King City Police Officers Association Defends King City Police

The King City Police Officers Association used the line “innocent until proven guilty” during a news conference, essentially putting its support behind six officers who were arrested on charges from embezzlement, possession of an assault weapon, bribery and criminal threats.

The POA started by saying they were shocked and saddened when the news broke but are fully cooperating with the district attorney’s office in the alleged corruption investigation.

Public information officer Kip Bowen spoke first followed by an attorney who took questions from the media.

When asked why it took almost two weeks for the association to come forward, attorney Kevin Flautt said it is a complicated situation and the POA wanted to carefully choose its words.

Some of the six officers, according to the district attorney, are accused of targeting low-income and undocumented workers. The officers were then accused of impounding their cars and selling them to other police officers.

“Specifically all I can say is that, especially members of the King City POA and this department as a whole, there is no policy of discrimination, there is no policy of singling out members of the community, rather we attempt to reach out to the poor and Hispanic community, and give them the effective service they deserve,” Flautt said. “We believe any allegations of that will be unfounded.”