Bellevue WA Police in the News

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::::: BELLEVUE WA POLICE NEWS ARCHIVE:::::


-2024-

MAY 17 2024

Yesterday, the Bellevue PD officially promoted two of its Officers to the role of Sergeant. 

Sergeants Watanabe and Wyche will now lead Officers in helping maintain Bellevue as the City to work, play, and live. 
Christopher Wyche on RIGHT.. note bodycam on him now!
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-2023-
SEPT
Akron Police Chief Steve Mylett (former Chief of Bellevue, WA and Southlake, TX) will step down from the position at the end of the year, Mylett and Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan announced Tuesday. 


-2022-

A man was arrested Friday in Bellevue after allegedly shoplifting from a store and assaulting a FedEx driver, the Bellevue Police Department announced Saturday. The loss prevention agents watched the man and his family as they left the store, and then witnessed the man climb onto a FedEx truck and punch the driver in the face.
"... It appeared one cop wanted to search the baby stroller and the father wouldn’t let them. 5 officers tackled and pinned him and nearly tased him as his three young kids and partner looked on horrified."



Anshu Maheshwari, 29, murdered Feb 9th '22
"The Bellevue Fire Department responded to the fire on the 100 block of 152 Pl SE around 2 a.m. Officials on the scene said the fire started in the basement of the home. The woman’s husband called 911 to report the fire and said his wife, 28, was trapped in the basement. Police arrived at the scene shortly after the 911 call went out and attempted to rescue the woman, but the door handle to the room she was in was too hot.

The BPD said Wednesday morning that there was “nothing to indicate” the fire was a crime." (???)


Maheshwari, 29, a software engineer originally from , who was working with Facebook in Seattle, USA, died under "mysterious circumstances" after getting caught in a fire in the basement of her house in Bellevue on February 9. 

She had been living in the USA since 2016 and had got married over a year ago.

Her distraught parents have alleged foul play in her death and are trying hard to get an FIR registered in Meerut. 

Her mother, , told TOI, “We believe that it wasn’t an accident. She was burnt to death. Her husband’s role is suspect. Once an FIR is filed in India, we can pursue her case from here.”


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**WSCJTC decertification complaint filed over Nico Roche (no longer on dept. roster)**
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-2021-
Chief Mylett fled @bvuepd in 2021 to Akron, Ohio
A man is already dead and the protestors are furious

I should never have let him leave...

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/akron-canton-news/jayland-walker/news-5-exclusive-akron-police-chief-sits-down-for-an-interview-about-jayland-walker-shooting



-2020-

NOVEMBER

Shortly after complaints of an officer’s social media activity on June 2, 2020, the Bellevue Police Department hired an independent fact-finding investigator to examine the officer’s posts.  Officer Nick Roche was immediately placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.



Following an exhaustive review, the investigator found that while the officer’s social media posts were “Ill-advised and imprudent,” she concluded, “There is an absence of evidence suggesting that Ofc. Roche ascribes to or harbors alt-right or extremist beliefs, or any other improper ideologies or biases that call into question his fitness to serve as a law enforcement officer.”

Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett did find the officer violated the Bellevue Police Department’s Standards of Conduct Policy 11.00.240. “The Bellevue Police Department takes complaints of an officer’s integrity and judgement very seriously,” stated Chief Mylett. “In this case, the investigator determined no impartiality, but the officer’s social media activity was in poor judgement and in violation of BPD policy.” Officer Roche received a letter of reprimand in his file.

The officer has returned to full duty.

JULY / AUGUST

David Wright, 48, was arrested while off-duty, following a "domestic disturbance" involving a family member on July 9.



Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett announced Wright handed in his resignation following an internal investigation. The officer was employed with the Bellevue Police Department since May 2017.

https://patch.com/washington/bellevue/amp/28917833/bellevue-police-officer-resigns-following-redmond-arrest

JUNE

Video of Bellevue officer William Dowsing's 2018 forceful restraint of unarmed woman goes viral

Update: After the video spread, Bellevue police announced it was prohibiting neck restraints. 

The police chief has called the video of the officer’s actions “disturbing” but “reasonable for the resistance he was faced with.”

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*Editor's Note: Sign the petition to FIRE this guy!! https://www.change.org/p/bellevue-police-fire-william-dowsing
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Bellevue officer Nico Roche placed on administrative leave; being investigated for violating social media policy

Bellevue police confirm Officer Nicolas Roche was placed on leave after the department was notified about social media posts linked to the officer.

Twitter accounts called out a Bellevue police officer’s social media feeds on Tuesday, June 2, which appear to promote conspiracy theories including retweeting a post that falsely claimed the cops responsible in George Floyd’s death were not the ones that have since been identified and arrested, and a selfie in police gear with a caption connected to “QAnon,” a conspiracy theory alleging a secret plot against President Donald Trump.
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*Editor's Note: It's not just the POLICY he violated, look at what this guy posted!
LINKS to download his deleted posts:

MORE INFO:
Officer Nicholas Roche transferred to Bellevue Police last year from the Honolulu Police Department.  His path into law enforcement was unusual.  "Before I was a police officer, I was an acrobat with Cirque Du Soleil," he said.  

Video shows him performing the Cube Alegria in Japan in 2005 as Nico Roche.   He met his wife during the show . The two moved to Hawaii where she was from to start a family.  After having two kids, he says they wanted to find a more affordable place to settle down.   “We checked the Pacific NW area and found Bellevue Police Department in an area where we can buy a house and they have really good schools," he said. 
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Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett attended a Black Lives Matter demonstration Sunday after he was invited by local organizers.

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/watch-bellevue-police-chief-steve-mylett-joins-black-lives-matter-demonstration/N7EYC5H7XFC7NNKLQ5BI4Q76VM/

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-2019-

FEBRUARY

Detective Jim Lindquist - Listed as Retired. 
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*Editors Note: No follow up from internal complaint investigation re: April 2018 incident. Was also sued in 2016 for false arrest and imprisonment. No news about this guy.
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-2018-

OCTOBER
Appeal denied for dismissal of Officer Williams 2016 case filing

"Williams appeals from the district court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of the City. We review de novo and may affirm on any basis in the record. The district court did not err in granting summary judgment."
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False Charges dismissed against Bellevue police officer and Chief
The woman who made accusations against two Bellevue officers is also responsible for the police chief being put on administrative leave. She has made false reports of rape in the past, investigators say. 
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 AUGUST

BELLEVUE, Wash. (AP) — The police chief of Bellevue has been placed on paid administrative leave as another police department investigates allegations reported against him. It said the allegations were reported to the Bothell Police Department and stems from an alleged incident in that city more than a year ago.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2018-08-03/bellevue-police-chief-on-paid-leave-due-to-allegations
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 JULY

Prosecutors charged  Bellevue Officer John Kivlin with tampering with a witness, fourth-degree assault and two counts of violation of a court order, all with domestic violence qualifiers. Police arrested him July 9 and he remains held on $250,000 bail.
https://www.seattlepi.com/local/crime/article/Charges-Bellevue-cop-assaulted-girlfriend-13079532.php
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 APRIL

A Bellevue police officer is currently under investigation for failing to intervene at the scene of a hate crime. Documents charging the suspect Robert Panera with malicious harassment also detail the officer’s inaction on January 23. 

Bellevue PD spokesperson Officer Seth Tyler told KING 5 that a complaint was filed against Detective Jim Lindquist and an ongoing internal investigation is in its final stages.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Jim Lindquist is a 31-year department veteran -- part of the old guard that welcomes Chief Mylett's racism and corruption. He gets a pass and retires in 2019, see above. See lawsuit from 2016 story below.
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 MARCH

3 Men Accused Of Buying Sex Suing Police For Defamation

"In January 2016, Bellevue police and the King County County Sheriff's office arrested 14 men, accusing them of frequenting brothels in Bellevue. The men were also accused of running a website to rate and review their experiences with women at Eastside brothels. They referred to themselves as "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and held regular meetups at local restaurants, according to police. 

The plaintiffs, Keith Emmanuel, Richard Homchick, and Charles Peters, claim they were only charged with second-degree promoting prostitution during the sweep, called "Operation No Impunity." 

However, during press conferences and other public appearances, Bellevue Chief Steve Mylett, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, and former sheriff John Urquhart made statements that made it seem like the three men had engaged in crimes like rape and human trafficking, according to the suit. 

Those statements were made, the suit alleges, to satisfy Demand Abolition, a Cambridge, Mass., foundation that had given the county a grant to investigate prostitution and arrest johns. Demand Abolition gave the prosecutor's office a $50,000 grant in 2014, according to the suit, and has continued to give grants each year since. 

"Defendants have deliberately conflated that prostitution charge with human trafficking and sex slavery as part of a concerted plan to secure private funding by generating publicity and manipulating media coverage of the arrests," the suit claims." 

READ FULL LAWSUIT: https://www.scribd.com/document/373972351/League-of-Extrordinary-Gentlemen-Lawsuit
Article https://patch.com/washington/bellevue/3-league-extraordinary-gentlemen-johns-suing-king-county
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-2017-

DECEMBER

Bellevue prostitution cases dropped after police error

BELLEVUE, Wash. - "Misdemeanor charges filed against more than half of the 110 men arrested during a prostitution sting operation in Bellevue last summer were recently tossed out after it was discovered that police had unintentionally recorded audio between the would-be sex buyers and undercover female officers.

According to the city of Bellevue, detectives used hidden cameras to document elements of the crime of patronizing a prostitute. “Unfortunately, audio conversations were unintentionally captured between the suspect and the undercover officers in 61 of the 110 cases,” the city wrote in a news release."

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MAY

Bellevue officers use taser during arrest of teen

              BELLEVUE, Wash. - "The Bellevue Police Department launched an internal investigation into an incident Saturday, May 13 in which officers used a Taser on a teenager. On Monday the teen's parents filed a complaint against the officers involved; the police department is conducting a "use of force" investigation, which is standard procedure. 



'When I viewed the video certainly you see what you see,' Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett said. 'Then I watched it like 15 different times and I slow-motioned it numerous times. Each time I watch it, I pick up something new and I hear something different. So I would ask people to use a little bit of caution to rush to judgment based on one minute and 47 seconds of lengthier police contact,' [Mylett] said"

http://www.kiro7.com/news/eastside-news/bellevue-officers-use-taser-during-arrest-of-teen/523338227
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4519292/Four-cops-videotaped-tasing-slam-teenage-boy-ground.html
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MARCH 
     Bellevue police chief says department needs diversity

           Bellevue Police Chief Stephen Mylett says his department needs more diversity. 

He said the police force does not reflect who lives in the community.

For the first time, the majority of the population in the City of Bellevue is non-white, a result of the boom in high tech. 

"Currently our police department does not reflect the community we're serving and it is our mission to get as close as possible for the department to represent the citizens we serve," said Mylett





- 2016 -


NOVEMBER

Former deputy chief of Bellevue Police reinstated, awarded $50K in settlement with city

Former Deputy Chief Jim Jolliffe was placed on paid administrative leave in November 2015 while an investigation was conducted into his performance. An outside law firm was hired to conduct the investigation, which ultimately led to Jolliffe being demoted to the rank of captain and being moved to the patrol division.


SEPTEMBER

Former Bellevue police officer sues department, alleging discrimination

"A former Bellevue police officer is suing the city and police chief, alleging he was discriminated against and wrongly fired after raising concerns when his supervisor called him 'chocolate face.' 

Edward Williams was fired by the Bellevue Police Department in September 2015, less than one month after he discovered that his then-supervisor Kevin Quayle — who was fired earlier this year — had referred to him using the derogatory term. 

Williams also states in his lawsuit that Police Chief Steven Mylett told Williams he did not fit in 'culturally' with the department. 

 'We believe the complaints about Officer Williams' performance were orchestrated in order to get rid of an officer who brought forward pretty significant concerns of racism,' Williams' lawyer Jason Rittereiser told the Reporter."

AUGUST

Owusu v. Bank of Am., N.A.

Derick Owusu, a state prisoner who is proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis, brings this 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights action, alleging § 1983 false arrest and imprisonment claims against Bellevue Police Detectives Jim Lindquist, Richard Newell, and James Brack; a municipal liability claim against the City of Bellevue ("City"); and a state-law racial discrimination claim against Bellevue Police Officer Ben Richey.

The § 1983 false arrest and imprisonment claim against Detective Lindquist should be allowed to go forward; the § 1983 false arrest and imprisonment claims against Detectives Newell and Brack should be dismissed with leave to amend; the municipal liability claim against the City should be dismissed with prejudice and without leave to amend; and the racial discrimination claim against Officer Richey should be voluntarily dismissed without prejudice.
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APRIL

Deputy Chief Jim Jolliffe demoted to Captain over 2015 incidents

                      “Your behavior is incompatible with you remaining in a Deputy Chief position. It should be readily apparent that a Deputy Chief in any police department cannot exhibit a pattern of disrespectful and insolent behavior and disengagement from the position. 

These most recent incidents are the culmination of unacceptable performance and conduct which I have brought to your attention and can no longer condone,” Mylett wrote. 

Mylett said he told Jolliffe he was aware that Jolliffe had been a finalist for a chief’s job in California and asked about his short-term plans. 

Jolliffe responded, ‘I’ll put it this way, if you’re an asshole after a year I’ll leave. If not, I’ll stay.”
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Longtime Bellevue police deputy chief violated policies, inflamed tensions, report finds

              "As has been previously reported, Jolliffe — who has been with the Bellevue Police Department for 25 years — was an early finalist for the chief position, but ultimately did not get the job. 

Mylett recounted how, shortly after joining the department, he sat down with Jolliffe on two occasions to discuss the latter's short- and long-term career goals. 

During these meetings, Jolliffe was reportedly unprofessional and told the chief that he knew, but did not care that his subordinates viewed him as being disconnected, hurt by his failed path to the chief position, has issues with credibility and that he "takes care of his buddies."

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Bellevue deputy chief demoted to captain over performance issues

              "Bellevue’s deputy police chief will be demoted to captain for performance issues, under discipline announced Thursday by Chief Steve Mylett. 

Deputy Chief Jim Jolliffe, who has been with the department for 25 years and deputy chief since 2010, was placed on paid administrative leave in late November. 

No details were given, but the department said when Jolliffe went on leave that there were no allegations of a violation of the public’s trust."

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JANUARY

Bellevue chief defends department’s handling of case involving Derrick Coleman

        "A news conference conducted by Bellevue Police Chief Stephen Mylett on Tuesday to discuss the Derrick Coleman investigation turned into a defense of the department’s handling of the case and how long it took to recommend charges.

 “This is not unusual, the length of time that it took to complete this investigation,’’ Mylett said. He called the possibility of favoritism toward the Seahawks “absurd,” adding,  “We have no motivation to manipulate any investigation for any group, any individual, period. We wouldn’t do that.’’ 

“He has questioned our integrity, our ethical behavior and our professionalism,’’ Mylett said. “His assertions are baseless and offensive.” 

He added that Hayne’s comments were made to “salvage’’ Coleman’s reputation."

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/bellevue-police-chief-defends-departments-handling-of-case-involving-seahawk-derrick-coleman/
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- 2015 -

NOVEMBER 

Deputy Chief Jolliffe on paid leave pending investigation

                 BELLEVUE, Wash. - By phone Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett, who is on vacation in Texas, explained what's happening back home in Bellevue.
"I cannot go into the specifics of how I received the information," said Chief Mylett. "There is sufficient information for me to place him on administrative leave." 

Chief Mylett says concerns about the work performance of the department's second-in-command, Deputy Chief Jim Jolliffe, were brought to his attention.

"The only thing I can say is the issues that led to my decision were related to performance issues only," said Chief Mylett. 

Deputy Chief Jolliffe's paid administrative leave is happening on the heels of the retirement of Deputy Chief Michael Johnson.



In an email sent out department wide, the chief acknowledged the bad timing and that people will be left with questions he will not be able to immediately answer. 

Wednesday night he called it a difficult decision and the reason why he is ending his vacation early.  

"I just feel the need to come back to demonstrate that we still have leadership in the organization, that there is somebody at the helm," said Chief Mylett. 

Chief Mylett will be back on Monday and plans to ask an outside agency to conduct an investigation.

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Deputy Chief Johnson abruptly retires over misuse of vehicle

A top Bellevue police official abruptly retired Friday after he admitted he used emergency lights to quickly maneuver through traffic while taking his son and friends to a school event in Sammamish last month. 

Deputy Chief Michael D. Johnson, who had been with the department for more than two decades, left after the announcement of an investigation into the incident. “Deputy Chief Johnson was very embarrassed, humble, and remorseful,” 

Police Chief Steve Mylett said in a statement. “He had one moment where he had a lapse in judgment, and that lapse resulted in his separation from the police department — that is truly unfortunate.”

It’s not the first time Bellevue police have been found acting inappropriately. A sex scandal in the top ranks of the department that resulted in demotions and a shake-up of its command staff surfaced in 2013. And a year prior, one officer was demoted and another was temporarily suspended for misconduct at a Seahawks game. 

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/eastside/bellevue-police-official-abruptly-resigns-over-misuse-of-vehicle-sirens/

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APRIL

New Bellevue police chief vows to 'walk the walk'

Following a year-long search, 49-year-old Steve Mylett was sworn in Monday as Bellevue's new police chief. Mylett comes from Southlake Texas - a city less than a third the size of Bellevue, but not without similarities - Southlake is an affluent, growing suburb with relatively low crime. One of Mylett's first challenges in Bellevue will be restoring public trust in a department that's had some embarrassing high profile incidents involving officers and commanders over the past few years. Mylett said he plans to lead by example and expects his commanders to do the same."We will walk the walk and talk the talk, we will epitomize integrity, honesty and morality, leading the Bellevue Police Department." http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/bellevue/2015/04/06/new-bellevue-police-chief-vows-to-walk-the-walk/25392339/
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- 2014 -
NOVEMBER

Bellevue turns down all 5 police chief candidates

     "None of the five police chief candidates the City of Bellevue interviewed last month will be offered the job, according to City Manager Brad Miyake. 

Miyake said in an e-mail to city staff Monday that he would not select any of the candidates “after reviewing all the feedback, as well as my own analysis of how these candidates would fit with the community.”

The city has not given a specific reason it will not hire any of the candidates, a group rounded up by a search firm this year after the city’s last police chief, Linda Pillo, retired in April."

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APRIL
Lying Ultimately Led to Firing of Bellevue Officer Brennan 

Brennan allegedly covered for coworker he'd pulled over for suspicion of DUI
"Instead of arresting Andrew A. Hanke on the spot, Officer Doug Brennan called Hanke’s wife to take him home. Brennan eventually told his superiors what happened and Hanke is being prosecuted for his crime"

Bellevue Police Deputy Chief Jim Jolliffe said today the decision to fire a 15-year veteran of the force this week was not as much based on the fact he let a fellow officer he believed to be driving drunk off the hook during a November traffic stop but that he lied to protect that officer from being investigated by other law enforcement officials.
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  • JANUARY

Bellevue Officer Andrew Hanke Resigns

The department also continues to investigate the actions of Ofc. Doug Brennan during his traffic stop of Hanke. Hanke, an 8-year veteran of the Bellevue Police Department, was pulled over while driving eastbound on I-90 near Issaquah the night of Nov. 20th. 
Hanke is the same Bellevue police officer suspended by his department last year for drunk and disorderly conduct at a Seattle Seahawks game in September of 2012.
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- 2013  -

OCTOBER

$3 million claim by Redmond officer investigated by BPD

http://www.king5.com/story/local/2015/10/19/13253412/
                 " KING 5 news reported that since Fogg completed the assignment — as a rookie — she received a chilly reception from fellow officers. Court documents state that she couldn’t always count on them to back her up when she needed. This included an incident in June 2011 in which Fogg responded to a domestic violence call while her partner returned to the squad car rather than stay outside in case she needed backup.

Fogg was also investigated for a hit-and-run accident by the Washington State Patrol after she brushed her side mirror against another car on Dec. 1, 2011 while she was pursuing a bank robbery suspect in Overlake, according to court documents.

RPD also hired the Bellevue Police Department (BPD) in August 2012 to investigate Fogg after she began mentoring a troubled 16-year-old RHS student. Court documents state that the teen’s parents sent the RPD a letter praising Fogg and expressing their gratitude for counseling their son. This prompted speculation on Fogg’s relationship with the teen — including rumors that he was the father of her child, not Fogg’s husband — and RPD’s hiring Bellevue police to investigate. “It’s just horrendous,” said Fogg’s attorney Bob Kim about the accusations. One month later, BPD closed the investigation, stating the rumors were “unfounded” and that, “there was absolutely no evidence or even an original complaint that indicated the allegation was legitimate.”
sources:

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JANUARY

Two commanders with the Bellevue Police Department demoted following affair investigation

               BELLEVUE, Wash. --Maj. John Manning and his subordinate, former Capt. Autumn Fowler told investigators they had tried to call off the affair several times but had sex that night while meeting to discuss possible discipline for another Bellevue police employee.What ensued was a flurry of midnight phone calls and tearful mea culpas to other commanders in the department. One friend interviewed by State Patrol investigators compared the drama to “middle-school antics.” 
sources:http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/2-bellevue-police-commanders-demoted-for-extramarital-affair/
http://mynorthwest.com/11/2169820/My-life-is-ruined-Affair-rocks-Bellevue-PD-command-staff
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Bellevue-police-demotes-2-commanders-for-extra-marital-affair-186075342.html
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- 2012 -

DECEMBER

State patrol called in to investigate 6 Bellevue PD commanders

                 KING 5 News has learned of more turmoil in the Bellevue Police Department involving allegations of misconduct unrelated to the discipline of two officers for their unruly and obnoxious behavior at a Seahawks game in September. 

At the request of the Bellevue Police Chief, the Washington State Patrol recently investigated allegations of misconduct involving six commanders ranging from lieutenant to deputy chief. 

Sources inside the department told KING 5 the investigation involved relationships between two male commanders and a female captain that resulted in threats and a physical altercation. 



A Bellevue police officer is in hot water once again for an alcohol-related incident.

              Bellevue Police Department officials announced Thursday that officer Dion Robertson was disciplined for driving a city vehicle during off-duty hours after drinking three beers. Police say Robertson, who is a 22-year veteran of the department, drove the vehicle to a pair of functions last November 10. 

After an internal investigation, Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo found that Robertson used "poor judgement" and removed him from the city's bomb squad, which means a 4 percent pay cut. 

"Holding officers accountable to a high standard is not only the right thing to do but it is necessary to ensure we maintain the department's integrity and the public's trust," Pillo said ---- http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Bellevue-police-chief-appalled-by-officers-behavior-182489251.html---

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