a dime they would have been arrested and tossed in jail.Â
What a couple of losers. And they still have their jobs... pathetic. As a citizen of Bellevue, I apologize to the rest of Washington for allowing my city to hire and keep these guys on staff.
I canât help myself but now every time I see a Bellevue Police car driving down Bellevue Way, I actually wonder if the cop driving has been drinking spirits. I know itâs wrong to profile and judge all of a particular group based on the bad actions of a few, but I canât stop what is etched in my brain.
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What were the other PNW police departments that had a drinking on duty problem in the past couple years. As I recall some small town chief lost his job in part due to booze. Seattle cops have also had a rough year with spirits (DV,DUI,Bar Fights,DUI accidents etc)
Well, we finally get to see their smiling faces. They certainly look the part. A couple of immature little boys who only managed to grow up just enough to pass whatever low minimum standards the BPD has set for employment.
They look like their d-bags... especially the one on the right.
id say, leave your baggage at the door, boy that they did, and then some
They behaved like 50% of the Hawks fans normally do.. Not the best venue for kids that's for sure
Do as I say, not as I do. These guys are supposed to serve and protect? Really? Guess the requirements for the Bellevue PD are quite low. Does not make me feel secure at all. Disgusting.
Isn't that Rod Farva on the left and Rando from Spurbury?
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@Root Please- meow think you're right!
Look at what you've done guys, you made her unhappy! Bad boys! Come on, stop laughing, guys, come on... No way, they are high again and can't control it...Â
The Chief's not happy but the two are still employed. Way to go Bellevue, those are two of your finest! I guess it's fair to say the union probably got involved, right Chief? Or maybe the anger she has towards the two is all for show?Â
So . . . no penalties for the officers, though right?
@Ogglethorpe Wintermonger ummm guess the thousands of dollars in lost wages isn't enough?
 @Common Sense  @Ogglethorpe They SHOULD have lost their jobs!Â
 @Common Sense It cost each of them less than the next person they will charge with DUI. Unlike the next guy, it apparently won't limit their job prospects.
 Dion Robertson looks familiar, didn't he play a part in the Adam's Family tv show?Â
I sat on a DUI jury in Bellevue district court last month and watched Office Hanke solemnly testify about pulling the defendant over for probable drunken driving. So yeah, I can tell you first hand that he's up to speed on this area of the law... no excuse for this type of behavior.  For some reason, I keep picturing that Hankey character from south park...
Duhble Standard for real. what apeice of ........ work!
I suggest you guys read the Seattle Times article on this. It's worse than you think. This Bellevue group consisted of 2 male police officers, a female police officer (one wife) and a Bellevue city worker (the other wife). 3 Bellevue cops, and one Bellevue public employee.Â
 @lakeviewÂ
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Gets even better....
http://www.king5.com/news/investigators/Sources-State-patrol-investigating-6-Bellevue-PD-commanders-182467161.html
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Officers Robertson and Hanke have lost their effectiveness as police officers. Being a police officer means you hold yourself and your fellow officers to a higher standard and in this case you both fell flat on your face. You have lost the respect of the people you are supposed to serve and from now on any of your actions will be questioned. The best thing for either of these officers is to submit their resignation and move on with their lives.
obnoxious people are disgusting, but when they wear a badge and threaten you (the fan and the SPD cop) while drunk, that's downright scary ... I would not want anybody like that in my police force.
I'm so glad that off duty Bellevue police and driving drunk through my city and that they get away with it.Â
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Do what I say, not as I do, right?Â
4 weeks for a self admitted DUI. Administration is a joke. Go tell that to a family member of a victim of a DUI fatality. How do you uphold the integrity of the department when you look the other way (not criminally, but dsiciplinary action (ie TERMINATED) for a DUI. Don't give me no bullsh*t that it can't be proved in court. It doesn't matter. Officers can be terminated for actions that don't even meet a criminal standard. Disgusting and inexcusable.Â
They admitted they had a lot to drink, but couldn't recall exactly how much they consumed before the game. Along with the Bloody Marys and Coors Light beers, they had shots of whiskey and "Pink Panty Droppers."
Officer Hanke later described that drink to Bellevue investigators as one-fifth of vodka, eight beers and lemonade in a two gallon jug. They made two batches of "panty droppers."
Robertson had so much to drink that he says he "blacked out for quite a few things." He does remember leaving the tailgate party and walking to Century Link.
Then DROVE home. Really? No problem there. Nah.
 @BocaBob But no sobriety tests by law enforcement so there is no case for a court of law. They damaged their own careers and have been punished for it. No one was hurt so its enough. I'm not a big fan of cops either but this is a pretty minor infraction compared to a lot of things they do.
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Blindman Cops should be held to the highest standards and if as you say a minor infraction to what allot of them it is no wonder the respect once shown toward cops is gone. I was an Airborne ranger for 20+ I know need the to blow off steam I get the macho part. If it was private no problem. They put the public who pays them to serve and protect (very well I add) in danger. As I said before if the have no integrity what do they have? They should step down. Also if there where racist remarks made ( in the report) Iâm sure that is minor also. But hay they didn't hurt a puppy or punch a gay person. No harm no foul. Have a reefer.
 @Blindman  @BocaBob Driving drunk. Inexcusable, disgusting, 4 weeks for admitted DUI....not enough.Â
I understand that when they are off duty, cops can not and probably should not be held up to high standards. I'm not condoning their behavior.
My biggest issue is that they, along with a wife, tried to use their badges to allow their behavior. They can't be allowed to hide behind their badges. Their behavior, for normal every day citizens, was reprehensible. Flashing the badge, however, took it to another level.Â
Using the badge to harrass another officer that was on the job? Wow.Â
Take the treatment of the office, add in the behavior at Century Link, and the possible/ probably drinking w/ intoxicated, top it all of with the use of the badge. To me, that is beyond a simple demotion.
"Blacked out???" That's a symptom of alcoholism. He should also be ordered to treatment.
this whole business is just plain embarrassing, and really diminishes all police officers in the eyes of the public. I wonder if either of these two jerks has had the decency to personally apologize to the Seattle police officers involved, or to the Seattle Department, or Seattle police union.  That would take some personal courage.
Now if the SPD Chief would just use the same example Bellevue did and police their "problem children". Yes, the Bellevue acted correctly. The cops wife just shows what type of folks cops wives are! The threat made to a fan, the littering action says my chit don't stink. With Bellevue Chiefs actions, my respect for Bellevue PD just went up a few notches. Please SPD, take notice and clean up your house.
 @Michael E. Campbell Please, that behavior is not indicative of the majority of the spouses of law enforcement, your comment is disgusting.
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Your respect went up. Blacked out, acting like an ass, DUI, and a slap on the wrist and you respect that.....wow, says a lot about you.
"160 hours is about four weeks." Â Did this have to be in story, or could you have said JUST 160 hours. Â These bozos shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a gun, or another, sane human being. Â They are a couple of goofy twits, and should have been fired. Â Special treatment for two, grinning, immature knuckleheads.
Its not that big of a deal. A couple of cops cut lose and had some fun. No one was hurt and they were off duty. Put them on a desk job for a month and move on.
@Blindman Your an idiot, you must be a from the eastside wearing blue..
@Blindman They harrassed people, and then drove drunk. That's more than "some fun." Would you be saying that if they had hit and killed an innocent person(s)?
 @Blindman What are you blind? < pun intended. Verbally assaulting another officer. Admittedly driving drunk to the point that they do not remember driving home... cut loose and having fun? Officer Robertson... is that you online? <sarcasm>
 @d_2  @Blindman The problem is everything you mentioned is not illegal unless an officer arrests you for it and its too late to charge anyone now except for maybe public intoxication but the cops would be able to easily beat that in court at this late stage. These things happen all the time at sports events and usually the people just get escorted off the premises unless it turns violent. Its not a big deal. Allow the police chief to do his job and sanction the officers as he sees fit.
 @Blindman What? Did you just say this > everything you mentioned is not illegal unless an officer arrests you for it. Oh... I get it. Nothing is a crime until you get arrested for it? I am not saying that there should be any judicial steps taken against these clowns. The mere fact that they admitted drinking to excess and driving home... and their actions from verbally assaulting a fellow officer, to the point where another off-duty officer almost stepped... the only consequences can be at the job level and not the courts. Justifying their actions because 'it happens all the time' is foolish. Oh... and the Chief.. SHE has dropped the ball on this one. It is a big deal Blindman. LEO's must act in a professional manner ALL of the time. This is why they agree to ethics and policies that come with the job. Because others do it... doesn't give them a free pass.Â
 @Blindman If they had cut loose in the privacy of their own homes then I say "no harm, no foul". However they were guilty of public intoxication, DUI and assaulting a police officer. Anybody else who pull a stunt like this would have found themselves tazed, face down in handcuffs; and spending the night in jail. ABSOLUTELY no way they get a pass on this behavior.
you cannot be serious
"Robertson later admitted to the chief he was "blacked out" for most of the events and said, "if somebody said I did it, then Iâm sure I probably did.'", what an idiot.
My father is a retired Bellevue Police Officer. I "grew up" in that department from the early 60's till the mid 80's. I babysat for many of the officers children. They were an incredible group of men. Police work is so different now than it was then, the character of the men and women becoming officers today so different from then, society itself so different. My father has said many times he is glad he is not an officer in this day and age.
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There are many, many officers throughout this country that take their job very seriously and do an excellent job, but unfortunately, I think there are many who use the badge as an excuse. They think the badge gives them different rights than the rest of the us, that we are supposed to "look the other way" because they are a police officer.
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It's these officers that we hear about in the news and for some reason the public wants to judge all officers based on these bad apples. And blaming the Chief for an officers behavior away from the department, for saying she has no control over them, is ridculous. We are all responsible for our own behavior, at work and away. Should they be brought to task, you bet!!!! But it's not the Cheif's fault they got drunk and acted like jack**ses.
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@Photogal58
Yes, this is what we do. Itâs called profiling. When I see a Bellevue Cop driving down the street, I automatically suspect he is an obnoxious drunk behind the wheel.
 @Photogal58 Yeah but it's the chief's fault that a self admitted DUI is only getting a slap on the wrist, disgusting. Tell that to a family member of a victim of a DUI fatality. Disgusting.
@PacificNWRunner @Photogal58 While I agree with you in principle, the punishment the Chief delivered is probably as much as she could get away with. The police officers union would not stand for an officer being terminated for anything less than being filmed killing a high ranking government official.
 @Photogal58 No one is insinuating that it is the Chief's fault for their behavior. It's her actions which appears to be one of little consequences outside of minor demotions and a few days without pay. In other instances, other LEO's have been excused entirely from the job for less. She has an opportunity to stop what appears to be a trend in law enforcement with respect to conduct of sworn officers, and she failed in my opinion.
A couple of commentors made reference to the Chief not controlling her officers. That's what my comment was about. She can't control them outside of work anymore than my boss can control me. However, she can, and should, make an example of them and make it very clear this kind of behavior won't be tolerated if it comes to light (which it usually does).  As she stated, it disreputes the department as a whole.
 @Photogal58 I agree for every poor LEO there are at least 10 good ones.
 @thebigteacher So that's at least 5 of them who have to look the other way when this sort of thing happens right?Â
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Bad apples spoil the BUNCH.