When police officers are in pursuit of a suspect who is attempting to evade capture, it is common practice to employ a ruse or bluff to encourage the individual to reveal their location. These tactics, when legal, can be effective in saving time and resources during what can often be a drawn-out process. Furthermore, a well-executed bluff can sometimes help officers avoid the use of force by enticing the suspect to surrender willingly.
However, the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) in Seattle recently investigated a case where they believed a ruse used by officers “shocked the conscience” due to the tragic and unintended consequences that followed.
The incident began when two Seattle police officers were dispatched to a West Seattle home in search of a suspect involved in a hit-and-run collision. According to The Seattle Times, one of the officers reportedly joked to his partner about the planned deception, saying, “It’s a lie, but it’s fun.”
Upon arriving at the residence, the officers spoke with a woman who stated that the suspect used her address to register his vehicle. She informed them that he was not present but offered to provide his phone number. Anticipating potential non-compliance, the officers proceeded with their pre-planned bluff. Unfortunately, this decision set in motion a chain of events that culminated in an unforeseen tragedy when the man took his own life several days later.
The subsequent investigation by the police watchdog, the OPA, concluded that the officer’s actions “shocked the conscience” and were a contributing factor in the man’s death, as reported by The Seattle Times.
To provide context, it’s important to note that the two officers were not directly involved in investigating the hit-and-run collision itself. The crash, which involved multiple vehicles, occurred in a different precinct. They were simply asked to visit the home because the address was linked to the fleeing driver’s vehicle. Furthermore, the hit-and-run collision did not result in any injuries, classifying it as a misdemeanor crime.
As the woman searched for the suspect’s phone number, the officer who devised the ruse falsely stated that they were looking for the man because he was involved in a hit-and-run that left a woman in critical condition. The officer further claimed that the injured woman “might not survive.” According to the OPA report, the woman appeared “clearly emotionally affected” by this news, as evidenced by police body-camera video.
After the officers departed, the woman contacted the hit-and-run suspect, relayed the information provided by the police, and advised him to seek legal counsel. Initially, he seemed unconcerned, stating that he did not believe he had been involved in a collision that resulted in injuries, the woman later told the OPA.
However, the OPA report indicated that he began to worry that he might have unknowingly struck a pedestrian. The woman told the OPA that he became increasingly despondent over the possibility that he had killed someone. His emotional state was further complicated by a history of chronic drug use. The woman revealed that he had been a heroin addict for nearly 20 years and had a history of legal troubles.
Shortly thereafter, the man died by suicide, according to the OPA report.
A summary report on the 2018 incident was recently released by the Seattle OPA. Andrew Myerberg, the OPA’s civilian director, determined that the ruse was, at least in part, the cause of the man’s death, The Times reported. Myerberg concluded that the officer who fabricated the story violated department standards regarding professionalism and discretion, stating that his conduct “shocked the conscience.”
Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best upheld the OPA’s findings and suspended the officer for six days without pay. The officer, who remains unnamed in the report, maintained that he had done nothing wrong. The police department declined to immediately release Best’s disciplinary action report, which contained her rationale for the decision, as well as other records requested by The Seattle Times, citing public-disclosure procedures. A department spokesman also declined to disclose the officer’s name. The man who died was also not named in the OPA’s report.
