Bothell Kirkland King County DUI Drunk Driving Lawyer: Seattle DUI Arrests at Issue after Seattle Police Department Dishonesty

Bothell Kirkland King County DUI Drunk Driving Lawyer: Seattle DUI Arrests at Issue after Seattle Police Department Dishonesty

Bothell Kirkland DUI / DWI / Drunk Driving Lawyers- Experienced, Successful, Affordable

(425) 493-1115

Seattle police have found that drunken-driving arrests were routinely rubber-stamped or falsely certified without approval by a supervisor, prompting one defendant to ask a judge to dismiss his case or suppress the arresting officer's testimony.

The department launched an internal investigation in March after an audit revealed the mishandling of dozens of driving-under-the-influence (DUI) cases.

A sergeant who allegedly permitted the improper screening remains under investigation.

But the department has found that two members of the DUI Unit, Jonathon Huber and Jonathan Young Jr., routinely used the sergeant's signature stamp without having their arrests approved by him as required by policy, according to an internal-investigation report obtained by The Seattle Times.

A third officer, John Velliquette Jr., put written statements in his reports indicating his sergeant had screened his arrests, even though the sergeant had not actually reviewed the cases, the June 22 report said.

Witnesses indicated the sergeant told the officers he had "preapproved" their arrests and offered his signature stamp, according to the report.

The three officers were cleared of misconduct allegations involving honesty and arrest procedures after the department's Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) heard testimony that the practice had been going on for 20 to 25 years and that most law-enforcement agencies do not require DUI arrest screening because most suspects are released after processing.

Witnesses also said the stamp was used to satisfy data requirements and not to deceive.

More here:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016023507_duicase27m.html

For information on your Washington State DUI / Drunk Driving, Snohomish County DUI, King County DUI, Skagit County DUI, Island County DUI or Whatcom County DUI  please contact our Washington State DUI drunk driving attorneys for a free consultation at 425-493-1115, email us at david@davidjollylaw.com, or check out our main website at http://www.washdui.com or www.mukilteodui.com, www.everett-dui.co, www.marysville-dui.com, www.dui-bothell.com, or www.anacortesdui.com.  We represent DUI clients in every court in Western Washington including Seattle DUI cases, Kirkland DUI cases, Redmond DUI cases, Shoreline DUI cases, Lynnwood DUI cases, Everett DUI cases, Mukilteo DUI cases, Marysville DUI cases, Mt. Vernon DUI cases, Anacortes DUI cases, and Bellingham DUI cases.

Author of The DUI Handbook for the Accused, DUI/DWI: The History of Driving Under the Influence, The DUI Investigation Handbook, The Traffic Ticket Handbook and The Drug DUI Handbook. 

Bothell Kirkland DUI / DWI / Drunk Driving Lawyers- Experienced, Successful, Affordable (425) 493-1115