A Port of Seattle police officer is on paid administrative leave after calling for fellow officers not to enforce social distancing rules.
Officer Greg Anderson is under investigation after posting a video last week of himself in uniform in his patrol car, saying, “We don’t get to violate people’s constitutional rights.”
“I don’t know what crime people are committing by doing nails in their own house. … We have to ask ourselves as officers, ‘Is what I am doing right?’ I want to remind you that regardless of where you stand on the coronavirus, we don’t have the authority to do those things to people just because a mayor or a governor tells you otherwise,” he continued, adding, “We don’t get to violate people’s constitutional rights because somebody in our chain of command tells us otherwise.”
Police Chief Rod Covey responded to the news on the Port of Seattle Police Department’s Facebook page Tuesday.
“Greg has always had the ability to express his opinions on what is going on in the country like all other Americans. However, he is not allowed to do so while on duty, wearing our uniform, wearing our badge and while driving our patrol car. Greg has chosen this course of action even after he and I spoke and while also knowing that his actions were outside of well-established policy,” he wrote.
Anderson posted an update on his suspension on his Instagram account Monday, saying, “I have been placed on administrative leave (still being paid) pending investigation. I was told by both the agency and my union that this will result in termination due to it being an insubordination charge for refusing to take down the video. I’m not sure what the timeline looks like. I walk un-intimidated into the fray. Thank you for all the support.”
Democratic Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has put the state under a stay-at-home order that is effective through May 31. Under the order, residents can only leave their homes for essential activities, social gatherings are prohibited, and nonessential businesses must close. The governor recently unveiled a phased plan to reopen the state.
