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SPD fires officer who punched woman in handcuffs

Seattle Police fired an officer who punched a handcuffed woman in the face after she assaulted him.

Miyekko (Koko) Durden-Bosley says she still can’t believe the police officer who punched her while she was handcuffed in a patrol car will not be charged in state court.

Seattle Police fired an officer who punched a handcuffed woman in the face after she assaulted him.

Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole signed an order to terminate Adley Shepherd, because his “conduct was in stark contrast to the expectations set forth for our officers, and particularly our heightened duty of care to those in our custody.”

O’Toole wrote in a statement that the decision was not easy, but was the right one for the department and Seattle community.

The King County Prosecutor did not press criminal charges against Shepherd for the 2014 incident. The Washington State Patrol also investigated the use of force by Shepherd and concluded that "he acted in a way inconsistent with the training and policy by not using the time and resources available to him. As a result he unnecessarily placed himself in greater danger and caused unnecessary and foreseeable injury to the handcuffed suspect."

Related: Woman punched by Seattle police officer wants him fired

On June 22, 2014, Shepherd responded to a call about a possible domestic violence incident in South Seattle. The woman involved, Miyekko Durden-Bosley, allegedly threatened her ex-boyfriend. When Shepherd arrived, the situation escalated, and Durden-Bosley was put in handcuffs.

Dash cam footage recorded Durden-Bosley in the squad car denying she made threats. Shepherd said she was drunk and combative, although Durden-Bosley said that wasn’t true.

It is unclear whether Durden-Bosley actually kicked Shepherd, but footage records Shepherd saying, “She kicked me.” Then Shepherd punched her in the face.

The punch broke Durden-Bosley’s eye socket and caused a concussion.

Seattle Police Guild President Kevin Stuckey said he was disappointed by Shepherd’s termination and called the decision a travesty and an injustice.

“We have now an officer being terminated for using force that he was trained to do,” Stuckey said.

“Sometimes protecting means using force,” he added.

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