King county cop charged with prostituting wife and selling/obtaining guns illegally?

[Freedom1Man]

In what King County Sheriff John Urquhart called a "slap in the face," a sheriff's deputy is accused of stealing agency equipment, dealing steroids and pimping out his wife as an escort.

Darrion Holiwell, a 19-year veteran of the sheriff's office, was a SWAT officer and the chief firearms instructor who worked at the Ravensdale Range where the agency's SWAT team trained, in addition to local FBI agents and King County Jail staff.

Some of the sheriff's office's equipment was sold to gun shops and credited in an account listed as belonging to the Sheriff's Office, but it was not an official account than any of the agency's accountants knew of. The money was then used to buy more equipment as a "slush fund" for SWAT and for Holliwell's own gain, Urquhart said.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/King-Co-Sheriff-s-deputy-arrested-for-promoting-5564880.php

The investigators also unearthed a slush fund managed by Holiwell to sell between $45,000-50,000 in ammunition brass to local gun shops. They say he stole the brass from the agency's firing range and used the profits to trick out weapons for the SWAT team.

The gun-obsessed deputy, who's a nationally competing match shooter, allegedly brought customers of his side business, Praetor Defense, to the sheriff's range to practice using county equipment.

"What we're dealing with is police corruption," Urquhart said at the press conference. "I'm on a witch hunt to root out that kind of behavior."

His charge of theft stems from selling about $15,000 worth of ammunition to local gun shops.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...ped-wife-sold-steroids-cops-article-1.1836755


I heard on the radio that he had 60 something handguns registered to him.

So, what registration do we have in Washington?

 

[OC for ME]

The sheriff says he suspects members of the SWAT team bought steroids from Holiwell, but isn't going to try to prove that because, Urquhart admits, he needs the 20-member team to remain intact for now.


"The SWAT team is under a big black cloud and they know that," Urquhart added. "They're operating as normal until we complete our investigations."

Well, a black cloud, that'll show those criminals.

Time to get a new sheriff...start a recall effort.

Sheriff Nitwit obviously does not understand that time is on the criminal SWAT team's side and Sheriff Nitwit is providing them that time.

I'll be sending a e-mail.

 

[Ajetpilot]

Darrion Holiwell http://www.linkedin.com/pub/darrion-holiwell/44/454/372

 

[sudden valley gunner]

Another Isolated Incident.

 

[OC for ME]

Another Isolated Incident.

The real travesty is the typical response from Sheriff Nitiwt. He will not hold to account his minions. Disband his SWAT team and "contract out" the "service" from another agency...but, that agency is not likely to be any "better" than his own.

How about no SWAT team at all and save a boat load of money.

 

[Dave_pro2a]

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King county cops don't quit, even when a brother's legit

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[Running Wolf]

Since it's well known that power corrupts, we, as a society, should not be surprised that those members of society we've given the most power to will become corrupt. Training, education, more stringent policies, etc will not address corruption issues. Stripping power from those positions is the only solution I can see. Power equals corruption, therefore reducing power will reduce corruption.

Realistic methods of accomplishing this is currently beyond my comprehension. Suggestions are always welcome.

 

[OC for ME]

Remove qualified immunity and the changes, in short order, will be profound. Or, "cop insurance" that the city carries cannot be paid for by tax payer funds, from general revenue or cop shop budgets, or from the cop union coffers. The individual cop must carry that insurance themselves, out of their own pocket.


No, I will not get into the "cops get paid with tax money" discussions.

 

[OC for ME]

So, do any of the allegations rise to the level of felony? If not he may get his job back, or at least work as a thug cop somewhere else.

 

[hhofent]

Removing immunity would not remove the "us vs them" mentality, the idea held by cops that they are a band of brothers, nor would it remove the idea held by most people that cops are holier than us puny citizens, and their word holds more value.

Sent from an unspecified mobile phone using unspecified software.

 

[mikeyb]

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/King-Co-Sheriff-s-deputy-arrested-for-promoting-5564880.php


http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...ped-wife-sold-steroids-cops-article-1.1836755


I heard on the radio that he had 60 something handguns registered to him.

So, what registration do we have in Washington?

"Handgun" registry maintained by the DOL. What isn't clear is if the guns are his or sheriff dept.

Love the NY Daily News. Expected to find "guns galore" on searching the house.

 

[davidmcbeth]

Another Isolated Incident.

Isolated to Earth :dude:

 

[sudden valley gunner]

The real travesty is the typical response from Sheriff Nitiwt. He will not hold to account his minions. Disband his SWAT team and "contract out" the "service" from another agency...but, that agency is not likely to be any "better" than his own.

How about no SWAT team at all and save a boat load of money.

I agree and would go even further to drastically reducing the police force down to zero. If they insist upon having one, have it constitutionally based, be non proactive and limited to actual peacekeeping.

 

[sudden valley gunner]

Removing immunity would not remove the "us vs them" mentality, the idea held by cops that they are a band of brothers, nor would it remove the idea held by most people that cops are holier than us puny citizens, and their word holds more value.

Sent from an unspecified mobile phone using unspecified software.

It would be helpful to prosecute them and hold them individually liable for their actions like we do the other street gangs.

 

[Freedom1Man]

"Handgun" registry maintained by the DOL. What isn't clear is if the guns are his or sheriff dept.

Love the NY Daily News. Expected to find "guns galore" on searching the house.

I thought that was only for sales of new guns not private sales.

So he could have sold all of those handguns and there would be no record of it.

 

[hhofent]

It would be helpful to prosecute them and hold them individually liable for their actions like we do the other street gangs.

True, but other street gangs don't usually have friends who are seen as star citizens, who will testify and say anything they want.

Sent from an unspecified mobile phone using unspecified software.

 

[mikeyb]

I thought that was only for sales of new guns not private sales.

So he could have sold all of those handguns and there would be no record of it.

New guns and transfers done through FFL. And you can volunteer the information as well. The 60+ gun statement is just to be inflammatory and not a definitive number of firearms in his possession. He could have more, could have less.

My guess is LEO, in search for these guns, will be ransacking area mini-storage places.

 

[Dave_pro2a]

I predict he will be placed on paid administrative leave until he hits 20 years and retires with full pension and benefits (with the union standing behind him) and then the whole affair will just fade into history and Holiwell will probably become a self-defense instructor or move to a different state and become a CCW instructor.

And probably be able to carry nation wide as retired LEO.

 

[Difdi]

Since it's well known that power corrupts, we, as a society, should not be surprised that those members of society we've given the most power to will become corrupt. Training, education, more stringent policies, etc will not address corruption issues. Stripping power from those positions is the only solution I can see. Power equals corruption, therefore reducing power will reduce corruption.

Lord Acton got it slightly wrong. There are in fact incorruptible people out there, they just rarely seek public office.

Power doesn't corrupt -- But it is irresistibly appealing to those who are easily corrupted.

I thought that was only for sales of new guns not private sales.

Sales of new guns...and possibly any private transfer done through a gun shop or FFL-holder.

 

[sudden valley gunner]

True, but other street gangs don't usually have friends who are seen as star citizens, who will testify and say anything they want.

Sent from an unspecified mobile phone using unspecified software.

Testily otherwise know as purgery when others do it.

This is one of the biggest hurdles to reclaiming liberty getting over this religious like adherence that the state and their agents are somehow sacred.

I compare it much to the colonist realizing they are equals to the king and owed him no allegiance. Many cried "treason" at those who first started proclaiming that fact.