Olympia Police were very professional, accountable

I'd like to comment on the Olympia Police Department. Police departments are under increased scrutiny in recent months, and for good reason. Some officers have abused their power, and have not been faithful citizens of their community.

I'm happy to report my experience with the Olympia Police Department has been very positive.

Last week, my wife and I observed a police officer seemingly act out without provocation, towards a pedestrian.

I quickly called the police department, and reported this conduct. The supervisor — Sgt. Bryan Houser — returned my call within the same hour. He took copious notes on what we told him, and spent time searching through every record, to ensure that the police department was being fully responsive to the citizen’s concerns.

The sergeant offered to meet with me in person, and he listened patiently as I expressed my frustration with police officers who do not act in an accountable manner to their community.

Within three hours of my phone call, he had spoken to the officer, verified the facts, and called me back to outline exactly why the individual had been ticketed. I found we had only witnessed the tail-end of a crime and had incorrectly assessed that the officer was treating the pedestrian unfairly.

I was so impressed with the sense of accountability and community service. Thank you Olympia Police for demonstrating responsiveness to concerned citizens, and how to explain the complications of police work without being accusatory, belligerent or defensive. Thanks for being true professionals.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Olympia Police were very professional, accountable."