Tacoma police deputy chief on paid leave amid allegation, investigation
Tacoma deputy police chief on mysterious leave
For the second time in a month, Tacoma is seeing an unexpected shake up when it comes to its police department, as Deputy Chief Paul Junger is now on paid leave.
TACOMA, Wash. - For the second time in just over a month, the Tacoma Police Department is facing leadership disruptions.
Deputy Chief Paul Junger has been placed on paid administrative leave following an allegation, according to Tacoma Police officials. The nature of the accusation has not been disclosed, but the department confirmed that it is not criminal. The allegation was reportedly made by a city employee, and Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore, who himself was recently on leave, made the decision to place Junger on paid leave.
Deputy Chief Junger's absence follows a similar situation involving Chief Avery Moore, who was placed on paid leave last month. The decision to remove Moore temporarily from his duties was linked to allegations of misusing taxpayer funds. Specifically, documents FOX 13 Seattle obtained through a public records request indicated that Moore had used a department-issued cell phone as a GPS device during an out-of-country vacation, resulting in hundreds of dollars in charges and leading to a service cutoff by the cell phone provider.
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Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore placed on administrative leave
Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore has been placed on administrative leave. The city of Tacoma confirmed this was effective as of Wednesday night.
Moore, who returned to duty at the start of October, has acknowledged the discipline, stating he accepts the consequences of his actions.
Moore and Junger joined the Tacoma Police Department in 2022 after previously working together in Dallas.
City Manager Elizabeth Pauli placed Moore on leave last month, citing misuse of city assets but did not initially provide further explanation. The incident added to the controversy as the city's police leadership faces additional scrutiny. In response to Moore's temporary absence, Junger had stepped in as acting chief — a role he now vacates as he faces his own investigation.
Officials have not provided a timeline for how long Deputy Chief Junger's administrative leave will last, and the department declined to offer any on-camera interviews regarding the matter. Tacoma Police have stated that any future disciplinary actions, if necessary, will be publicly communicated.
The recent leadership shake-ups come at a time when the Tacoma Police Department continues to navigate various internal and external pressures.
Tacoma deputy police chief placed on administrative leave
Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore has placed Deputy Police Chief Paul Junger on paid administrative leave after an allegation was made against him.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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