![]() ![]() The pursuit and tailgating had the effect of alarming the Nissan Rogue’s driver, the unnamed Black female Seattle Police detective, who was also undercover. That tactic is not used or sanctioned by the King County Sheriff’s Office, as noted in the investigation’s findings. “Just get right on their bumper like, ‘hey I am here, leave!’ And if they leave and look like they’re going to keep going – let’em go,” Bowthorpe said. Bowthorpe later told investigators that he and McCurdy decided to engage in what he called “an obvious, overt follow” to force the Nissan Rogue out of the area entirely. “The truck was called out as possible counter protesters, and potentially occupied by members of the Proud Boys,” according to King County’s internal investigation. He directed Bowthorpe to follow the vehicle, on the suspicion that it was supplying aid or something more dangerous to the protesters, like Molotov cocktails.Īt the same time, protesters and Seattle Police officers were noticing the white pickup. They noticed a dark-colored Nissan Rogue SUV also circling the crowd, which McCurdy said he recognized from previous protests. They had removed the license plates from the car, a violation of department policy, investigators said later. McCurdy sat in the passenger seat as Bowthorpe drove a leased, unmarked white Dodge pickup truck. But the internal investigation found that the two officers’ actions went far beyond this scope. ![]() McCurdy and Bowthorpe were assigned to perform covert surveillance to protect Sound Transit light rail stations. Documents and bodycam footage detail missteps by King County Sheriff’s officersĪ number of undercover police vehicles were monitoring the protest from a distance that night, without one another’s knowledge, according to records obtained by KUOW. The county’s civilian oversight agency, however, said the investigation should have found more violations by the officers, telling KUOW that someone without a badge would likely have faced a criminal charge.īoth Bowthorpe and McCurdy have since left the sheriff’s office. The sheriff agreed that the mens’ actions created substantial risk of harm, according to findings obtained by KUOW.īoth Bowthorpe and McCurdy were disciplined for the incident, but the investigation exonerated them of racially biased policing and found no criminal conduct occurred. Seattle Police said the incident was an unprecedented lapse in communication that endangered everyone involved. “This unfortunate incident is isolated and one that should not be considered indicative of the everyday actions associated and done by the officers that serve this community.A subsequent investigation by King County determined that the sheriff’s officers violated numerous policies when they pursued the Seattle detective’s vehicle (see findings below). “As a police department, public trust is extremely important,” Jenkins said. He added the department made the conscious decision to act “swiftly.” Thursday, announcing the detective’s suspension and releasing the body camera footage roughly 30 hours later. Jenkins said he was made aware of the incident about 9 a.m. The detective and the victim are Black, Jenkins confirmed. ![]() The detective is suspended without pay pending the results of an internal investigation. The Virginian-Pilot was not immediately able to determine his name from court records. “Unfortunately, there are use of force incidents that are concerning at times and this is one of those incidents,” Jenkins said at the Portsmouth Police Administrative office.Īlthough criminal charges in the court system are public, Jenkins said the detective was not being identified by the department. Jenkins said he was unable to answer why the detective felt the use of force was necessary, but said “at no point should anyone have struck him while he was being taken into custody.” Police did not identify that man or say whether he was arrested or charged with any crime. The man, who was located by police walking down the street, had sat on the ground to be detained and was not resisting. ![]()
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