Granite Falls police chief on leave as sheriff office investigates

Published 11:58 pm Friday, April 23, 2010

GRANITE FALLS — Police Chief Tony Domish has been placed on paid administrative leave while an investigation of the police department is conducted.

Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick agreed Friday to have his department conduct the investigation at the request of Granite Falls Mayor Haroon Saleem. The mayor put Domish on leave Friday afternoon.

Sheriff’s Lt. Rick Hawkins will serve as interim chief during the investigation.

Officials on Friday would not discuss the reason for the investigation.

“The only thing I can tell you is it’s not personal,” Saleem said. He said city attorneys are working on a statement that might be issued Monday.

The action comes a week after Granite Falls police began making a series of arrests on drug charges. Seven people were jailed on suspicion of selling methamphetamine, marijuana or prescription pills. Officers also were investigating a verbal death threat made against Domish, the chief said.

An informant told detectives, “The chief needs to be careful,” Domish said.

Former Granite Falls Mayor Floyd “Butch” DeRosia was among those arrested and booked into the Snohomish County Jail on April 16. He posted a $20,000 bond and was released early the next day, said Rebecca Hover, a spokeswoman for the jail.

Domish declined to comment on Friday’s development.

“I’ve been ordered not to discuss it,” he said.

Saleem and Domish were bitter adversaries for a couple of years leading up to Saleem’s election to the mayor’s office in November. Domish said Saleem’s restaurant and bar, the Timberline Cafe, generated more than its share of fights and drunken-driving arrests. Saleem said Domish unfairly targeted his business and said the dispute helped motivate him to run for mayor. He soundly defeated incumbent Lyle Romack.

In December, Saleem and Domish met off and on for 30 hours and said they had agreed to put their differences behind them.

Shortly before Saleem took office, the City Council angered the mayor by voting to extend Domish’s contract six months before it was due to expire. Saleem said the move should have been delayed 90 days to give him a chance to provide input as mayor.

Domish’s new contract pays him his previous salary, $66,000, in 2010, with 5 percent raises each year from 2011 through 2014. The new contract also provides other benefits, including greater detail about his job description. It also increases his severance pay for up to 12 months’ worth of salary if he is terminated without cause.

Sheriff Lovick said he hoped the investigation could be concluded in 90 days. Hawkins has previously served as chief for Darrington and Sultan, which contract with the sheriff’s office for police service.

“He has my full support and full confidence,” Saleem said.

Lovick said Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Suzie Johnson was has been promoted to lieutenant and will fill in for Hawkins on patrol for the sheriff’s office.

There are six full-time patrol officers in Granite Falls, a city of 3,375.

“Our job is to preserve the integrity of law enforcement,” Lovick said. “If there is something we can do for our small communities, we can do that.”

Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439; sheets@heraldnet.com.