ARLINGTON, Wash. — An Arlington police officer was arrested, accused of having more than 1,000 files of child porn. According to prosecutors, his own girlfriend turned him in.
KIRO 7 is not identifying the officer because he has not yet been charged.
The officer’s girlfriend, who asked not to be identified, told KIRO 7 about discovering a trove of child porn and contacting the authorities.
“He felt safe. He always has,” she said. “He is behind a badge.”
The officer’s girlfriend took a KIRO 7 crew into their shared home on Camano Island and revealed a cabinet in their closet. It held some law enforcement equipment, including handcuffs and gun belts.
According to investigators, it was the hiding place for two hard drives that contained child porn.
“I was crying, shaking, confused, pissed,” she said.
According to court documents, the officer’s girlfriend saw him looking at child porn last week. When she called him out on it, he reportedly shoved her. She called 911, but the officer was not arrested.
Days later, she told KIRO 7 she snuck a look at the hard drives and handed the evidence over to Island County Sheriff’s deputies, prompting an arrest.
“Kind of a gut punch for myself and all of the members of the department, to be honest with you,” Chief Jonathan Ventura of the Arlington Police Department said.
Ventura told KIRO 7 the officer is now on leave.
According to Ventura, he had been with the department nearly 8 years, was well-liked and was even named officer of the year once.
“People are unpredictable and sometimes you don’t know what’s going on in their personal lives,” he said.
Ventura said his department is cooperating with the investigation and praised the girlfriend’s bravery in putting her own safety at risk to expose the alleged crimes.
“If the allegations are sustained, we are glad someone did the right thing,” he said.
The officer’s girlfriend said the only thanks she wants is for justice to be served.
“They need to not have a soft spot for their own,” she said.
The officer made his first court appearance Wednesday and has been released from jail. He is not allowed to be near children or his girlfriend. He is not allowed to use the internet and must surrender all firearms.
Prosecutors expect to have a charging decision by Friday.
The Arlington Police Department released the following statement:
“These allegations are deeply troubling and, if proven true, would stand in direct opposition to the values, oath, and mission of this Department. The men and women of the Arlington Police Department have dedicated their professional lives to protecting the safety and well-being of our community, especially children and other vulnerable members of society,” the department shared. Conduct of this nature, if substantiated, would be fundamentally incompatible with the responsibilities entrusted to law enforcement officers. At the same time, it is important to recognize that the officer is entitled to the same constitutional protections and presumption of innocence afforded to every member of our justice system unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The Department remains committed to ensuring that all administrative actions are conducted fairly, lawfully, and with respect for due process.”
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