Bellevue Police Dept980
Two high-ranking members of the Bellevue Police Department have been demoted for hiding an extramarital affair that went on for eight months. (KIRO Radio/Linda Thomas)

'My life is ruined': Affair rocks Bellevue PD command staff

BY Brandi Kruse  on January 8, 2013 @ 12:25 pm (Updated: 4:10 pm - 1/8/13 )

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Two high-ranking members of the Bellevue Police Department have been demoted for hiding an extramarital affair that went on for eight months and included sexual encounters on training trips, according to documents obtained by KIRO Radio.

As The Seattle Times first reported Tuesday, Maj. John Manning and Capt. Autumn Fowler have both been demoted to the rank of lieutenant and will no longer serve on the department's command staff.

"Demotion to a non-command staff rank is the only real alternative in the face of such longstanding deception, erosion of trust, and flagrant disregard for the interests of the Department," Police Chief Linda Pillo wrote in an internal memo.

"This was not a momentary lapse in judgment. You chose your personal wants and needs over the Department's for eight months," she said.

According to a Washington State Patrol investigation, the relationship began in January 2012 and was exposed in August by a fellow police captain, who had reportedly been in a long-term dating relationship with Fowler.

The captain, who often stopped by Fowler's home in the evenings, found Manning naked in Fowler's closet.

"(The captain) stated it was evident to him Manning and Fowler had engaged in sexual relations that evening," according to the report.

He reported the relationship to Chief Pillo and Manning's wife.

The department said Tuesday that the discipline is not a result of the affair itself, but that the two violated policies that require them to report such relationships to their superiors.

"Professionally your options were clear cut and simple: report the relationship or not engage in it," Pillo wrote. According to Pillo, Fowler had previously been counseled about separating her personal life from her professional relationships.

The state patrol investigation stated that Manning was extremely distraught after his relationship with Fowler was exposed.

"I just (explicative)up my life," he reportedly said. "My life is ruined. I screwed everything up."

Manning told investigators that his sexual relationship with Fowler began in January 2012 during a training trip to Durham, North Carolina. He said sexual encounters also took place while the two were at an FBI Academy board meeting in Chelan in April and a training trip in Spokane in June.

"Manning explained the physical relationship continued until late June 2012 and during that time he communicated with Fowler on and off duty via text message, phone calls, work email, personal email, and face-to-face conversations," the report said. "Manning said he went to great lengths to hide his relationship from his wife; therefore, he deleted messages from his phone so he did not get caught."

Chief Pillo said fallout from their actions will impact the department "for years to come."

The incident comes a month after two other Bellevue police officers were disciplined for drunken and disorderly behavior at a Seattle Seahawks game.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (53)


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  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    how is this a scandel these days
    January 8, 2013 8:58 pm
    wen we have a president who has financially raped us?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    My wife of 32 years
    January 9, 2013 1:06 am
    We would run down to the break room all the time for a quicky before we married. What is the problem here?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Bellevue-police-demotes-2-commanders-for-extra-marital-affair-186075342.html
    January 9, 2013 2:39 am
    Males have fallen right and left for this trap since the beginning of time. Check out their pictures.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cameron wrote...
    Dow Constantine has affairs, Aaron Reardon has three-way affairs
    January 9, 2013 5:36 am
    Why is this any of our business anymore? Tired of the double standards in this State and in particular Western Washington. If Constantine and Reardon are not going to suffer any consequences, why should we really care who is doing who at BPD? If this is going to be the standard, then let's start lie detectoring everyone in every Government entity and let the firings begin! There are lot's of people looking for work.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    And Clinton has been out of office how long?
    January 9, 2013 5:52 am
    Like fish in a barrel. You Dims are so blinded by your blatant hypocrisy, you step in your own B.S. lies over and over. And Bush has been out of office how long? You are truly a pathetic human being.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bofus wrote...
    You sound like
    January 9, 2013 12:20 pm
    Bill Law Jr.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • murr wrote...
    Guess what ?????
    January 9, 2013 6:23 am
    You are free to choose, But you are not free from the consequence of your choice. You only think that you work for a goverment agency, that this does not apply. Most of the time, it does not though. I understand that.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    They knew the potentual consequences
    January 9, 2013 6:39 am
    and chose to roll the dice and lose!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    sportsguru
    January 9, 2013 6:45 am
    You blame this on Bush.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    Manning = Moron
    January 9, 2013 8:24 am
    If Manning was going to cheat on his wife and the BPD he could have at least picked out one of the many (Hot police women) on the BPD force instead of this homely one.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    Broke the chain of command
    January 9, 2013 9:08 am
    The lower ranked officer always gets sloppy seconds.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpygolkyone wrote...
    Huh?!
    January 9, 2013 10:23 am
    The captain who was getting sloppy seconds was the same rank as the captain hiding in the closet.

    Sounds like she was bangin quite a few on the force since they had to have a chat with her about separating her personal and professional life.

    A real Melrose Place going on in the BPD with all the swingin dicks trying to get in on the action.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    Well then
    January 9, 2013 11:55 am
    At least he came out of the closet.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Hyygolkyone
    January 10, 2013 5:44 am
    Hilarious!!! Best post on the blog... LOL.thanjs for starting my morning with a huge laugh!!! :)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }