Five current and former members of the Pacific Police Department have filed a civil suit against the City and Mayor Cy Sun, seeking an order that would return suspended Chief John Calkins and Lt. Edwin Massey to duty as well as prohibit Sun from interfering in the City’s police department in the future.
Calkins, Massey, Sgt. Michel Bos, Officer Josh Hong and former officer Jeremiah Schliesman filed the suit in King County Superior Court on April 21, alleging Sun had intimidated and defamed the officers and wrongfully placed Calkins and Massey on administrative leave.
In court documents filed by attorney Joan Mell, the officers allege that Sun had repeatedly threatened, harassed and refused to support members of the department since taking office in January 2012.
Among the claims stated in the suit are that Sun “threatened Lt. Massey stating he had ‘better watch out’ that he was in trouble. Mayor Sun also said: ‘I kill my enemies’ when he was briefing Sgt. Pickett in the presence of Lt. Massey.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Sun had wrongfully accused members of the police department of corruption, bugging his phone, bribery and unlawfully tasing a Pacific resident.
The lawsuit seeks damages for breach of contract, as well as emotional and professional distress, and asks that Sun be declared a “public/private nuisance and “prevent him from interfering with the city’s police department.”
The suit also asks the court to mandate Sun uphold the Pacific Civil Service Commission’s order to return Calkins and Massey to duty.
Calkins and Massey were placed on paid administrative leave on March 22.
According to Sun, the decision was based on “an investigation into allegations of harassment and intimidation.”
The suit, however, alleges that Sun told Calkins that neither he nor Massey had done anything to provoke the suspensions, but were being put on leave because a citizen had a “dream about harming the officers” and that the citizen had applied for, and been denied, a concealed weapons permit.
“In direct contravention to their safety, the Mayor required them to turn in their radios and weapons and all other equipment designed to keep them safe,” court documents stated.
In a 911 call made to the King County Sheriff’s Office prior to serving Massey and Calkins with leave papers, Sun asked for a deputy “to come down and escort me to deliver discharge papers to the police department. In other words, I’m going to fire the chief of police and a lieutenant.”
The City’s Civil Service Commission – which also has filed a suit in King County Superior Court asking that Sun be forced to reinstate Calkins and Massey – ruled in favor of an appeal by the suspended officers on April 4.
Despite the ruling, Sun has refused to reinstate the officers.
Four of the five officers involved in the suit – Massey, Bos, Schliesman and Hong – were previously fired by Sun in July after they arrested the mayor for trying to gain access to the locked city clerk’s office. The Civil Service Commission overturned the terminations.
Schliesman has since left the Pacific Police Department.
In addition to seeking orders demanding Sun reinstate Calkins and Massey and comply with civil service laws, the suit seeks damages for breach of contract, emotional and professional stress, as well as attorney’s fees and costs.
Sun did not respond to an email requesting comment.
Also: In addition to the many claims made by the Pacific Police Department officers against Sun, the court documents question the mayor’s identity.
“Cy Sun’s citizenship and identity have been the subject of various inquiries as he reported to the former clerk that he assumed his name illegally. His true and correct identity and citizenship status to serve as Mayor of Pacific remains in question,” the suit states.
