Oh my god. This is Mike Brown, who apparently works for the King Country Sheriff’s Office. He posted this meme hours after two protesters were struck on the freeway a couple nights ago. This is one of the most offensive things I’ve seen in a long time. pic.twitter.com/4zm96vYhVo
— Spek (@spekulation) July 6, 2020
This complaint has also been received by the Sheriff’s Office which has opened an investigation. OLEO is not permitted to comment on pending investigations. However, OLEO will fulfill its duties to monitor and review the investigation to ensure that the investigation is thorough and objective.
In the meantime, OLEO has requested a meeting with Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht to discuss overarching community-voiced concerns about the organizational culture at the Sheriff’s Office. OLEO wants to address community mistrust and help ensure the Sheriff’s Office is working to improve the community’s confidence in leadership and belief in the organization’s core values.
“Community members expect law enforcement agencies to fulfill their commitment to public service – which means creating a culture that builds trust and belief in their legitimacy and commitment to fair and humane policing,” said Deborah Jacobs, OLEO Director.
OLEO recently published a Community Guide to the King County Sheriff’s Office Complaint Process to help the public understand how the investigation of complaints are handled by the Sheriff’s Office Internal Investigations Unit (IIU). It also highlights the role oversight plays in advocating for thorough, objective and timely investigations.
The Community Guide to Sheriff’s Office Complaint Investigations can be downloaded here.
Learn more about OLEO and the complaint process here.
The above is a press release from the King County Office of Law Enforcement Oversight. Though the Auburn Examiner has been monitoring this matter at large, this release has not independently verified. We encourage our readers to personally verify any information they find may be overly biased or questionable. The publication of this press release does not indicate an endorsement of its contents.