Published December 5 2013
Earlier this week, the Bellevue Police Department submitted a criminal case to the Issaquah prosecutor's office for review. The incident involved an off-duty Bellevue police officer who was stopped for investigation of driving under the influence.
The incident in question occurred on November 20, when an on-duty Bellevue police officer stopped a vehicle on Interstate 90 near Issaquah to investigate the driver for DUI. The driver of the vehicle was an off-duty Bellevue police officer. No arrest was made, and the driver of the vehicle was transported home by a family member.
Following the traffic stop, the investigating officer notified a supervisor of the incident. The following morning, when Chief Linda Pillo was notified of the incident, the officer who was stopped was immediately placed on administrative leave, while concurrent internal and criminal investigations were ordered. The criminal investigation was filed this week with the Issaquah prosecutor's office, and the internal investigation is ongoing.
The 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 investigation will determine whether the on-duty officer used poor judgment and/or failed to perform their duties.
Chief of Police Linda Pillo stated: "I expect our officers to abide by our guiding principles of respect, accountability, integrity and service, and to abide by the laws of the state of Washington both on and off duty. If these allegations are sustained, the involved officers will be held accountable for their actions."
In order to preserve the due process rights of both officers, details of the internal investigations will not be released until they are completed. Details of the criminal allegations are included in the criminal case and may be obtained through a public records request to the Issaquah prosecutor's office.