Newly-released documents detail officer firing

The City terminated Officer Brad Stavig in June following an investigation into personal use of the department-issued equipment. Police Chief Bonnie Bowers indicated that Stavig didn’t do anything illegal; he just failed to obey city policies.

The documents the APD released show that Stavig, for at least eight months, routinely removed the computer from his police car and used it at home as his personal computer.

The report said that he was told to put the computer back into his patrol car at least twice late in 2007 and early in 2008 and a third time in April of 2008.

Stavig said he was going through a divorce at the time and moved into his mother’s house, which didn’t have Internet access. He said he didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to do that, even though he signed documents which outlined policies on the use of city computer equipment.

The findings of the city’s investigation report that Stavig access numerous inappropriate Websites, including pornographic sites and he regularly used the computer “while on-duty to access online dating services.”

The documents show that Stavig billed himself as “Nice guy with his own handcuffs!” on Yahoo Personals.

The report also said “Officer Stavig has allowed family members, including his daughter, son and mother, to use the city’s MDT computer unattended” and has disclosed his computer password to some family members.

In May, 2008, Chief Bowers reprimanded Stavig for violations of Anacortes Police Department policies for his unauthorized gifting of an APD uniform to a local tavern.

Stavig was hired as a dispatcher in 1992 and was hired as a patrol officer in 2002.