Officer Involved Shooting December 2011

download Officer Involved Shooting December 2011

of 3

Transcript of Officer Involved Shooting December 2011

  • 8/3/2019 Officer Involved Shooting December 2011

    1/3

    SERVICE, DEDICATION, INTEGRITY

    Mike Lasnier, Chief of Police

    PRESS RELEASEDec 15, 2011

    Officer Involved Shooting in Suquamish

    This is a supplemental press release. While the Kitsap County SheriffsDepartment PIO has made previous releases in this matter, I find it necessaryto issue this supplement to inform the community of some key pointsregarding this situation. I feel that it is critical for the public to be aware ofthese facts, to maintain the trust of our community. Different LawEnforcement agencies sometimes have different relationships with theircommunities, and different philosophies on how situations should be handled.If it were up to me, law enforcement would be releasing substantially moreinformation to the public right now. It does no good to follow an inaccuratepress release with one so sparse that its worse than useless, and leads toneedless speculation. A press release shouldnt make a bad situation worse; itshould provide illumination and clarity to the public, and answer key questions.

    I am constrained from releasing all of the information Id like to share, becauseI dont want to do anything that might be perceived as interfering with theongoing investigation. We have faith in the investigation, and feel that theinvestigators are doing a good job, and treating all parties with empathy andrespect. Well let them finish their difficult work.

    Before I begin, I would like to say that our department is deeply saddened bythe events that took place. Any loss of life is always horrible, andcircumstances such as this take a lasting toll on everyone involved. Pleasekeep everyone affected by this event in your thoughts and prayers.

    1. The officers of the Suquamish Police Department have all been issued

    Body Cameras. We are the only agency in Kitsap County to have issuedthem to every officer, and we also have cameras in every patrol car. The factsof this case were captured on camera, both audio and video. The cameraswere immediately provided to the investigators, and they are in possession ofthe recordings and the cameras. The cameras are specifically designed to beimmune from any tampering; no one at our agency can reset any dates ortimes; they are set at the factory and cannot be accessed or changed. Therecordings have a digital overlay for security from tampering, and cannot be

    SUQUAMISH POLICE DEPARTMENT

    18490 Suquamish Way, Suite #105 / P.O. Box 1021Suquamish WA 98392 OFFICE (360) 598-4334

  • 8/3/2019 Officer Involved Shooting December 2011

    2/3

    edited or altered; they can only be viewed. The investigators, as well as anyprosecutor or inquest jury reviewing this matter, will have access to incrediblyaccurate information, and will not have to rely solely on the word, memory ortestimony of any individual. They will be able to be in the room forthemselves. We have nothing to hide; to the contrary, we ensure that everyinteraction is carefully and accurately documented.

    2. The Suquamish and Port Gamble SKlallam Police have fully cooperatedwith the investigation. We immediately notified the F.B.I., and an F.B.I. agenthas participated as part of the investigative team; there is neutral oversight.As always, we welcome external review in any matter of this nature, and a fullinvestigation by all appropriate State or Federal authorities. Again, we havenothing to hide.

    3. Upon completion of the investigation, each agency will be conducting adetailed and exhaustive administrative review, as is common industry practicein Law Enforcement. At the Suquamish Tribe, that will include a review board.Such boards are made up of outside experts, as well as Tribal Elected officials.Our police department doesnt review itself in major cases; we areaccountable to the elected representatives of the community we serve, and weare quite comfortable with that. We ask our community to trust us daily, andwe trust them in return.

    4. Additional facts will be forthcoming from the investigation that may shedfurther light on explaining why this incident may have occurred the way it did.I cannot discuss details here, as the investigation is still in progress, and I donot wish to be perceived as trying to hamper or influence its outcome; thefacts will speak for themselves. We only ask the public to wait a little longerfor the facts to become available. Some processes take time to complete. Onelocal newspaper has already reported that Mr. Black had multiple warrants forhis arrest from multiple courts, totaling $35,000 dollars. Additional informationinvolving extremely serious felony activity in the residence will be

    forthcoming. The investigation will also show that officers had been to theresidence previously looking for Calihoo, and that the residents knew full wellhe was a fugitive with a felony warrant for a serious sex offense. They hadpromised not to harbor him or render criminal assistance, and to call the policeif he came to their residence.

    5. The fact that the gun found near the subject was not an operationalfirearm should not be misinterpreted. The Lakewood Police recently arrestedan armed robber who had committed over 30 robberies with a toy gun. Therobber wasnt released because its not a real gun; hes being charged withthe robberies. At least 30 times, he flashed that toy gun, and over 30 times,at a quick glance, it looked real. Law enforcement officers can not hesitatewhen a subject suddenly produces a firearm, or assume its a toy. Only truly

    disturbed people would ask police officers to wait for bullets to tear throughthem to prove the gun was real. When a subject in a dark room full of policeofficers refuses multiple commands to show their hands, and then suddenlyreaches and swings up with what appears to be a gun, any sane person knowshow the officers are going to react.

    6. I am confident that a full, exhaustive review of this matter at every levelwill find that the officers reacted the only way they could when placed inhorrible circumstances, and were forced to make a split second decision undercircumstances that were tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving. I do not ask

  • 8/3/2019 Officer Involved Shooting December 2011

    3/3

    the public to share that confidence, because you dont yet know everything Iknow. I only ask you to reserve judgment until all of the facts are available toyou.

    Chief Mike Lasnier