Seattle Police Sergeant arrested in Lake Forest Park amid child abuse allegations

Lake Forest Park Police Department detectives, supported by Seattle Police, Kirkland Police, and King County Sheriff’s Office resources, arrested a veteran Seattle Police Department supervisor after developing probable cause that he had been engaging in long term abuse of his two daughters, one a teenager and one a young adult.

On April 1, 2016, the Seattle Police Department received a report from the employee’s two daughters alleging abuse. Police personnel notified Chief Kathleen O’Toole and Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) Director Pierce Murphy. Chief O’Toole immediately directed SPD Sexual Assault and Child Abuse detectives to make contact with the two victims.

SPD investigators contacted their Lake Forest Park counterparts upon learning that the alleged actions occurred within their jurisdiction. Lake Forest Park detectives assumed lead of the investigation, supported by SPD. 

During the course of the investigation, Lake Forest Park detectives established probable cause for the SPD employee’s arrest, and with coordinated efforts including SPD, Kirkland Police and the Sheriff’s Office, took the employee into custody without incident.

SPD commanders relieved the employee of duty, and confiscated his badge and gun.

Lake Forest Park detectives questioned the employee and will book him into the King County Jail.

The OPA will continue to actively monitor the criminal case and will launch a separate administrative investigation at its conclusion.

The employee’s status will be changed to unpaid administrative leave if he is charged with a felony crime.

It should be noted that an allegation of abuse against the same employee was investigated by the Lake Forest Park Police Department, Child Protective Services (CPS), and the OPA in 2013. Prosecutors declined the case due to insufficient evidence and a CPS investigation determined that the allegations of abuse and/or neglect were unfounded. OPA conducted an administrative investigation that resulted in an inconclusive finding.

At this time, neither the Lake Forest Park Police Department nor the SPD has information or reason to believe there is a threat to the public or additional abuse allegations outside of the employee’s family.