Officer Asking Another Officer To Falsify A Police Report
Deputy Chief Eric Barden, the city’s second top cop, is under investigation both within his department and by external authorities. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office has referred a domestic abuse case against Barden to the prosecutor’s office for a charging decision. Few details are known about the allegations, which allegedly occurred over a year ago. Pierce County records reveal Barden faces another serious accusation: misconduct. Last month, the prosecutor’s office reported that Barden asked a Pierce County deputy to include false information in a police report related to a separate domestic dispute last year, where Barden was the alleged victim. The deputy refused, stating he would not break the law by falsifying the report. Despite these investigations, Barden remains on the job.
State Senator Manka Dhingra, with years of experience as a King County prosecutor specializing in sexual assault and gender-based crimes, has taken note.
Last month, it emerged that two members of SPD’s top brass are under criminal investigation for crimes against women: Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis for allegations of sexual assault and Barden for the domestic abuse complaint. Former Chief Adrian Diaz placed Davis on administrative leave, but it lasted only a week. On interim Chief Sue Rahr’s first day, she reinstated Davis. Multiple policing policy experts criticized this decision, but Rahr defended her actions.
Barden faces consequences for allegedly asking an officer to lie on a police report. Pierce County records show the prosecutor’s office put him on the potential impeachment list two weeks ago, indicating he may not be a credible witness in court. Pierce County alerted interim Chief Rahr about Barden’s status on June 11th. Rahr stated that the investigation is ongoing and must run its natural course.
Pierce County has asked SPD to conduct an internal investigation into the allegations of pressuring an officer to lie. Once completed, Pierce County will decide if Barden will remain on or be removed from the potential impeachment list.
