Deputy Placed on Administrative Leave
This afternoon, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich placed Spokane Valley Deputy Samuel Turner on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of a criminal and internal investigation stemming from a supervisor’s review of a recent call.
Today the Spokane Police Department was asked to investigate any potential assault or other criminal misconduct during an arrest to ensure an independent investigation and avoid any conflict of interest.
After the criminal investigation is concluded and reviewed by the Spokane County Prosecutors Office, the Sheriff’s Office of Professional Standards will conduct an internal investigation to determine if any Sheriff’s Office Policies were violated.
This investigation was not brought forward as a result of a citizen’s complaint but as a result of the continual review process conducted by Sheriff’s Office supervisors and subject matter experts to ensure the work quality we provide to our community.