Post by WaTcHeR on Oct 16, 2006 10:58:08 GMT -5
10.16.2006 - A civil-service board has unanimously upheld the firing of former Seattle police Officer John Powers, concluding he provided cocaine to a girlfriend and engaged in a "wide-ranging pattern of misconduct."
"Officer Powers repeatedly, and in several different contexts, violated a basic trust of his duty," the three-member commission wrote in a 53-page report released Friday.
The report, rejecting Powers' appeal of his dismissal, comes in a long-standing case that revealed major lapses in department policies regarding off-duty security work by officers. The department tightened its procedures in response.
Powers "acted in his personal interests and in the interests of his friends rather than in the public interest he was sworn to uphold," the commission noted.
Powers declined comment. He can appeal to King County Superior Court.
Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske said in a written statement the commission's decision "validates the depth and comprehensiveness of our investigation, as well as my decision to terminate."
"The citizens of Seattle can rightfully remain confident in the Seattle Police Department's ability to aggressively pursue police misconduct," the chief added.
Powers, 45, was fired late last year after a lengthy internal investigation. Two sergeants who supervised Powers were disciplined.
The internal inquiry followed an FBI investigation that began in 2001 but led to no criminal charges.
Powers mainly patrolled the Belltown neighborhood during his eight years with the department. He and other officers came under investigation for alleged on- and off-duty misconduct, some of it stemming from their ties to nightclubs.
The commission concluded there was credible evidence Powers provided cocaine on one occasion to a girlfriend who worked in Belltown. But the panel rejected the department's finding that Powers had personally used illegal drugs, citing a lack of witnesses.
The commission found Powers provided a "private taxi service" by repeatedly using his patrol car to give two girlfriends rides to their homes, outside his patrol district.
It also found he provided the prescription drug Viagra to a sergeant.
The commission also determined Powers provided license-plate and criminal-history information to people outside the department, in one instance jeopardizing an undercover investigation of a Capitol Hill pawnshop owner.
The commission rejected as too murky the department's finding that Powers witnessed a residential burglary by the pawnshop's owner.
While working off duty at the now-closed Club Medusa, Powers interfered in the arrest of a man for assaulting his pregnant girlfriend, the commission found. Powers asked officers if there was an alternative to arresting the man, a friend of the club's owner.
"Officer Powers repeatedly, and in several different contexts, violated a basic trust of his duty," the three-member commission wrote in a 53-page report released Friday.
The report, rejecting Powers' appeal of his dismissal, comes in a long-standing case that revealed major lapses in department policies regarding off-duty security work by officers. The department tightened its procedures in response.
Powers "acted in his personal interests and in the interests of his friends rather than in the public interest he was sworn to uphold," the commission noted.
Powers declined comment. He can appeal to King County Superior Court.
Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske said in a written statement the commission's decision "validates the depth and comprehensiveness of our investigation, as well as my decision to terminate."
"The citizens of Seattle can rightfully remain confident in the Seattle Police Department's ability to aggressively pursue police misconduct," the chief added.
Powers, 45, was fired late last year after a lengthy internal investigation. Two sergeants who supervised Powers were disciplined.
The internal inquiry followed an FBI investigation that began in 2001 but led to no criminal charges.
Powers mainly patrolled the Belltown neighborhood during his eight years with the department. He and other officers came under investigation for alleged on- and off-duty misconduct, some of it stemming from their ties to nightclubs.
The commission concluded there was credible evidence Powers provided cocaine on one occasion to a girlfriend who worked in Belltown. But the panel rejected the department's finding that Powers had personally used illegal drugs, citing a lack of witnesses.
The commission found Powers provided a "private taxi service" by repeatedly using his patrol car to give two girlfriends rides to their homes, outside his patrol district.
It also found he provided the prescription drug Viagra to a sergeant.
The commission also determined Powers provided license-plate and criminal-history information to people outside the department, in one instance jeopardizing an undercover investigation of a Capitol Hill pawnshop owner.
The commission rejected as too murky the department's finding that Powers witnessed a residential burglary by the pawnshop's owner.
While working off duty at the now-closed Club Medusa, Powers interfered in the arrest of a man for assaulting his pregnant girlfriend, the commission found. Powers asked officers if there was an alternative to arresting the man, a friend of the club's owner.