Report: Council candidate, former SPD officer found in violation of police conduct rules

The Seattle Times reported Thursday that Seattle council candidate and former SPD lieutenant Brendan Kolding was found by a police department review board to have violated retaliation and conduct rules.

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The Office of Police Accountability reportedly made its ruling back in May, finding that Kolding had threatened to relegate a fellow police officer to desk duty. Sources told the Times that the OPA also ruled he lied about the threat.

Kolding previously left SPD to pursue his campaign for Seattle City Council, but still has a chance to state his case and clear his name at a July 25 closed-door meeting. Police Chief Carmen Best will rule on whether to uphold the OPA’s decision shortly after that.

Kolding denied the allegations in a statement issued to the Times on Wednesday, stating that the ruling was retaliatory, and that he didn’t originally leave the department to avoid being terminated.

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In the past, the council candidate has stated that “it’s been very much in vogue to demonize the police in this city,” something echoed by others in the department in recent surveys.

Kolding is currently running in District 1 against incumbent Lisa Herbold and attorney Phil Tavel, in one of Seattle’s less-contested council races. He’s currently raised just over $65,000 in campaign contributions, trailing close behind Herbold’s $76,287 total.

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