Everett city officials have told us that they expect to finish an internal investigation into police officer Troy Meade by the end of this month.
That’s a week away.
I asked city spokeswoman Kate Reardon Wednesday morning if she knew when a decision about Meade’s future would be announ
ced. I also asked if she could supply the latest numbers on how much he’s been paid while on leave.
I didn’t get an answer to the first question.
I quickly received a spreadsheet detailing Meade’s pay during the last two years. The quick response makes me wonder if the city is close to announcing a decision on Meade’s police career.
As of June 18, he’s been paid $168,004.81 while on leave. That number includes holiday and vacation pay.
Remember that’s in addition to the $240,000 that Everett paid for Meade’s criminal defense. The city also has racked up more than a half of million dollars in legal bills to defend against a civil lawsuit and handle the labor issues associated with the shooting.
Meade has been on leave since June 10, 2009 when he fatally shot Niles Meservey, 51, of Stanwood.
Meade encountered Meservey in the parking lot of the Chuckwagon Inn. Meservey was drunk, belligerent and refused to get out of his car. During the confrontation Meservey drove forward into a metal fence. Meade fired into the back window of the car, seven bullets struck Meservey from behind.
He told a jury he feared for his life.
Meade was acquitted of all charges in April 2010, but he was not allowed to return to work.
Everett Police Chief Jim Scharf told a Seattle attorney earlier this year that the internal investigation was delayed until the civil lawsuit against the city could be resolved. He said the delay was out of fairness to Meade.
Everett officials in February agreed to pay $500,000 Meservey’s daughter to settle the lawsuit. City officials told us a short time later the police department had begun its investigation into the shooting, some 20 months after the gunfire.
The city also announced that Scharf was delaying his planned retirement until after the internal investigation was completed. Looks like a local blogger talked to Scharf about his retirement plans at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. Read that blog here.
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