There is a new commander in the Tacoma Police Department’s Sector 4.
Lt. Bart Hayes took the reins today. Lt. Shawn Stringer, who was serving as the sector lieutenant, has been moved to the special investigations division.
The moves are part of a handful of moves effective today.
Sector 4 encompasses the East Side and part of the South End.
Former Gig Harbor police Sgt. Matt Dougil returned to work Monday after being reduced in rank and suspended for four weeks for violating department policy, Chief Mike Davis announced in a news release.
A Pierce County jury found Dougil not guilty of three criminal charges in August after prosecutors accused him of lying in police reports during a drug investigation.
“During a subsequent internal review conducted by an investigator with the Puyallup Police Department, Officer Dougil took responsibility for several policy violations,” the new release states.
Those policy violations were not listed.
Davis said he has full confidence …
Newly-appointed Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist has announced some changes to the staff in his office.
He’s making some changes in his office, which take effect Tuesday. Among them:
* Dawn Farina, currently chief administrative deputy, will become the chief of staff. The chief administrative deputy position will be eliminated.
* Mary Robnett, currently the head of the special assault unit, will become the chief criminal deputy. She will oversee the criminal division.
* Phil Sorensen, who was in charge of the robbery and assault unit, is leading the homicide team and is the assistant chief criminal deputy.
* …
A Pierce County jury today found a Gig Harbor police sergeant not guilty of perjury.
Jurors deliberated for less than a day before acquitting Matthew Dougil of all charges.
Dougil buried his head in his hands and wept as the verdicts were announced. He later hugged his attorney, Brett Purtzer, and whispered, “Thank you,” to jurors before they were excused by Superior Court Judge Rosanne Buckner.
Pierce County prosecutors charged Dougil last year with two counts of felony perjury and one misdemeanor count of making a false or misleading statement to a public official.
They contended he falsified police reports …
Jurors got the perjury case against Gig Harbor police sergeant Matthew Dougil today about 2:30 p.m.
Dougil is charged with two counts of perjury and one count of making a false or misleading statement to a public official. Pierce County prosecutors contend he falsified police reports in a drug investigation that resulted in the convictions of two men. Those convictions since have been overturned.
Testimony in Dougil’s trial lasted a week. The sergeant took the stand in his own defense and defended inaccuracies in his reports as honest mistakes or the result of miscommunications.
Dougil is on unpaid …
A 27-year-old Tacoma police officer pleaded not guilty Friday to assaulting his wife and threatening a fellow police officer, according to court documents.
Patrol officer Aaron Joseph was allowed to remain free on the $15,000 bail he posted following his arrest Thursday evening. He is charged with second-degree assault with a firearm and felony harassment and is scheduled to appear in court again for a hearing Sept. 1.
Joseph has been placed on administrative leave and his department-issued equipment confiscated, Tacoma police said in a statement released Friday.
Joseph has been on the force for nearly three years and was …
A jury will start deliberating the perjury case against a Gig Harbor police sergeant Monday after the lawyers trying the case deliver their closing arguments.
Testimony in the trial of Matthew Dougil wrapped up Thursday.
Dougil’s accused of filing false police reports that ultimately led to the conviction of two men on drug charges. Those convictions since have been overturned.
Dougil testified Wednesday that inaccuracies in his reports were the result of miscommunications and honest mistakes, not intentional lying on his part.
Dougil is on unpaid leave while his case plays out.