WSU, Pullman police sergeants under investigation

Two police officers in Pullman have been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into an 18-year-old Washington State University student’s claims that she was sexually assaulted by a police officer late last month.

According to a search warrant filed Monday in Spokane County Superior Court, two separate police sergeants made contact with the student on the night of March 30. The first was with the Pullman Police Department; the second was with the WSU Police Department. Both officers cited alleged alcohol-related activity as the reason for contact.

The student filed a formal complaint through WSU’s Office of Equal Opportunity April 6, where she alleged she was sexually assaulted; it is unclear whether a specific officer was identified in the report. The Pullman police sergeant reported he made contact with the student on the night in question, warned her about being intoxicated and provided a courtesy transport to her dorm at the Community/Duncan Dunn residence hall.

According to the search warrant, the Pullman sergeant reported he instructed her to stay home for the rest of the evening and observed her key into the building before driving away.

Later that night, the WSU police sergeant reported seeing the same student stumbling near some stairs just after midnight. The WSU officer reported that when he approached the student, she seemed confused about which building was hers. According to the search warrant, the officer advised the student to return to her room and that he would be filing charges of minor in possession with the prosecutor’s office. The WSU officer reported he pointed her in the correct direction of her dorm and watched her enter the building before leaving.

Assistant WSU Police Chief Steve Hansen confirmed the sergeant in question was placed on leave April 6, the day the complaint was filed with WSU’s Office of Equal Opportunity. Hansen urged the public to avoid making any conclusions regarding the case until the investigation is concluded. Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins said the Pullman sergeant was suspended when his department was first notified of the complaint on April 13.

Jenkins said the two departments requested the Washington State Patrol conduct a criminal investigation into the alleged sexual misconduct for reasons of impartiality.

Larry McGill, the WSP detective assigned to the case, filed the search warrant in order to gain access to the original complaint to the university. McGill states in the warrant, through conversations with unknown sources, it was indicated that the alleged sexual assault may have taken place in the back of a vehicle.

Patrol cars and cellphones of both officers were surrendered to investigators by their respective departments. McGill, with assistance from the WSP Crime Laboratory, swabbed numerous areas in both vehicles and both tested negative for semen. Both cellphones were analyzed by investigators with the Spokane Police Department, but little information was obtained and no evidence of contact with the student was found, according to the search warrant.

Jenkins said the Pullman Police Department may conduct their own internal investigation but will wait for results from WSP before determining if any additional steps are necessary.

Scott Jackson can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to sjackson@dnews.com.