King County Exec. Constantin fought back against the sheriff's detective

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Sources allege that Dow Constantine, a King County officer, retaliates against a member of his executive protection unit, saying the detective spoke to KIRO Radio.

In May, KIRO Radio reported that an anonymous source allegedly invoked his specially trained detectives as drivers, instead of protection. According to this source, "He uses them as Uber and sometimes, not always, but sometimes I think that's true".

The source spoke under the guise of anonymity because they say that Constantine has a history of reprisals.

According to another source, Constantine would have seen his deputy director meet the sergeant in his protection unit after learning that KIRO Radio had asked to receive e-mails involving an experienced detective. It would be an attempt to remove the detective from his unit of protection for leakage. The detective, who had previously criticized the executive's use of the protection unit, was not an anonymous source. Constantine denied this allegation.

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Since the release of the story in May, every time this detective is scheduled, Constantine has canceled the UPU for the day. Sources say it happened at least five times.

Additional emails requested by KIRO Radio confirm that the detective has been victim of retaliation. He wrote to the team in June: "Just tell them I'm driving and they'll cancel it, lol. So far, I'm 4 years old for 4 players. He included a member who basically asked what he had done to deserve the cancellations.

According to these e-mails, the detective was to work at Constantine's protection unit on July 4 and he replied: "If they find out it's me, they'll call me back."

Sources claim that the Constantine Executive, although he had previously requested the UPR's coverage on October 4, did exactly that: he canceled the UPR's holding for the 35th Annual Naturalization Ceremony at the Seattle Center after learning that the detective would be stationed. The assistant to the King County Director called the Seattle Mayor's Office and told Deputy Mayor Fong that Constantine would be present at the event but without his protection and asked if the Seattle police would be there to ensure the security.

The mayor's office confirmed that Constantine's office had asked questions about the safety of the Seattle police that day. A representative of the mayor's office said there was no demand for leadership protection, only a question about the presence of the police in Seattle. They also said that Seattle police officials had contacted the executive UPR prior to the event.

"To answer your question, we provided general security services to all participants at the event," Sgt. Sean Whitcomb of the Seattle Police Department said in a statement. "Since Constantine participated in the event, he has also benefited from the general security of the SPD. The Constantine executive did not benefit from the protection of SPD leaders. "

King County, Sheriff Johanknecht

The county sheriff's office is one of the members of the UPR. Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht said, "You will have to question the executive on this," to the question of the frequent rescheduling of the detective in question.

Sheriff Johanknecht stated that she was informed of the request only after the event, when KIRO Radio asked for more information.

"I do not know what was said and if you ask the executive or her staff, I think you will get the best answer," she said, referring to the phone call from the the executive at the mayor's office.

The sheriff said she had not spoken to the Constantine executive about the July 4th coverage, nor that the executive was aware of fair work practices.

"I do not know what he thought," she said. "I do not know what conversations took place. But I know that the executive is aware of the contracts of employment and would not do anything to oppose the practice of unfair labor practices. So I think if a member of his staff was in communication with Seattle, I do not know the context in which I am, so I can not speculate, but I know he understands the work. "

Johanknecht stated that, depending on how this telephone conversation took place between the executive assistant and the interlocutors in the mayor's office, this would determine whether this request would be considered "superficial", that is to say when an outside party is called to do the work of another.

"It could be," she says. "But again, neither you nor I know exactly what was said during the telephone conversation."

"It has happened that he gives up detailed protection because he will do something else with his family or what you have," Johanknecht said. "It's complicated, and I imagine that if you're protected full time, you can not move as fast as you used to move."

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However, according to sources, Constantine rarely fears full-time protection and, in fact, more often than not, the PSU works overtime. They say that recently he only seems to cancel it when he finds out that this detective will be on duty.

The sheriff confirmed that Constantine's security was not as important as that of the President of the United States. The executive chooses when it wants and sends a calendar to the UPR, which takes it into account.

Sheriff Johanknecht chose not to question whether or not the executive should have benefited from the protection of his UPR at the naturalization event. She said it was important that the officials be safe.

"There are events in which we are and things are happening around us and there are many people around us," said the sheriff. "And in the day and age of the current politics and its divisions, unfortunately, you do not know it and you want to be safe."

Following KIRO Radio's story in May, the sheriff instructed his leader to develop a new standard operating procedure for the UPR. The new procedure should be ready soon.

"This is an opportunity for us to say," Here's what should be the protection of leaders. That's what we are and that's our norm. 'We must therefore be able to provide protection. It's not just a driving service, "said the sheriff, adding that to protect and serve effectively, executive protection detectives must be nearby and not in the car.

And if the executive does not respect the new rules?

"As you know, and you've already heard of this before, in general, I have no control over what the executive does or does not do," said the sheriff. "I think we will reach an agreement on best practices."

With regard to the alleged retaliation against the detective, Johanknecht stated that he had made it clear that she wanted her people to know that she had been avenged, even if it meant taking her to the leadership of the detainee. King County.

"I told the detectives that I would meet them off-site," she said. "I will meet them via a phone call. I will go out of the county to meet all the members of this team who feel they are being treated badly; that they take revenge on anyone and that they will be investigated. "

Johanknecht also said that she could send the allegations to an external body for investigation. The sheriff also says that the only thing that is asked of him by UPU members is to give him the opportunity.

KIRO Radio contacted the executive office for a comment. There was no response to the publication of this article.

An application was also submitted to the King County Police Officers Guild to determine whether his executive canceling his PSU and asking SPD to provide security would be considered a breach of contract.