In a difficult few days for local law enforcement, officials announced this past week two Spokane Police Department officers and one Spokane County Sheriff’s detective had been placed on administrative leave pending investigations into alleged misconduct.
One Spokane Police officer stands accused of aggressive sexual harassment and stalking via Facebook. Authorities have not disclosed the nature of the ongoing investigation into the other Spokane Police officer.
At the Sheriff’s Office, officials say a detective was put on leave after the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation into an alleged domestic violence assault earlier this month.
Spokane police officials recently announced Officer Jeffrey Graves had been placed on leave over criminal allegations under investigation by Internal Affairs and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. Court records show a woman recently came forward, accusing Graves of sending her more than 100 inappropriate and unwanted Facebook messages a day.
“[The woman] indicated that the contacts were aggressive and sexual in nature,” court records state, “and she began to fear Graves.”
The officer allegedly showed up unannounced at her workplace multiple times, according to court records. The woman told investigators the ongoing harassment also led to a “non-consensual” sexual encounter. She reported she later deleted her Facebook account.
Graves was placed on paid administrative leave on May 9, pending the outcome of the investigations. No criminal charges had been filed.
In its own recent announcement, the Spokane Sheriff’s Office states Det. Dale Toliver has been ordered on leave after allegedly committing second-degree assault in Odessa, Wash. Toliver may face two counts of felony assault.
“This incident will be investigated,” Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich says in a statement. “If the allegations are proven, the appropriate actions will be taken. There is no room for this type of conduct within the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.”
The most recent investigation, announced Monday, involves Spokane Police Officer Darrell Quarles, who was placed on paid leave May 7 pending an Internal Affairs investigation. Police spokeswoman Monique Cotton says Quarles has worked for the department since 2008.
“We are unable to provide any information because it is an internal affairs investigation,” she says in an email. “No further information will be released.”
The multiple allegations of misconduct come within days of the most recent Spokane Police officer-involved shooting, which ended in the death of a 21-year-old homicide suspect. Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub also had a bicycle stolen from his garage last week.
Straub acknowledged Saturday — as he oversaw the local police response to the FBI-led ricin letter investigation search in Browne’s Addition — that he had not gotten a lot of sleep in recent days.
“It’s been an interesting week,” he offered dryly.
