Bellevue lieutenant fired over ‘deceitful’ workers’ comp claim

A Bellevue police lieutenant has been fired following allegations that she forged an official document and lied during an investigation into a workers’ compensation claim.

Lieutenant Lisa Flores, a 19-year veteran of the department, was relieved of duty following a meeting with Interim Police Chief Jim Montgomery on Tuesday.

“I have considered whether there is some plausible explanation for your actions that does not involve deceit and have found none,” Chief Montgomery wrote in a letter of termination.

The investigation into Lt. Flores began when she attempted to file for workers’ compensation after injuring her knee.

On March 8, 2013, Flores filed a claim that stated she injured her knee while trying to arrest an intoxicated suspect in February 2012, during which she was “donkey kicked” twice. The claim came more than a year after the incident because Lt. Flores said she didn’t realize she was hurt until she aggravated the injury while exercising in a CrossFit class.

The problem for Lt. Flores was that she did not report being injured immediately following the February 2012 incident. An official Force Response Review form, signed by her chain of command and on file with the city’s Personnel Services Unit, did not have a check mark next to a box labeled “Officer Injured.”

As part of her claim, Flores mysteriously provided a similar Force Response Review Form that did have a check mark next to the “Officer injured” box.

“This form was not an official document and contained information not contained in the official form,” according to an internal Bellevue PD memo sent to Flores on July 10, 2014, notifying her that a formal standards investigation had been launched.

The official form “did not indicate in any way that you were injured during the fight,” according to Lt. Flores’ letter of termination.

“To further this ruse, you backdated the unofficial (Force Response Review Form) to February 5, 2012. This constitutes providing false information/reports and is unethical and deceitful,” Chief Montgomery wrote in the termination letter.

It was further alleged that Lt. Flores committed insubordination by defying a direct order not to speak with anyone involved in the internal investigation into her conduct.

On July 2, 2014, after she had been notified in writing that an investigation had been launched, Lt. Flores called a City of Bellevue risk management specialist to ask him “specific questions” about a form located in his files related to her injury.

According to a letter of termination, Chief Montgomery ultimately decided to fire Lt. Flores because she denied having anything to do with the second, unofficial form.

“Am I that stupid,” Lt. Flores asked during an interview with investigators. “Would I create a second form to make some (expletive) up when there’s one sitting in the (Personnel Services Unit)?”

Montgomery said the finding of dishonesty prevents Lt. Flores from “useful service” as a law enforcement officer because it affects her ability to testify under oath.