Contributors

Investigation Into Olympia Police Killing of Timothy Green Concludes; Future Uncertain

08

Jan

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Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers, Timothy Green

Investigation Into Olympia Police Killing of Timothy Green Concludes; Future Uncertain

Nearly six months after an Olympia Police Department officer shot and killed Timothy Green near a busy intersection on the outskirts of the city, an investigation into the incident is complete. The Capital Metro Independent Investigation Team (CMIIT) will brief the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on its findings on January 12, said Lacey Police Sgt. Shannon Barnes, a spokeswoman for the CMIIT. It will be up to Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Tony Golik to determine what, if any, further action will occur. The briefing, which is not open to the public, will take place at the Prosecutor’s Office. Green’s…

Timothy Green’s Parents Struggle to Make Sense of Why Olympia Police Killed Their Son

07

Oct

By Mindy Chambers

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Features, Mindy Chambers, Timothy Green

Timothy Green’s Parents Struggle to Make Sense of Why Olympia Police Killed Their Son

Millie and Oscar Green last spoke with their son Timothy around 8 p.m. the day before his death. “I asked him, ‘are you safe?’ He said, ‘I am about as safe as I am going to be,’ ”recounts Millie, who spoke with Timothy on Sunday, August 21, assuring him that on the following day, Monday, the family would renew its efforts to find a place for him in a mental health facility. But by mid-morning Monday, August 22, Timothy, a 37-year-old Black man in crisis, was dead, shot three times in the chest by an Olympia Police Department officer during an incident that’s still under investigation. “All the beds were full,” Millie said of their fruitless efforts to find assistance for Timothy, who on Saturday had been asked to…

“He will always be my son. They took something away from us, but they did not take Tim.”

13

Sep

By Mindy Chambers

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Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers, Timothy GreenTimothy Green

“He will always be my son. They took something away from us, but they did not take Tim.”

A memorial to Timothy Green at the place where an Olympia Police Department officer shot and killed him on August 22, 2022. [Photo: Leslie Cushman] “He will not be forgotten.His family will be supported.Police will be held accountable.We can and must do better.” That’s the vow of family and friends of Timothy Green, shot and killed by an Olympia Police Department officer just over three weeks ago. “He will always be my son. They took something away from us, but they did not take Tim. I won’t let them. If I did that, then they win,” said Timothy’s mother, Millie…

Olympia Police Department Release Names of Officers Involved in Timothy Green Killing

03

Sep

By Mindy Chambers

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Features, Mindy Chambers, Timothy Green

Olympia Police Department Release Names of Officers Involved in Timothy Green Killing

[Artwork by: Agnostic Trek] The Olympia Police Department has identified the four officers involved in a shooting nearly two weeks ago that led to the death of 37-year-old Timothy Green. The officers are Acting Sgt. Joseph Bellamy, officer Caleb Shaffer, officer Jordan Anderson, and officer Brenda Anderson. Their names were given to The Olympia Tribune in response to a records request and subsequently released to the public Friday. “Because of ongoing community interest and to ensure transparency with the public following the recent fulfillment of a Public Disclosure Request (by the Olympia Tribune), we are sharing the names of the…

Family of Timothy Green Releases Statement

29

Aug

By Mindy Chambers

2 Comments

Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers, Timothy Green

Family of Timothy Green Releases Statement

The family of Timothy Green, shot and killed by an Olympia Police Department officer a week ago today, has issued a statement asking the community for prayers and setting out their expectations for the investigation into his death. The family also expresses their long-time fear that the 37-year-old Olympia resident would die at the hands of police. “As a family, we have dreaded the possibility that Tim would meet this very outcome. We have read the accounts of other individuals in mental health crises … We know that people who have mental health issues are at a higher risk of being killed by police and this…

22

Apr

By Mindy Chambers

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City of Olympia, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

Top Cop Search Stops… AGAIN

The city of Olympia’s “preferred candidate” to be its next police chief dropped out of the running Thursday, dealing another blow to its two-plus year search for a permanent chief. The move came the day before Kenton Buckner resigned as chief of the Syracuse, N.Y., Police Department, where he had served for just over three years. Buckner's resignation was not mentioned in a late-morning news release from the city on Friday announcing it was again pausing its police chief search. The release contained this statement from Buckner: "Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the search for a Chief of Police…

18

Apr

By Mindy Chambers

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City of Olympia, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

Council To Approve City Manager Raise

More than four months after it took effect, the Olympia City Council will officially approve an $8,050 yearly salary increase for City Manager Jay Burney. The council had failed to vote to approve the raise after discussing his performance evaluation on January 11. State law requires that approval of such increases take place in an open public meeting, which in this case will be Tuesday night’s council meeting. Burney’s salary is now $205,000. The amendment to his employment contract for approval makes the pay raise retroactive to January 1, 2022, when he began receiving it. Until the council agenda was published…

05

Apr

By Mindy Chambers

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City of Olympia, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

Olympia’s City Manager Gets Pay Bump Over $200K

Eight months after he got a pay increase, City Manager Jay Burney got another one. The Olympia City Council gave Burney an $8,050 yearly salary increase starting January 1, bringing his annual salary to $205,000. His last pay increase, of $1,950 per year, was in mid-May of 2021, which brought his salary to $196,950. The council appointed him as city manager in May 2020 at a salary of $195,000. He’d spent the previous ten years as assistant city manager. Information on Burney’s salary history was available only through a public record request from The Olympia Tribune the city required before…

24

Mar

By Mindy Chambers

1 Comment

City of Olympia, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

Olympia Council Gets Pay Increase

The city of Olympia’s Salary Commission quietly voted last year to increase the pay of the city’s mayor, mayor, mayor pro-tem, and councilmembers by more than 3 percent and to hike their benefits package. The new salaries are: Mayor: $27,114.92, with $5,546,78 in benefits. Previous pay was $26,301.78 and $3,807.84 in benefits.Mayor pro-tem (performs the duties as needed): $24,855.17, with $5,546,78 in benefits. Previous pay was $24,109.81 and $3,807.84 in benefits.Councilmembers: $22,595.42, with $5,546,78 in benefits. Previous pay was $21,918.17 and $3,807.84 in benefits. The benefits portion includes increasing the city-paid amount of medical insurance premiums and 100 percent for…

More OPD Police Chief Finalists, More Problems

12

Mar

By Mindy Chambers

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City of Olympia, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers

More OPD Police Chief Finalists, More Problems

Two of the city of Olympia’s three finalists for chief of its Police Department have been named in legal actions referencing hostile workplace issues, and one has been sued over allegations of racism and discrimination. Kenton Buckner Finalist Kenton Buckner, police chief in Syracuse New York, has been named in several legal actions in his 28 years in law enforcement. He had previously had worked in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Louisville. He was sued last year by a Syracuse police officer for racism and discrimination. Buckner has denied the claims. When he was in Little Rock, he was among those…