Published January 9 2014
Today, Officer Andrew Hanke resigned from the Bellevue Police Department, effective
immediately.
Chief Linda Pillo stated, "As we move forward, my hope is that we rebuild the public’s trust and
continue our focus on the great work that the men and women of this department do every
day."
In November, Hanke was stopped on Interstate 90 near Issaquah for the investigation of DUI.
The traffic stop was conducted by a Bellevue Police Department traffic officer, who allowed Hanke’s
wife to come and pick him up.
Following the traffic stop, the investigating officer notified a supervisor of the incident. The
following morning, when Chief Pillo was notified of the incident, Hanke was immediately
placed on administrative leave while concurrent internal and criminal investigations were
ordered. The criminal investigation was filed with the Issaquah Prosecutor's Office, and the
internal investigation is ongoing.
The police department is also investigating the actions of the officer who made the stop. While officers
are allowed some discretion during a traffic stop, the officer's decision in this case not to make
an arrest is undergoing a thorough and objective internal investigation. That internal investigation, which is ongoing, will
determine whether the officer used poor judgment and/or failed to perform his duties. No further details
on the internal investigation will be available until it is completed.
Hanke was hired in 2001 as a police support officer and in 2005 became a commissioned
police officer.