JULY 18, 2008:NWLP
7/15/08
10:53 AM
Page 7
...Vancouver cop reinstated after two-year ordeal
(From Page 1)
barricade standoff. Barker (then the
assistant chief) and another com-
mander were in the area and stopped
at the scene. The standoff ended with
officers and a canine unit going into
the house and bringing out the sus-
pect. No officers were injured, but the
police dog suffered a stab wound.
Police Chief Martinek praised the
officers for their work. In a memo to
the officers, he wrote: “Another ex-
ample of excellent police work by our
men, women and K-9s. Nice job to all
of our officers involved in this.”
Two weeks later, on April 26,
Barker called for a meeting with Luse
to talk about his performance as a
lieutenant. At that meeting Barker
criticized Luse’s performance during
the April 12 standoff. According to
testimony from the arbitrator’s report,
Barker told Luse that he felt “disre-
garded or dismissed” by Luse. Barker
went on to tell Luse that he was not
effective as a lieutenant and that he
planned to demote him to sergeant.
Luse refused to be demoted volun-
tarily, which set in motion an internal
affairs investigation.
On May 22, 2006, Luse was sent a
formal complaint alleging that he was
insubordinate to Barker at the April
12 standoff and that over the past year
he had failed to meet deadlines and
written job performance expectations.
Barker said that at the scene of the
standoff Luse on three occasions ig-
nored his request to find out if the
man barricaded in the house had any
weapons.
On June 29, 2006, Luse was noti-
fied of a second internal affairs inves-
tigation, this one for alleged insubor-
dination for not following through on
an order to call an assistant city attor-
ney who had concerns that an officer
under Luse’s command forcibly ar-
rested a man without legal justifica-
tion. That arrest took place on May
26, 2006.
On July 9, 2006, Luse was put on
administrative leave with pay — un-
heard of in the police department for
a performance-based issue. “Admin-
istrative leave is normally used for
high liability incidences that involve
officer shootings or excessive
abuses,” Luse told the NW Labor
Press.
Luse collected his salary of $8,200
a month, plus benefits, from the De-
partment while he sat at home await-
ing the outcome of the internal inves-
tigation.
On Oct. 11, 2006, internal affairs
released a memo stating that there
was a “lack of strong, reliable and
credible factual support sufficient to
sustain a finding of neglect of duty,
incompetence and insubordination,”
against Luse.
Then, in late November 2006, a
second round of interviews was or-
dered. According to the arbitrator’s
report, in addition to revisiting the
original complaints, internal affairs
wanted to pursue allegations that
Luse made false statements to investi-
gators. A separate complaint was
filed.
On Feb. 7, 2007, internal affairs is-
sued a report finding Luse in violation
of proper police conduct by lying to
internal affairs and for insubordina-
tion.
He was fired on March 28, 2007.
Luse appealed his termination
through Local 11. The union brought
in attorney Michael Tedesco to assist.
“I’m thankful that the union be-
lieved me and stood with me. I can’t
overstate that enough,” Luse said.
After he was fired, Local 11 hired
Luse as an organizer. Luse said that
when he met workers he pointed to
his own experience.
“I told them that I’ve never worked
without a (union) contract. You have
insurance for your house and car. A
union contract is insurance for your
job. I know first-hand how important
that can be. If you are wrongfully ter-
minated or your labor rights are vio-
lated, you have an advocate. I’m the
poster boy for being wrongfully ter-
minated.”
On June 21, 2008, arbitrator Beck
confirmed that by exonerating Luse
of all charges.
Lt. Luse says he will go back to
work “with a clean slate” and he
doesn’t anticipate any problems. “It
was a convincing win for me. I just
want to go back to work and do my
job.”
A new police chief (Cliff Cook)
was hired in April 2007. Barker is
back at his post as assistant chief.
(Editor’s Note: A recent assessment
of the City of Vancouver’s budget proj-
ects a deficit of more than $6 million for
the 2009-10 biennium. Approximately
76 percent of the City’s budget is com-
prised of salary and benefit costs for
police officers and civilian support
staff. Unless steps are taken to remedy
the anticipated shortfall, the Vancouver
Police Department will have to reduce
its operating budget by $2.3 million.)
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