Former Acting Chief Stephens Placed On Administrative - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Former Acting Chief Stephens Placed On Administrative Leave From Spokane Police Department

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by Alex Rozier, KHQ Local News Reporter - bio | email

SPOKANE, WASH. - Sources close to the Spokane Police Department confirm with KHQ's Alex Rozier Friday evening that Scott Stephens, the former acting Police Chief of the Spokane Police Department, has been placed on an administrative leave pending an internal investigation. The sources confirm that the matter is not criminal in nature, strictly related to internal issues.

Stephens began his work with the department in 1984 and in March of 1986 he was hired as a full time police officer. He worked his way up to Major on January 11, 2009 and eventually was promoted to acting Police Chief after Anne Kirkpatrick left the department on January 2nd of 2012.  

New Boss, New Problems

On October 8th of 2012 Mayor David Condon announced Frank Straub as the newest Spokane Police Chief and within months he began making major changes. At a press conference on December 21st, 2012 Straub announced that he was "reassigning" Stephens from the rank of Assistant Police Chief to Captain and he promoted Major Craig Meidl to Assistant Chief.  

Sources close to the department say after nearly three decades of work with the department Stephens did not take the demotion well. Multiple people described the issues related to Captain Stephens as "sensitive."

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