Head of SPD's accountability office steps down amid controversy
SEATTLE -- The head of Seattle Police Department's Office of Professional Accountability has chosen to step down from her post.
Kathryn Olson announced her decision in a letter to the mayor on Tuesday.
Olson said her decision does not stem from recent allegations of retaliation by the office. Last month, KOMO News broke the story of Donald Fuller, who claims he faced criminal charges after complaining about police.
"Absolutely not," said Olson. "This is something I've been considering for a number of months."
Olson faced tough reconfirmation battle after Fuller's story surfaced and city leaders promised to investigate the allegations.
In March 2009, Fuller was walking in downtown Seattle when police called him over for allegedly jaywalking.
"(I was) getting ready to step off (the curb)," Fuller said. "That's what they call jaywalking."
That was the beginning of a nightmare for Fuller and of a series of questionable actions by the OPA.
Though OPA's own policies prohibit retaliation, documents uncovered by Seattle attorney James Egan show if Fuller never complained about police, he never would have been charged.
"The OPA are a bunch of bald-faced liars when they say they won't retaliate against complainants," Egan said.
The documents show that both King County and city prosecutors declined to charge Fuller.
But then OPA's own investigator contacted city attorneys and said she "did not agree with their decision" and urged the city attorney "to reconsider."
Two days later, OPA noted the attorney will "file assault, obstructing and resisting arrest charges" against Fuller.
"This is a pattern; this is not just some anomaly," Egan said. The attorney cited a memo in which Olson, instead of prohibiting officers from pushing for prosecution, wrote that in the future, charging "recommendations should be ... approved through the OPA chain of command" and "care must be taken to avoid even the appearance that OPA is attempting to influence a prosecution."
"People have to be able to trust OPA," said Chris Stearns of the city's Human Rights Commission. "They have to be able to believe that it is safe for them to make a complaint."
The Human Rights Commission planned to look into the incident and testify during Olson's confirmation process.
Kathryn Olson announced her decision in a letter to the mayor on Tuesday.
Olson said her decision does not stem from recent allegations of retaliation by the office. Last month, KOMO News broke the story of Donald Fuller, who claims he faced criminal charges after complaining about police.
"Absolutely not," said Olson. "This is something I've been considering for a number of months."
Olson faced tough reconfirmation battle after Fuller's story surfaced and city leaders promised to investigate the allegations.
In March 2009, Fuller was walking in downtown Seattle when police called him over for allegedly jaywalking.
"(I was) getting ready to step off (the curb)," Fuller said. "That's what they call jaywalking."
That was the beginning of a nightmare for Fuller and of a series of questionable actions by the OPA.
Though OPA's own policies prohibit retaliation, documents uncovered by Seattle attorney James Egan show if Fuller never complained about police, he never would have been charged.
"The OPA are a bunch of bald-faced liars when they say they won't retaliate against complainants," Egan said.
The documents show that both King County and city prosecutors declined to charge Fuller.
But then OPA's own investigator contacted city attorneys and said she "did not agree with their decision" and urged the city attorney "to reconsider."
Two days later, OPA noted the attorney will "file assault, obstructing and resisting arrest charges" against Fuller.
"This is a pattern; this is not just some anomaly," Egan said. The attorney cited a memo in which Olson, instead of prohibiting officers from pushing for prosecution, wrote that in the future, charging "recommendations should be ... approved through the OPA chain of command" and "care must be taken to avoid even the appearance that OPA is attempting to influence a prosecution."
"People have to be able to trust OPA," said Chris Stearns of the city's Human Rights Commission. "They have to be able to believe that it is safe for them to make a complaint."
The Human Rights Commission planned to look into the incident and testify during Olson's confirmation process.
We need to give Seattle's entire government structure an enema, and get things cleaned up. The unaccountable police who lose millions of dollars in lawsuits but never get punished, we pay for that because the city hides the payment of those things in places like the Seattle City Light Budget, but we MUST have a rate hike. It's time for some accountability all around, something that hurts like the inaction and corruption that seems to be growing within Seattle's Government and Services.
Sadly, OPA has ceased to publish, on that site, the huge lists of commendations and positive reports from the public.Â
Maybe, instead of leaping to conclusions, and resorting to conjecture, some of the people with opinions should actually take the time to go to the OPA website and read the regular monthly reports. Knowledge is better than ignorance.
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http://www.seattle.gov/police/OPA/publications.htm
@ButtercupSprinkles  Maybe instead of links to SDP propaganda (consider the source), you have statistics/reports from an unbiased source? Remember, the reason this is an issue is BECAUSE we cant trust the OPA. Why would reports from them be any more believable?
Is your comprehension level really that poor? Have you not read what I have said about OPA?  If you want other reports, from an "unbiased source", find them yourself. I agree, the citizens AND the Police can't trust OPA.
@ButtercupSprinkles  I did not bother to look at them because, as I previously stated, I wouldnt believe a word they said based on their past lies.   Calling thier lies FACTS is just part of your blind devotion to a corrupt system. Keep drinking the Kool Aid.
Have you even bothered to look at them? Probably not. Because facts would just get in the way of your argument.
@ButtercupSprinkles   You still make no sense. Again, my post was a direct rebuttal to your statement:Â
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"go to the OPA website and read the regular monthly reports. Knowledge is better than ignorance"Â
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If "the citizens AND the Police can't trust OPA", what good would come from reading "the regular monthly reports" or taking the "time to go to the OPA website"?
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I dont need or want "other reports". I just dont like the source of the reports you are pushing.
The overwhelming number of false complaints and lies filed by "citizens" to OPA is ridiculous. I agree, there needs to be accountability, on all sides. The OPA system is abused by cop haters. It is abused by criminals, such as the street dealers that are frequent flyers, and have the number on speed dial, and call as soon as a cop approaches them (yes,it has happened). Villifying the Police because you are a cop hater, or mad that you got a ticket, or you acted like a jackarse during the contact is a classic immature and criminal tactic.   How about everybody just behave like adults, take responsibility for their own actions, and quit acting like a bunch of entitled spoiled brats? Don't break the law, or behave in a manner to gain the attention of the Police, and they won't stop you. And, if you don't like the fact the the Police stop you for jaywalking, or whatever, doe something to force the City Council to take the law off the books. The Police are doing the job they were hired to do. We don't stop people for walking ont he street, drinking a cup of coffee on the way to work. Why? It's not against the law. If YOU don't break a law/rule, Cops pretty much ignore you. It's really pretty simple. Â
 @ButtercupSprinkles "We don't stop people for walking on the street"  Â
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Are you a cop? Â
@Andrew Bush  I caught that reference too and it is my opinion that not only is he/she a cop, he/she is a Seattle Cop. This is reinforced by their blind acceptance that the police can do no wrong and how "badly the OPA treats officers". Boo Hoo.
That's really none of your business. I'm just a citizen commenting on an article. Just like you.
@ButtercupSprinkles Baloney. A Seattle cop (in a new heavily marked Dodge Charger) driving in the car pool lane in Federal Way (obvicously off duty and headed home but deserving the car pool lane none the less) passed me (I was doing the speed limit so obviously he as speeding on his way home). His exit was coming up so he cut me off to get to his exit. I didnt like being cut off so I flipped him off (my constitutional right to free speech). It was obvious that he knew he cut me off and was looking in his mirror so he saw me flip him off. He didnt like that so he pulled up to the right side of my car and glared at me so I flipped him off again. He really didnt like that so he pulled behind me and hit his lights. I pulled off to the side of the road where he accused me of all sorts of wrong doing including speeding (remember I was doing the speed limit when he passed me). I goaded him into writing me a ticket and he writes it for "Following too Close" which is the one thing he did NOT accuse me of till then and only happened because he cut me off. He agreed to see me in court. I made 2 court appearances and he did not show up to either of them. One of them he was actually SUPOENAED to and he still didnt show. I would have a warrant for my arrest if I didnt show up for a supoena.  Â
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I wrote a complaint to the OPA. They apologized but I am sure nothing happened to this IDIOT with a badge.
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I broke no laws yet I was illegally detained under color of authority (Unlawful imprisonment is a Class C Felony). My civil rights were violated (he detained me for flipping him off - free speech).Â
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Without oversight, we can not simply believe that ALL cops are only interested in protecting us and upholding the law. These are people like you and I and they have their own agenda's.Â
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I know nothing of the incident of which you are sharing one side of. And I don't care.Â
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I'm not defending OPA. And, I'm not defending Cops that commit illegal acts. I AM, however, saying that a large number of people that complain flat out lie, and an Officer that was only doing his or her duty is dragged through the very stressful and accusatory OPA process deserves some protection. Do I think OPA is flawed? Yes, in many ways, to include the falure to protect the employees of SPD from various abuses, and protecting the public from the actual, few and rare, bad cops (who usually get hammered by the system, such as the former Officer Slaughter). No system is perfect, but, OPA is, and has been, seriously flawed.
@ButtercupSprinkles  You are so full of crap. My post was a direct rebuttable to your statement:
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"We don't stop people for walking ont he street, drinking a cup of coffee on the way to work. Why? It's not against the law. If YOU don't break a law/rule, Cops pretty much ignore you"
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As I said, I didnt break any laws. He stopped me for flipping him off and LIED on the ticket. It was thrown out of court. The reason I made him write me a ticket (he offered not to) is so that there would be DOCUMENTATION of what transpired.   His own cruisers dash cam recorded the event.
 @ButtercupSprinklesÂ
http://www.killology.com/sheep_dog.htm
Sounds like you are a wolf, giving no mercy to the law, hiding behind I am just doing my job and enforcing the law.
Sounds like you don't know what you are talking about.
@Silent Professional  If, by "hiding behind the law", you mean having a work ethic, and continuing to perform my duties, as detailed in my job description, I will.    As far as your article, that occurred in D.C., not Seattle. It is actually quite irrelevant.  Distracted Driving, I'm going to assume, is similar to our Inattention to Driving. Not to mention, it only shares one side of the story.   Maybe you could keep the topic comments relevant?  Bless your heart.
 @ButtercupSprinklesÂ
Wolves to stop people drinking coffee.Â
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1861.asp
Keep hiding behind the law, what goes around comes around.
And, in more recent news, the City Councila and Mayor have announced that a certain Mr. T. Torquemada will be appointed to the position of OPA Director. This move is meant to increase public  controversial and unfair tratment of SPD members by OPA in order to divert public attention away from the ineptitude and arrogance shown by the Council members and Mayor....
Bout time this POS vacated that office. "Olson said her decision does not stem from recent allegations of retaliation by the office." I call BS! I wonder if OPA pressed her to step down instead of having to fire her. She royally effed up especially during a time when SPD is under scrutiny by the DOJ. Things were just starting to simmer down a little then this story hit. I hope she realizes what a POS she is... although it wouldn't surprise me if she didn't think she did something wrong.
Oddly, we agree, but for different reasons...
@ButtercupSprinkles  I assume your opinion was given to you by Rich O'Neil.
@Andrew Bush  That thought had occured to me too but based on the ID (Buttercup Sprinkles), I think this person is female (or maybe Rich has some secrets).
I never claimed to be associated with SPD. Besides, I'm much better looking than Rich O'Neil.
 @scared_citizen I think he is Rich O'Neil. Â
I am not an SPD hater like some, but as an oversight organization the OPA can not have its loyalties with SPD - out of principle.
The problem is, that oversight organization, when it doesn't confirm all of the claims of corruption, will be itself attacked by the tinfoil hat brigade, and then they will demand an oversight to the oversight committee of the Police oversight organization. The nuts will continue to complain.
@ButtercupSprinkles  I guess since we cant pin down all the corruption, we should just throw our hands in the air and give up. Let the SPD thugs run rampant and do as they please with NO oversight.Â
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Wow. You live in quite a fairy land.
@ButtercupSprinkles  No, what you said was (this time I am paraphrasing) that since no oversight solution will stop ALL complaints, it is not worth doing. My reply was a direct rebuttal to your statement.Â
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Obviously Rich O'Neil has you firmly brainwashed into believing that SPD has no problems that they can not deal with internally and all citizen complaints are bogus (we didnt like the ticket we got). I can tell you that that is simply not the case. The DOJ sides with me.
I didn't say that. You did. I simply said that there will always be those loud, vocal conspiracy theorists that will always complain, not matter what steps are taken. Not to mention, the commentors on here that continuously say the whole department is corrupt, and demand they be fired, if that were to ever happen (it won't), would just make the same demands as soon as the new replacement Cops did something like write you a parking ticket.  Ridiculous. It cracks me up that so many people will scream about racism, bias, typecasting, bigotry, you know, judging a group of people as a whole, regardless, and then turn around and do the same to a Police organization. Hypocritical.
Why should someone who allegedly committed a crime get a pass on prosecution simply for complaining about the police, Mr. Egan? I recognize you are attempting to defend your client, but the idea that the OPA investigators (who are police sergeants) should ignore it when they find real evidence of a crime is ridiculous.Indeed, why should those who file false allegations of police misconduct not be charged for filing a false police report?Double standard, indeed.
@JB  Oviously you have poor reading comprehension. The police arrest people, the DA charges them. Both the KC and Seattle City DA's declined to prosecute (they had all the same documentation). The OPA who is NOT supposed to be involved other than to investigate police misconduct, pushed for charges. Not ethical.
The OPA is staffed with police sergeants s_c - and my comprehension of the fact that we arrest people and the prosecutor charges them is just fine.Misdemeanor charges in Washington State may be "direct filed" by police officers. If you look on a criminal citation, it says "charging document" right on it. The prosecutor can then dismiss accordingly, which happens frequently. Officers then supplement their investigation, causing prosecutors to re-evaluate and charge appropriately.This is standard practice, and not an ethical issue at all.
Yea Right, she's been contemplating this move !!!!! The OPA is as corrupt as the police department and the mayor's office. It's time for a complete housecleaning.
foolish ninny. Â get her out of there and get someone respectable who will serve the public's interest.
 @Faux_Shaux you mean another liberal progressive Democrat...?
Yeah, she didn't step down because she's a deceitful little witch, it's because she WANTED to be unemployed in a horrible economy, right?
Why would the Mayor and his administration allow this lady to simply step down rather than fire her? Now taxpayers will be saddled with paying her pension and health benefits when this rocket scientist should have been kicked to the curb.
 @Harrison Because it saves them the embarrassment of admitting they hired an incompetent moron that they had to fire.
How long has Andy Dick been working for the SPD?
It may be time to fire the entire SPD and start over. And as long as we're at it, the mayor too.
Is that a chick or a dude? I am thinking dude!
Who is this dude?
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 @Headwrench Fugly!
Is that a chick or dude, I am thinking dude!
Is there any department or office thats nots dirty and corrupt within the SPD....
"This is something I've been considering for a number of months."
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Uh-huh... riiiiight...
 @JLS1950 the number is 0.5
Suuure she's been considering stepping down for months. Â We all didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday, honey.