Seattle police detective arrested for alleged cyber-stalking

A Seattle police detective was arrested Thursday for allegedly cyber-stalking and stealing the identity of an apparent former lover, the Seattle Police Department said.

The 43-year-old married detective was apparently in a romantic relationship with the victim, the SPD blotter statement said, but the end of the relationship “was reportedly less than amicable.”

The woman went to the detective’s home on July 17 to confront him in front of his family, the statement said.  The officer allegedly retaliated by creating a "salacious Facebook alias purporting to be her," the statement said.

No other details were provided on the contents of that page.

But later the same day, the woman filed a complaint with the SPD’s Office of Professional Accountability (OPA). The victim told investigators that the counterfeit Facebook page caused her fear and embarrassment.

Due to the criminal nature of the complaint, OPA investigators turned the case over to detectives in the Special Operations Bureau. These detectives worked the case over the next several days, developing probable cause and identifying and collecting evidence. Detectives also deactivated the Facebook page.

“Detectives arrested the employee this morning,” the statement said. “He was cooperative and the arrest occurred without incident. The employee surrendered his badge and gun. Detectives booked him into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of (felony)  identity theft/domestic violence – cyber-stalking.”

Detectives continue to investigate whether or not the officer assaulted the victim during the July 17 confrontation.

The detective has 17 years of service with our department. He was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Bureau at the time of the incident.

He has been placed on paid administrative leave. If he is charged with a felony, his status will change to unpaid administrative leave, the SPD said.