Pullman police chief who was placed on leave resigns

Pullman Police Chief Jake Opgenorth, who was on administrative leave since December, has resigned, the city of Pullman announced Friday.

Opgenorth served more than 30 years with Pullman police and became chief in 2022.

He submitted his resignation, effective Thursday, according to a Pullman news release. Cmdr. Aaron Breshears will continue to serve as acting police chief until the appointment of a new chief.

Opgenorth was on leave since Dec. 17 amid domestic violence and sexual assault allegations by a woman who requested a protection order against him.

The woman who filed a protective order petition in December in Whitman County Superior Court claimed she was involved in a relationship with Opgenorth and had worked with him on the Pullman Police Advisory Committee. The woman requested a domestic violence protection order and wrote “sexual assault” as an additional protection order, court records show.

A judge declined to sign a protection order for the woman, stating the text messages submitted to the court between the woman and Opgenorth were “childish” and they both acted in “emotional manipulation,” according to KHQ.

The defense argued the woman messaged Opgenorth several times after the alleged breakup, KHQ reported. It also argued the woman was not scared of Opgenorth, as she allegedly visited his house after the incidents and posed as a tourist.