ARFEE: … And one more thing

I promise this is my last letter regarding the unprovoked and uncalled-for murder of Arfee.

True to their word (as much as we can tell), the Coeur d’Alene Police Department thoroughly investigated the incident, including a use-of-force investigation and an independent investigation by Robert Bragg, a longtime employee of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.

All reports found that Officer Kelley was at fault, “out of policy” in his use of force, and that there was no reasonable explanation why he did not announce his presence at the van, why he didn’t take evasive maneuvers instead of shooting, that he drew his weapon without justification and fired in a manner that endangered any occupants of the van (obviously) as well as his fellow officer and the public in general. Nor was there any justification as to why he didn’t attempt to locate the owner of the van either prior or subsequent to this incident.

That being said, we now find the entire police force and the city attorney hiding behind the “personnel issue” shield and refusing to disclose what — if any — punishment Officer Kelley was or will be given. We only know that he was placed on “modified duty” which appears to be reserved for only those officers who are unable to perform their regular duties due to illness or injury (?).

As a member of the public which the police are sworn to “protect and defend,” I would define a personnel issue as an employee caught embezzling, sleeping on the job, filing false job reports, etc. A police officer as described above is a danger to the public and, as such, needs to be brought to task and his punishment disclosed to those he serves.

If the Coeur d’Alene Police Department wants the trust of the citizens of Coeur d’Alene, then that trust must be predicated on our faith that justice has been served in all matters before it to the best of their abilities… and that includes justice for a black lab that did nothing to deserve his fate at the hands of Officer Kelley.

LLOYD MASON

Coeur d’Alene