Bellevue Police Officers Disciplined After Unruly Behavior at Seahawks Game

Two Bellevue police officers have been disciplined, and a 22-year veteran has been demoted, after an investigation into reported unruly behavior at a Seattle Seahawks game.

One of the officers drove home drunk, though no evidence was available on his level of intoxication, according to the police department's report, and he will not face criminal prosecution.

A Bellevue police detective, who was not named, was exonerated of any wrongdoing, according to the department's media release.

What do you think about the outcome of the investigation? Tell us in the comments section.

The disciplined officers are:

•Cpl. Dion Robertson, a 22-year veteran. He was demoted to officer and lost his supervisory responsibilities on the bomb squad, which results in a significant annual loss in pay. 

•Officer Andy Hanke, a seven-year veteran. He was given 30 days suspension from duty without pay and was removed from the bomb squad, also resulting in a significant loss in annual wages.  

Both officers were found to have violated policies on Deportment (a manner of personal conduct/behavior), Courtesy and Code of Ethics, according to the media release. Hanke also violated Obedience to Laws Policy, according to the release.

Bellevue Police's Office of Professional Standards investigated the reported unruly behavior of off-duty officers at a Seattle Seahawks game on Sept. 16.

According to the Bellevue Police Department's investigation, Robertson and Hanke and an unidentified city of Bellevue utilities department employee reportedly taunted an on-duty Seattle police officer outside the stadium after she asked the utilities department employee to pick up a cup that one of them dropped.

But the boorish behavior didn't stop there, according to subsequent reports. After the three arrived at the game, they behaved in unruly fashion, including a confrontation with a fan at the game, resulting in the officers being thrown out of the game for their behavior.

The fan said that one of the group, two male officers, a female officer and another woman, who is now identified as the utilties department employee, warned him not to get pulled over in Bellevue. 

The Bellevue Police Department's report said it was the utilities department employee who identified the group as "Bellevue's finest." The female officer, who is a detective, was not involved in the previous incident and did not make any comments to the public, according to the Bellevue Police Department report.

The investigation determined that Hanke drove home under the influence of alcohol, but investigators could not get forensic evidence of his level of intoxication. The lack of evidence means that there will be no criminal prosecution, but Hanke violated the department's Obedience of Laws Policy, according to the media release.

"It should be noted that the same standard and rules of evidence would be applied to any member of the public," the media release noted.

Previous coverage:

• Sep 20, 2012
• Bellevue Officers Thrown Out of Seahawks Game After Confrontation with a Fan, Sep 21, 2012
• VIDEO: Bellevue Police Chief: Investigation of Officer Conduct at Seahawks Game Will Take 30 Days, Sep 25, 2012
• Bellevue Police Investigation into Off-Duty Officers' Behavior Under Review, Nov 5, 2012