RICHLAND, Wash.-A 2017 investigative report sheds new light on the alleged wrongdoing of former Richland Police Chief Brigit Clary while she was a member of the Federal Way Police Department.
NonStop Local obtained the report, compiled by the Seabold Group on behalf of the City of Federal Way, from Benton County Prosecutor Eric Eisinger’s Office.
Clary was appointed interim Chief in Jan. 2022 and named Richland’s first female Chief in April 2022. She retired on Jan. 1, 2024.
Craig Meidl was appointed Interim Chief as of April 15 and is expected to serve for 3-6 months as the City searches for its next full-time Chief, according to a Richland press release.
The City of Richland requested an independent investigation into the hiring of Clary and why it was unaware of Federal Way’s investigation at the time. NonStop Local has filed a public records request to obtain that investigation.
Clary joined the FWPD in 2002 and served until she was placed on administrative leave in 2016.
The Seabold investigation resulted in sustained findings that Clary violated the FWPD Code of Conduct and the Federal Way City Employee Code of Ethics by approving overtime for her husband, John Clary, who was also an FWPD officer.
According to the Federal Way Police Department Manual of Standards, sustained findings in a Standards Investigation mean that the allegations are supported by sufficient evidence to justify a reasonable conclusion that the alleged misconduct occurred.
Lieutenant Clary was served with a Letter of Standards Investigation notice and placed on administrative leave with pay on Nov. 18, 2016.
Clary was then notified on Dec. 13, 2016 that an investigation had been opened into her approval of overtime for her husband. The Seabold Group interviewed Clary in-person, with legal counsel present on Dec. 15, 2016 and Jan. 11, 2017.
The Seabold investigation included witness testimony, computer data, emails, call logs, text messages, overtime slips and other records.
From Jan. 2015 until Nov. 2016 Clary oversaw the Registered Sex Offender Program within the FWPD, where one of her responsibilities was to approve overtime.
According to the Seabold investigation, Clary approved four overtime requests for her husband, Lieutenant John Clary, and requested that another Lieutenant sign two additional overtime slips for her husband in Oct. 2016.
Nepotism Policy
The City of Federal Way Employee Guidelines contain a nepotism policy which generally prohibits members of the same immediate family from having any reporting, auditing or supervisory relationships with one another.
On Jan. 5, 2016 Clary confirmed that she had read the employee guidelines as required annually, but that she “really didn’t give it much thought,” according to the Seabold report.
Overtime Policies
Clary and her husband were both Lieutenants with the FWPD when she approved his overtime slips.
Overtime for Federal Way employees requires preapproval, either verbally or in writing, from someone of a higher rank, except in emergency situations.
According to the Seabold investigation, it is undisputed that Clary signed her husband’s overtime slips, even though Commanders were available to sign and should have done so, however, there is no evidence that she knew about any reporting irregularities on overtime slips.
Sustained Facts
In regards to Federal Way’s Nepotism Policy, the Seabold investigation found the following facts were sustained.
Clary permitted her husband to work RSO overtime while she was supervising the program.Clary authorized overtime for her husband by signing his OT slips as “supervisor” even though they were of the same rank.Clary knew or should have known that the Federal Way Nepotism Policy prevented her from approving her husband’s overtime.The fact that Clary had another Lieutenant sign two overtime slips for her husband after she signed the first four is evidence that she knew it was inappropriate for her to be signing off on overtime.
Section 1.3 of the Federal Way PD Code of Conduct concerns truthfulness and the Seabold investigation found the allegation that Clary was not truthful at all times and on all matters sustained, based on the following facts.
Clary’s claim that a Commander was not available to her while Commander Norman was on leave were not truthful.Clary’s statement that she asked a Lieutenant to sign two of her husband’s overtime slips because a Commander was unavailable were untruthful, as she knew a Commander had been back in the office for over a week.
The allegation that Clary and her family personally benefitted from her husband working RSO overtime was also sustained in violation of the Federal Way Code of Ethics.
The Seabold Group provided the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office its investigative report, which then notified the Potential Impeachment Disclosure Committee.
The PID Committee then notified the RPD and requested the department conduct its own investigation and placed former Chief Clary on the PID list.
