WSP phone number hijacked by con artists
Troopers said that if you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be with WSP wanting money, you should hang up the phone without disclosing any personal information.
Sirens & Gavels David Wasson
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 5, 2015
MONDAY, OCT. 27, 2014
Suspect with memorable name apprehended in Valley shoot-em-up
Police think they know who shot up a Spokane Valley tavern earlier this month and the suspect has an appropriately memorable name: Ray Gunn. A convicted felon prohibited from legally possessing firearms, Gunn was taken into custody Oct. 23 by sheriff's detectives assigned to the…
FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014
Spokane looking for Police Ombudsman Commission volunteers
Spokane is looking for volunteers to serve on the new Police Ombudsman Commission. Applicants must undergo a background check and interviews. Application deadline is June 6 and city leaders want to have the five-member commission empaneled by mid-July. Application materials are available at spokanecity.org. The…
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014
Spokane Valley adds more cops
At a time when many cities are still scrambling to find ways to add police or fill positions left vacant to help balance budgets, Spokane Valley has green-lighted a plan that puts more deputies on the streets when they're needed most. City Council members agreed…
MONDAY, FEB. 17, 2014
Say, "cheese" Einstein
You'd think crooks would have figured out by now there's cameras everywhere. But apparently not. Take this Einstein, for example. Notice how he walked up to the Spokane espresso stand, placed an order and even looked up at the surveillance camera while waiting for his…
THURSDAY, FEB. 13, 2014
Traffic cameras capture part of standoff
Portions of the chase and final confrontation between a despondent Army veteran and Spokane-area law enforcement were broadcast across the Internet by state traffic cameras. Although the Washington Department of Transportation doesn’t store the images, those who were on the website Tuesday night were able…
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2013
Playmates demand justice in Belton beating death
Playboy models Shane and Sia Barbi, more popularly known as the Barbi Twins, have joined the call for justice in the beating death of WWII vet Delbert "Shorty" Belton last week in Spokane. And they quickly called BS on claims by one of the accused…
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013
Tax day can be a bummer for everyone
With tax day looming, career criminals should take note. The IRS is advising that all earnings, including those obtained illegally, must be reported as income for tax purposes. Additionally, criminal enterprises are ineligible for the types of business deductions enjoyed by companies engaged in lawful…
THURSDAY, JAN. 17, 2013
The number of centenarian drivers might surprise you
Wondering why that motorist in the lane beside you looks so old? Could be because they are. New state figures show there's 110 licensed drivers in Washington who, as of Jan. 10, are at least 100 years old. They are among the 2,394 state residents…
FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 2012
SPD sent officers to city schools in show of support
Although more symbolic than practical, Spokane police sent officers to every school today in an effort to demonstrate that the community is working together to keep kids safe. New Chief Frank Straub said he hoped it also would provide anxious parents with some level of…
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2012
Federal prosecutor says Spokane has good police force
U.S. Attorney Mike Ormsby, whose office handled the excessive force prosecution of former Spokane police officer Karl Thompson, took deliberate steps Thursday to praise the trustworthiness of the local police force overall. "That's not an indictment of our entire police department," Ormsby said just moments…
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26, 2012
TIP: Probably best to avoid mocking police leniency
Here's a useful tip: If you're being stupid and the cops cut you a break, it's probably best to avoid making the officers regret it by mocking their leniency on YouTube. The following article that just moved on the Associated Press wire, if you stick…
FRIDAY, SEPT. 21, 2012
SPD looking for reserve officers
Can you do at least 21 pushups? Sprint 300 meters in 71 seconds or less? Run a mile-and-a-half in under 14:31? What about 30 situps in under a minute? If so, you may be eligible for the Spokane Police Department's reserve officer program. The department…
THURSDAY, SEPT. 20, 2012
Is this Spokane's unluckiest burglar?
Admitted burglar Jeramie Davis, who looted a Spokane porn shop in 2008 as its slain owner lay dead on the floor, will remain in jail while waiting for his rare second chance to try convincing a jury that he's not a killer -- just Spokane's…
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 19, 2012
Now on to the penalty phase ...
For nearly a year, former Spokane Police Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr. has avoided sentencing on his federal convictions for using excessive force in the beating of Otto Zehm and then lying to investigators about it. But with yesterday's refusal by U.S. District Judge Fred…
THURSDAY, AUG. 23, 2012
Straub promises innovation for SPD
Spokane Mayor David Condon made it official Wednesday, naming former Indianapolis Public Safety Director Frank Straub as his choice to take over leadership of the city's scandal-scarred police force. The appointment requires City Council confirmation, which could take up to a month to bring to…
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012
No stranger to controversial rulings
U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Imbrogno is no stranger to controversial rulings. Imbrogno is the judge who released suspected cop shooter Charles R. Wallace from jail to attend drug treatment while awaiting trial on his latest heroin trafficking charges. Wallace almost immediately left the treatment program…
THURSDAY, FEB. 23, 2012
Spokane police honored for heroism
The courage and heroism of more than a dozen Spokane police officers who went above and beyond the call of duty will be honored tonight. Check back with The Spokesman-Review for full coverage of the recipients. The awards presentation which is scheduled for 6 p.m.…
THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2011
Feds hint at broader problems with SPD
Could a broader federal probe of the Spokane Police Department be under way? Although U.S. Attorney Mike Ormsby joined other community leaders Wednesday in cautioning against drawing too many conclusions from the excessive force conviction of Spokane police Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr., indications are…
SUNDAY, OCT. 30, 2011
Zehm closing arguments set for Monday
The case against Spokane Police Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr. should be in the jury's hands by Monday afternoon, which would have been Otto Zehm's 42nd birthday. Thompson, the first officer to confront Zehm following a mistaken report of a possible theft in 2006, is…
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011
Wave goodbye to road rage?
The National Motorists Association has designated June as Lane Courtesy Month and is urging drivers across America to engage in the practice of yielding or moving over for faster moving traffic on multi-lane roads. Seriously. We're not making this up. Here's a prepared statement that…
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2011
Washington is 10th least-violent state
Washington is one of the most peaceful states in the nation, according to a new study that examined various factors such as homicide and violent crime rates. Idaho ranked 16th. The Institute for Economics and Peace, a nonpartisan think tank, examines violence from an economic…
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011
Ormsby bros. on 2 sides of medical pot
There's an odd family dynamic in U.S. Attorney Mike Ormsby's shut-down-or-face-federal-prosecution warning to Spokane-area medical marijuana dispensaries Wednesday. His younger brother, state Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-Spokane, pictured left), is among the Washington legislators trying to legalize and regulate the production and sale of medical marijuana…
SUNDAY, DEC. 19, 2010
Bayview hammer attack investigated
Four people reportedly were hospitalized this afternoon apparently after being attacked in their Bayview, Idaho trailer home by a hammer-wielding neighbor.Details were sketchy and the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department did not return calls Sunday seeking information, but residents said authorities at the scene of the…
THURSDAY, DEC. 9, 2010
"Shoot to kill" vs. shoot to stop threat
There's concern within Spokane's law enforcement community about a description in a recent SR article explaining that police are trained to "shoot to kill" rather than shoot to wound, which is seen as risky because wounded gunmen can still pull triggers. It was intended to…