OPD investigation concludes allegations against officer Hull ‘unfounded’
.jpeg "Protesters and Olympia police face off near City Hall about 10 p.m. May 31. Protesters kneeled with their hands up, chanting and swearing at police.")
An investigation into allegations that a white Olympia corrections officer made offensive comments to a Black woman while arresting her found the allegations were “unfounded,” according to a statement issued Friday by Interim Police Chief Aaron Jelcick.
The investigation stemmed from events on the night of May 31 into June 1, when a downtown demonstration spurred by the death of George Floyd in Minnesota turned violent, according to police, and a clash between protesters and officers resulted in 13 arrests.
One woman who was arrested, Brianna Woodson, alleged in a social media post that an officer said “I can put my knee on her” while putting her in handcuffs. Floyd, a Black man whose death sparked protests calling for racial justice and an end to police brutality, died when a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes.
Olympia Police launched an investigation into the conduct of the corrections officer, later identified as Kelli Hull.
“The comment, as alleged, is absolutely unacceptable, offensive, and would be a serious violation of department policy and ethics,” Jelcick’s statement reads. “Upon learning of the complaints, I immediately called for an investigation.”
The investigation that followed included interviews with Woodson, two Olympia police officers and another corrections officer at the scene when the comment was allegedly made, according to Jelcick’s statement. A complete report on the investigation should soon be linked on the city’s Police Accountability & Transparency web page, but was not available online Saturday morning.
“Those officers were interviewed as witnesses, and their veracity was taken into careful consideration,” Jelcick’s statement reads.
The investigation concluded the allegation that Hull had violated department policy was “unfounded,” according to Jelcick’s statement. “The investigation shows that, based on a preponderance of evidence, the alleged behavior did not occur.” An outside attorney reviewed the investigation and concurred.
“As our community and nation reckons with the reality of racial injustice in our country, we understand that the findings of the investigation may be challenging to accept by some community members,” Jelcick’s statement concludes.
“The Olympia Police Department will continue the important work of building trust with our community by acting with transparency and holding ourselves accountable for our actions. Conduct that does not promote treating all people with dignity and respect will not be tolerated.”
Another internal investigation — this one into a photo of an Olympia police officer posing with a group of armed men in front of a strip mall on Olympia’s west side in early June — is currently under review by an outside attorney, according to city spokesperson Kellie Purce Braseth.
The Olympian attempted to make contact with Woodson via social media Saturday, but was not successful.
This story was originally published July 25, 2020 at 12:07 PM.
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