Controversial Pacific mayor puts two police officers on leave
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PACIFIC, Wash. -- The City of Pacific has had a rough go of it over the last year or so, and now residents are dealing with yet another problem: Embattled Mayor Cy Sun announced he was making the city's already shrinking police force even smaller.
The Pacific Police Department employed 12 officers just last summer, but that number has dwindled to four officers after the city's top cop and another officer were put on leave.
Sun even asked the King County sheriff's office to take over the policing duties in Pacific, but the office declined.
Sgt. Michel Boc is still with the department and is now the city's ranking officer.
"Yeah, you know, it's frustrating," Bos said.
On Friday, Sun placed Public Safety Director John Calkins and Lt. Edwin Massey on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into what Sun called harassment and intimidation.
"I know I put them on administrative leave to avoid a tremendous liability for the city," Sun said.
The mayor said he couldn't discuss specifics about his decision, but said the move wasn't spurred by a complaint from a resident and is meant to protect the two officers.
"It's an internal safety measure," he said.
But safety for the city is what residents and business owners are most concerned about as the police force continues to shrink. Surveillance footage shows two burglars breaking into a local restaurant in January. They got away before police arrived.
Boc said crime in the city has increased significantly in recent months, and now there are only four officers on patrol.
He said that's not enough to keep Pacific safe, and residents say it might be time for Sun's competency to be tested.
"This man handles our finances for the city," said resident Stacy Knudtson. "He handles hiring and firing of our police officers. At what point is someone going to say, 'Let's have an evaluation to make sure he's up to standards?'"
Sun said the investigation could take as long as a month.
The Pacific Police Department employed 12 officers just last summer, but that number has dwindled to four officers after the city's top cop and another officer were put on leave.
Sun even asked the King County sheriff's office to take over the policing duties in Pacific, but the office declined.
Sgt. Michel Boc is still with the department and is now the city's ranking officer.
"Yeah, you know, it's frustrating," Bos said.
On Friday, Sun placed Public Safety Director John Calkins and Lt. Edwin Massey on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into what Sun called harassment and intimidation.
"I know I put them on administrative leave to avoid a tremendous liability for the city," Sun said.
The mayor said he couldn't discuss specifics about his decision, but said the move wasn't spurred by a complaint from a resident and is meant to protect the two officers.
"It's an internal safety measure," he said.
But safety for the city is what residents and business owners are most concerned about as the police force continues to shrink. Surveillance footage shows two burglars breaking into a local restaurant in January. They got away before police arrived.
Boc said crime in the city has increased significantly in recent months, and now there are only four officers on patrol.
He said that's not enough to keep Pacific safe, and residents say it might be time for Sun's competency to be tested.
"This man handles our finances for the city," said resident Stacy Knudtson. "He handles hiring and firing of our police officers. At what point is someone going to say, 'Let's have an evaluation to make sure he's up to standards?'"
Sun said the investigation could take as long as a month.
It is a shame what dementia can do to the human brain.Â
Trust me, the corruption in this crap-hole was visibly apparent when I first moved here almost 2 years ago. The difference between then and now is that the corruption was predictable. Now we get a new and different story every day that adversly affects the citizens and the well being of the City of Pacific. Someone bought and paid for this City years ago. I don't know who it was and I don't really care. The second the people said they wanted the old mayor out and Cy Sun in should have seen this coming. Be careful what you ask for people, you might just get it. The second I get a chance to leave here, I'm on my way back to the east side of the state where corruption is predictable. At least I know my graft will grease the wheels that need to be greased.
Cy Sun for Governor
The harassment and intimidation of Cy by police were so public, that everyone with every news network have video records and written stores with witnesses of what the police did in Pacific.
@NWDemocrat Spoken like a true democrat.....its hilarious that you're actually proud of that......part of the problem?????????
disband Pacific and stop this lunacy... make it a "neighborhood" of Auburn, or Fife, or Orlando Florida for heaven's sake. What an embarrassment of a mayor. Scrap the whole thing.Â
@TruthinAdverts The lunacy is in Olympia........
@TruthinAdverts City Council and City Department heads are the embarrassment, not the Mayor.
@OttoMobile @TruthinAdverts I don't live in your little hicksburg... I don't shop there. I don't know anyone there... heck... I don't even have to drive through it... So I have no bias... but here's an outside - objective viewpoint. Your mayor is an absolute joke. He's way over his head. He has no idea what he's doing, and he's bumbling about like a senile old fool. But I'll meet you half way... disband the city and get rid of council AND the mayor. Make this hokey little area the neighborhood it really is, and incorporate it into an actual city. Small cities in larger urban areas are an utter waste of money and duplication of resources.
@SandyBeach @TruthinAdverts What makes my opinion better than yours, is that I'm clearly a heck of a lot more intelligent. Honestly... sit down before you hurt yourself.Â
@SandyBeach @TruthinAdverts baaa? Are you mentally deranged?
@TruthinAdverts"I don't live in your little hicksburg... I don't shop there. I don't know anyone there... heck... I don't even have to drive through it... So I have no bias... but here's an outside - objective viewpoint. "..............Objective?????  what makes your opinion ANY better than anybody elses???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
@TruthinAdverts BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! What a sheep.
I nominate Cy Sun for the position to monitor the Seattle Police Dept!Â
How sheepish of all of you.....the guy tries to clean up waste and corruption--which is rampant OBTW.....and gets pushback every step of the way by The Machine.......guess that seat on the ship of fools is good enough for most of you......
@SandyBeachThe Machine? The Estsablishment? The Man? Â
Yeah, "cutting all the fat" and getting rid of "corruption" has led to s a significant increase in crime in Pacific, Only a moron thinks this guy is doing the right things. Pacific has not become a model of efficiency. It has become a running joke.
@StringerJoe---well, yeah, i mean the current system is going great.(geesh, are you really that naive??????) Â "lrts just leave things as they are and follow the yellow brick road" Â la dy da......doltds like you are the reason our govt is so out of control........
@StringerJoe @SandyBeach Perhaps we can just build a wall around the dang place and let them screw themselves into oblivion
@SandyBeach My only question is can he beat them at their own game? I dunno...
A rebel nonetheless... As far as I am concerned Cy is battling friend of a friend who shouldn't have the job city council types, small town police and several milkin' the taxpayers tit's! Give it to em' Cy!!!
@Funky-Munky  I am going to write him in for Governor come next election. We need people like him at the state level so he can fire some corrupt state employees.
@scared_citizen @Funky-Munky Governor would be a good one, but I was thinking SPD monitor.
Dang Pacific, that laughing tea kettle of a Mayor is still in charge, guess everyone now knows who the real fools really are in that town....
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@Bubba Gunners as a citizen in the city of pacific who has suffered under the leadership of Calkins and Massey I say this is about time and long overdue.  I hope Cy Sun makes it stick this time and terminates both of them.  We need to outsource the Police Department to the Sheriff Department.  Pacific is way to small to have it's own Police Force.  Absolute Power is absolutely corrupt.
@OttoMobile @Bubba Gunners Pacific is way to small to be a city! Annex the whole rinky dinky place to Auburn and be done with you people and your little mayberry
@TruthinAdvertsbigger makes it better???????????????????? jc man we're going broke reight and left ande all you can do is cry to keep things the way they are...............YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@OttoMobile Right on!
To the city of Pacific, you are the laughing place of Washington State and I imagine you probably don't admit outside of your community that you live there......I guess I am moving to your community.
@Socialjusticeforall the laughing stock of wa state?????oh pleeeeaaasseeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the state is a joke all by it self........your bleeding heart is a perfect example.
@Socialjusticeforall what in the hell is social justice??????????????????
@Socialjusticeforall I think the residents of Pacific should be recognized for their courage. They are trying to correct the problems they have seen with the direction this City has been moving for several years.  Mayor Cy Sun was elected as a write in candidate, which speaks volumes for change. The city Council is a part of the problem and has four of the seven positions up for reelection at the end of this year. If the citizens will get involved and elect council members who will work with the mayor, things can turn around very quickly.
@al_wa Too many are too boneheaded to see what kicks them right in the arse.
that's a great way to get paid for not working.Â
If the residents of Pacific want to remove this man from office, they need to organize their efforts. It's not up to outsiders. They voted him in. Most people in small towns are apathetic politically, this serves as an example of how you can't simply sit back and allow the currently politically active folks in your community to make all the decisions.
@PilonidalCyst They are trying, but either the lack of money &/or Cy contesting it in court is slowing things down.
what a joke, and what a mess.....I can't believe any cops still care to work there.
remember folks, you get who you vote for.
Small town politics at its worst, really something. Thankful I do not live there.Â
Good riddance as far as Calkins go - I'd rather not pay him and see his sorry butt go somewhere else, but this alternative will have to do for now. Â Calkins is short-term. Â I always liked Massey, but he has not been impartial regarding Mayor Sun. Â It would come as no surprise to me that they were stalking and harassing Mayor Sun. Â There are a lot of supporters of Mayor Sun, too. Â
@ScaredinPacific A lesser man would have bailed some time ago. Until he gets support from the city council this will continue, but he is in it for the long haul. Second your support for Massey.
What is there to steal in Pacific?
@KOMO_Sapiens Ice cream cakes from Dairy Queen
@KOMO_Sapiens Food stamps, lotto tickets and smokes.
Its not like any local/state/federal govt officials are doing any better......don't mess with the man and his machine---even tho its broke(n).
"Protect the two police officers". From who? Or from what? I'll bet that Sun had some sort of a run-in with the officers and it's an easy way for him to control them and the police department. Â
It certainly does sound like it's time for some organization to step in and see what's going on.Â
@Veteran Maybe the officers had the run in with him????
@SandyBeach@VeteranAccording to an article in the Tacoma News Tribune, the two officers did have issues with Sun (Sun had issues with them). Here's the article:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/03/23/2526520/pacific-mayor-puts-2-police-on.html
While this incompetent jackhole needs to be removed from office IMMEDIATELY, what gets me is that not only was he a write-in choice, but the people of Pacific actually voted for him. So really, if there's anyone to blame for this, it's the people of Pacific. Betcha he doesn't get another term.
@DawgFan72  I feel bad for the people of Pacific. The local governement was so corrupt that they elected a write in candidate who promised to clean up the city. He has been trying to perform the work he promised but clumsily and without support. Hang in there Cy, maybe when the City Council Elections come up the people can vote in some help for you.
"Your city hates you? Good." - Grumpy Cat
@ur 1 pea short of a pod I was going to post that he is a ringer for Grumpy Cat. You beat me to it.Â