Off-duty Lacey police officer accused of roughing up bartender
LACEY, Wash. -- Serious allegations against a member of the Lacey Police Department are getting serious attention. Police confirm a complaint was filed yesterday against an off-duty sergeant.
On Sunday, a source says the officer was at a nearby lounge and put his hands on the bartender, hurting her.
A complaint was filed and the officer was put on paid administrative leave the same day.
"We have very clear policies and procedures for dealing with allegations that are brought forth," said Phil Comstock with the Lacey Police Department.
The bartender told KOMO 4 she is still a little shaken up to talk, but that she is happy the allegations turned into a criminal investigation.
Because this is a criminal case, it was turned over the Olympia police department today for outside investigation.
"They were requested to conduct the investigation, the criminal investigation for the Lacey Police Department," Comstock said.
The sergeant will stay on leave while Olympia police look into the complaint. Lacey will do its own internal review after that.
On Sunday, a source says the officer was at a nearby lounge and put his hands on the bartender, hurting her.
A complaint was filed and the officer was put on paid administrative leave the same day.
"We have very clear policies and procedures for dealing with allegations that are brought forth," said Phil Comstock with the Lacey Police Department.
The bartender told KOMO 4 she is still a little shaken up to talk, but that she is happy the allegations turned into a criminal investigation.
Because this is a criminal case, it was turned over the Olympia police department today for outside investigation.
"They were requested to conduct the investigation, the criminal investigation for the Lacey Police Department," Comstock said.
The sergeant will stay on leave while Olympia police look into the complaint. Lacey will do its own internal review after that.
I have no problem with LEO's bringing their service weapon into a bar while off duty. Â However, I question the wisdom of drinking while doing so.
@UtterReality  I am not an attorney but if he not only drinking but "under the infuence" which may or may not be drunk to you and I, it may be illegal.Â
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The law regarding CARRYING a weapon in a bar exempts LEO's but this is generally known by the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) and there are a couple General restictions to the Act and one of them is:
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In order to attract the protection of LEOSA, both serving and retired law enforcement officers must not be under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or substance
what's up with all these drunk cops? Every-time I pick up the newspaper or turn on the tv news, one or more of them has done something extreme that you would associate with an ugly drunk. These guys need help!
@BuddyHolly A good friend of mine was once married to an EMT. Their marriage fell apart because he had SERIOUS alcohol problem. (My friend was military and her EMT husband was civilian. Over the course of 3 years, he was arrested 5 times off base for DUI, 2 times from the base's front gate, and had numerous car accidents. They lived in base housing and he was eventually kicked off the base and never allowed back on, that's how bad it was.)
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Anyways, he once told me that he had been an EMT in Texas, Montana, and Mississippi and out of all the places he worked, most of the EMTs, firemen, police LOVED their alcohol. He said that the things they had to see on a daily basis drove them to drink.
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I'm not saying this is the cause of why these officers are getting drunk but it's a logical explanation.
I hear ya.... its life. When one is forced to deal with certain situations for any length of time... people tend to break little by little or... hold it all in & SNAP!
@Tattooed_Angel But its no excuse to assault a civilian!
 @Stryker  @Tattooed_Angel nor is such a gross generalization true
To say that this article lacks information is an understatement.Â
A police officer, because of the role they play in society as well as the added power they have, granted by the people, should be held to a higher standard than the general populace. If this has gone to the level of an official investigation, it is likely the claims are backed by evidence. If found to have committed this offense, even while off duty, it becomes clear that the officer in question is not capable of executing his duty without emotional interference, and therefore is not suited for the duty and power that comes with putting on the badge. Yes, they are human just like us, but by voluntarily joining the police force they make a commitment to be the exemplar of the law they swore to uphold. When it become clear a person on the force no longer can fill that role by their actions, on or off the clock, they lose the ability to be that exemplar to the people and should no longer serve.
@dg54321
I only disagree on one of your points â there does NOT have to be proof of a crime just because a criminal complaint was filed, thatâs what the investigation is for. Being CHARGED is usually indicative of some proof being on hand. As of this report, charges have not been filed nor has anyone said there were any charges pending against the officer.
My watering hole has cameras all over it.
I wonder if this bar does and if it really shows what happened.
There should be better psychological screening before hiring police officers. Too many people want to be cops because they have control issues. We end up with too many bullies with a badge. Unfortunately, as we turn more and more into a police state, it only gets worse.
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When I grew up, a person could criticize a cop on the street without worrying about being arrested on a half dozen BS charges. Now, lots of people hate cops, because the cops can and do arrest too many people for crimes that shouldn't even exist. They also unilaterally enforce laws that were created for special situations and segments of the population, such as drug dealers. By that, I mean they can basically steal anyones property through confiscation, without due process.Â
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These are problems our Legislature has created, and they're the only ones who can fix them, and not by enacting more stifling laws on top of the existing bad ones. Land of the free has become a joke.
The elephant in the room that no one has addressed so far and will never be known is:Â Was he armed while off duty and drinking (assumed)Â in that bar?
 @scared_citizen Probably. Police are usually required to be armed even while off duty, concealing, and the law barring carry into bars exempts LEOs even while off duty. Probably because of the false presumption that police are so much more in control of their behavior than the average citizen.
@dg54321  I know the LAW regarding carrying a weapon in a bar exempts LEO's but this is generally known by the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) and there are a couple General restictions to the Act and one of them is:
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In order to attract the protection of LEOSA, both serving and retired law enforcement officers must not be under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or substance.Â
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This goes back to my statement of, WAS HE DRINKING in that bar.Â
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I said I assumed he was drinking there and here is why:
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1) Cops have a documented higher percentage of alcohol abusers than many other jobs.
2) He was in a bar and off duty.
3) Drunks make poor choices and his "choice" to "put his hands on the bartender, hurting her" sounds like a poor choice that a drunk would do.
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Since her complaint was probably not placed or investigated at the time it happened, the officer was probably not checked to see if he was carrying so now we would have to rely on his word but his word is now suspect due to his actions.Â
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I think that pretty much sums up my position.
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@dg54321 @scared_citizen Thats a pretty big assumption there.
@Surveyor1Â
I said I assumed he was drinking there and here is why:
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1) Cops have a documented higher percentage of alcohol abusers than many other jobs.
2) He was in a bar and off duty.
3) Drunks make poor choices and his "choice" to "put his hands on the bartender, hurting her" sounds like a poor choice that a drunk would do.
It always amazes me how caustic the attitude toward LEOs are in these forums. The media will put out every story that paints a negative impression of a cop they can and we get what? 15-20 /year? I agree 1 is too many, but recall cops are humans. So the thousands of positive encounters a month are overshadowed by the few incidences that we read about?
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Growing up I rarely had a "positive" interaction with a cop, but it was typically by my own creation. As I have aged and matured I can look back and thank God that half of the times I got "busted" more than likely kept me from further issues. I am thankful for all the men and women out there that put on their uniforms and go out to serve and protect all of us...yes even those of you that bash them in every story.
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 @aintno1special Why should a cop be any different than his or her fellow citizens? There are always, not sometimes, people like you that instantly come to the defense of a cop, any cop, when someone suggests they have done something wrong. Always. Yet the general flow here by those who post comments on others who have been arrested is that they are guilty and ready for hanging without a trial. Why is that? What makes those who seek out positions of authority innocent until proven guilty, while the rest of us are scumbags the instant a cop files a report?
@uscit16791949
Actually, under our legal system, technically you ARE guilty as CHARGED â thatâs why there is that whole âdiscoveryâ stuff that DAâs and defense attorneys do pre-trial. The DA is required to present PROOF of a crime, and your involvement in it to first be able TO CHARGE youâ¦.
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After that, it is the defenseâs job to only have to provide sufficient doubt so that a jury cannot convictâ¦â¦
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(got that here on KOMO FROM a lawyer)
 @uscit16791949 Might want to re-read my post. I was not in defense of this guy, however, because he wears a badge there is always a gaggle of posters bashing and lamenting of every time they have been wronged by a LEO.
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This guy, yes is a cop, but at the time of the incident he was off duty. I do believe that cops should be held to a higher standard than the "average Joe", but that said don't feel "cops" are deserving of the bashing over one cop's actions. As I said of the thousands (perhaps tens of thousands) LEO/civilian interactions per month there is a handful of negative interactions. Not a horrific ratio if you ask me. Can it be better? Of course, but any time you are dealing with the human element it is impossible to predict of control the final outcome. All you can do is train and educate them how to maximize a favorable outcome.
 @aintno1special It takes no hard facts to trigger the the barrage of attacks.Â
".........One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact."
Mark Twain.
It will be interesting to find out who hit who first.
 @memory9 it involves getting a consensus of a cohesive version of events out of a bar
 @TruthinAdverts  @memory9 I'm curious if there is any history between the two?
 @TruthinAdverts  @memory9 Usually, when an argument breaks out between a bartender and a patron, it's the patron who's at fault. I can't think of one time I have seen a bartender get abusive towards a customer who is just minding their own business.
 @TruthinAdverts That's why I said usually....However, I have seen some truly bizarre stuff happen at bars, so it wouldn't shock me if she were the instigator. I just doubt that will end up being the case.Â
 @JK15  @memory9 and make no mistake... if an investigation indicates this officer is guilty... prosecute away.
 @JK15  @memory9 You may well be right my friend, but we weren't there... and never say never.Â
Learn the truth about cops: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-to-survivors-of-child-sexual-assault-by-law-enforcement-officers/180584842010594?sk=wall
 @Waking Up America the "truth" about a "few cops" waking... Don't try to include the rest of "sane America" in your prophecies of delusion.Â
See? You can always trust police to never do anything wrong! Why should we have any armed citizens?
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/sarcasm
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Bad Cop! No doughnuts for you!"
Put his hands on her and she was hurt? Can we be any less specific?
 @Komo Dragon I believe that act alone is enough to file simple assault. It's a form of physical intimidation. It's crossing the line.
Can someone please tell me why officers get PAID while they are put on administrative leave, especially during an incident such as this one?
@Tattooed_Angel Maybe the allegations are false. If they are found to be true I say he should be required to return his pay. Innocent until proven guilty. People need to remember that.
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 @ReallyRUSerious  So should the cops......
...one more thing....if the allegations are false then she should reimburse the city for the pay he received.
@TruthinAdverts For an off-duty incident they should not be paid while on leave.
 @HawkEye  @ReallyRUSerious so pay should cease, if any accusation is made against a police officer, or they are involved in any shooting incident. Thus, the family of a cop who courageously takes down an armed suspect in a mall is deprived of any income until a investigating is done of the shooting. Likewise, if some scumbag accuses a cop of violence, the cop's family is deprived of income for weeks or potentially months until an investigation and perhaps even a trial can take place. Huh...
@ReallyRUSerious Good luck with that. Pay should cease, if exonerated back-pay would be appropriate but I suspect when it goes the other way municipalities rarely see wages returned. And for this backwards lesson to your children in logic and fairness you can thank a bunch of unions and a diaper or two full of attorneys.