Thread by @DivestSPD, Members of SPD's euphemistically named "Community Response Group" (anti-protest task force) have [...]

Members of SPD's euphemistically named "Community Response Group" (anti-protest task force) have a history of excess force, other misconduct.

We're making a list & checking it twice. ACAN (All Cops Are Naughty)

Follow this thread for more info as we gather it.

1/ Joshua John Velliquette 7680

While working for an Anti-Crime Team, Velliquette shoved a woman off her bike, causing serious injuries.

He was attempting to arrest her for a non-violent felony warrant (identity theft). When she failed to stop, he shoved her to the ground, fracturing her shoulder and causing severe head trauma.

$He was attempting to arrest her for a non-violent felony warrant (identity theft). When she failed to stop, he shoved her to the ground, fracturing her shoulder and causing severe head trauma.$

The OPA sustained an excessive force complaint, arguing that a suspect for a non-violent crime didn't pose enough of a public safety threat to justify that level of force and that other options to contain/arrest her existed.

Velliquette got a slap on the wrist—a written reprimand. OPA wanted to sustain a complaint that Velliquette failed to perform de-escalation, as required by the consent decree, but SPD command talked the director out of it.

2/ Larry Longley

Longley has made headlines twice in the past for violence and racism.

CW Violent images/video follow

Longley was one of four officers who brutally beat and choked Isaac Ocak on camera in 2010. Ocak received $70k in a settlement. None of the officers were disciplined

Longley was also caught on dashcam audio making racist comments about Black people.

https://www.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/2015/05/06/22172590/dashcam-footage-shows-officers-deriding-black-people-and-joking-about-beating-them-up

Court records also show that a higher court overturned one of Longley's arrests in 2008 on the grounds that he conducted an unconstitutional investigative "Terry" stop

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/wa-supreme-court/1144195.html#:~:text=A%20jury%20found%20Gatewood%20guilty,Gatewood%2C%20noted%20at%20137%20Wash.

FindLaw's Supreme Court of Washington case and opinions.

FindLaw's searchable database of Supreme Court of Washington decisions since

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/wa-supreme-court/1144195.html#:~:text=A%20jury%20found%20Gatewood%20guilty,Gatewood%2C%20noted%20at%20137%20Wash

3 / Caleb Howard

Howard got blackout drunk during a backyard party at a fellow officer’s house. Not only did he punch and strangle his coworker’s teenage son—Howard attempted to ply his host’s 20-year-old daughter with alcohol & made sexual comments about her. (1/6)

In 2018, an SPD officer hosted a big cop get-together and Howard went with his girlfriend (also an SPD officer).

Drunk (3x the legal limit) & belligerent, Howard challenged his host’s 17-year-old to a wrestling match. (2/6)

During the course of the match, Howard slammed the teen’s head against the deck and began strangling him, according to the OPA investigation. When the kid’s father intervened, Howard punched him in the jaw.

(3/6)

At one point, Howard also reportedly told his coworker’s daughter: “if I were a hot lesbian, we would be together right now. We would be soulmates.” Howard then said of the son: “I bet [he] wishes I was a hot lesbian right now so he could watch.” (4/6)

Howard’s girlfriend said that he never punched the host, but this was plainly contradicted by multiple witnesses.

OPA originally recommended a sustained finding of dishonesty (a fireable offense), but command persuaded them to drop it. (5/6)

The SPD detective assigned to the case recommended assault charges. Howard received a dispositional continuance, meaning the charges would be dismissed after 2 yrs if he violates no laws in that time. He was suspended 30 days.

(6/6)