Third officer revealed in Hardesty fake hit-and-run leak
By Web Staff
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PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — Foregoing standard procedure the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office has released information regarding the false information leaked to press implying Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty had been involved in a March hit-and-run.
The internal affairs investigation took place between the beginning of March and late October and determined Officer Brian Hunzeker, who at the time was president of the Portland Police Association, and two other officers were responsible for the leaked implications.
The false implications that were leaked to the media included a screenshot of a dispatch report stating Hardesty had been involved in a March hit-and-run. The victim of the incident said Hardesty was the driver who left the scene which Hardesty denied, backed up by public statement from the Portland Police Bureau at the time.
The subsequent investigation found Hunzeker, as well as officers Kerri Ottoman and Ken Le, leaked the false information to three different entities.
The document released is a letter from Portland Police Bureau directly to Hardesty, which reveals Hunzeker cited multiple reasons for the “leak.”
“There were many reasons Officer Hunzeker cited as the driving factors for why he shared the information and one of those factors, he admits, was in response to Commissioner Hardesty’s false allegation about officers setting fires during the civil unrest,” the letter reads while stating there is no findings the actions were racially motivated.
Hunzeker resigned as president of the PPA on March 16.
The investigation also found Le released the screenshot and information to a friend within the Bureau of Emergency Control who was off duty which violated policy and Ottoman provided the information to a friend.
In December, Hardesty filed a lawsuit against Hunzeker, Ottoman, the Portland Police Association and the city of Portland.
Hardesty is seeking $3 million from the Portland Police Association and $1 million each from Hunzeker and Ottoman. The lawsuit is also seeking $1 from the city of Portland.
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