There are certainly many ways to lose a job, and being an officer can probably have its challenging moments. However, there is little doubt that when you kick a man in the genitals, you should probably not be blessed with a badge and gun, right? Well, a Spokane Police officer found that out the hard way when he chose to kick a handcuffed man in the genitals in 2019 - he was decertified as an officer this past Summer by the state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission. Decertification means that he is no longer hirable as a trained officer in Washington.
Five years ago the offending officer was dispatched as backup to an officer pursuit. The man being pursued abandoned his car in the middle of the road and barricaded himself inside his home in north-central Spokane. The man was apprehended, handcuffed and raised to his feet. When he twisted his body away and shuffled his legs, the officer kicked him in the groin, while stating, “There you go,” cussing at him.
Why did the officer kick the man in the groin? Well according to documents, the officer reasoned that, “the suspect was particularly large, upset, and intoxicated, he was still fairly physically capable; further, they needed to thwart attacks, and the officers were struggling to control him, even with handcuffs.” To make matters worse, the officer is said to have filed a false report regarding the incident by mischaracterizing the kick as something other than punitive retribution for behaving poorly. As citizens, we must hold all officers to a high standard of conduct. There is little doubt that no amount of behavior warrants a kick to the privates, no matter how mad an officer may get.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So, it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer. SQ Attorneys can be reached at (425) 359-3791 and/or (206) 441-0900.