Newly released police records detail multiple allegations of misconduct against an Ocean Shores police officer, involving drug use and sex while on duty. He was fired earlier this year.
Former patrol officer Eric Cochran has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has challenged the department's decision to fire him. In an interview with investigators, he characterized the allegations as "completely and utterly untruthful."
Police records and supporting documents recently obtained by The Daily World describe a single complaint growing into an extensive internal investigation as multiple witnesses came forward with new allegations. Ocean Shores officials asked detectives with the Lacey Police Department to conduct the administrative investigation to avoid any conflict of interest.
After interviewing witnesses and combing through personnel records, the Lacey investigators determined Cochran allegedly smoked marijuana he confiscated from police stops, engaged in sexual activity while on duty, lied to his superiors and attempted to interfere with efforts to speak to witnesses during the investigation.
When confronted with the allegations, Cochran maintained his innocence and told investigators he could not explain why the witnesses would make such statements. He said he considered several of them friends.
Neither Cochran nor his union representative responded to messages requesting comment.
Termination
Ocean Shores officials, including Mayor Garland French and Deputy Police Chief Russ Fitts, discussed the allegations with Cochran during a pre-disciplinary hearing on Dec. 28. Police Chief Mike Styner removed himself from the dispute because of a reported personal conflict of interest.
Citing evidence of prolonged misconduct stretching back five years, officials decided to fire Cochran on Jan. 3. They ordered him to turn in his badge, gun and any other city property.
"The investigation revealed that you have committed serious acts of misconduct for which a severe sanction is appropriate," Fitts wrote in the letter of termination. "You have not come forward with anything that would convince me to discipline you less severely than what I originally considered. ... The termination is effective immediately."
Fitts wrote in a report that he based his decision to fire Cochran on the "veracity of the witnesses, corroboration of witness's statements and number of sustained violations of departmental policies."
Cochran has filed an appeal through his union, Fitts said. An arbitration hearing on the matter is scheduled for May 10.
Alleged marijuana use
Though the names of all of the witnesses have been redacted from the public records, the investigation appears to have originated with a woman making a complaint to another Ocean Shores police officer after a night of drinking in late July. The woman said Cochran had recently asked her to buy marijuana for him. The officer then reported the allegation to his superiors.
Investigative reports include statements from multiple witnesses indicating Cochran used marijuana on a regular basis, including material confiscated during police contacts. Two of the witnesses appear to be women who once dated Cochran, though he denies one of those relationships.
Multiple witnesses told investigators they had smoked marijuana with Cochran and identified where he keeps it in his home. One witness described to investigators how marijuana was delivered to his home. They provided details of his home and reported seeing him possess marijuana in his patrol vehicle while on duty. One woman reported smelling burnt marijuana in his patrol vehicle.
"I have never consumed marijuana," Cochran told investigators. "I've never ... in fact, I've got, probably, if you run my statistics over the last eight years, I probably have the most felony drug and misdemeanor drug arrests in this department. So I have never possessed marijuana ... never done anything illegal with any type of drugs, let alone marijuana."
Investigators noted two people reported seeing Cochran with marijuana he had confiscated in recent years, but department records show he has not submitted any marijuana into evidence since at least 2007.
Sexual misconduct
As investigators looked into the marijuana accusations, they received reports of more than a dozen times when Cochran allegedly contacted women while on duty and secretly met them for sex. Investigators interviewed two women who described similar interactions with Cochran as far as sexual behaviors and methods for contacting them.
Cochran again disputed the allegations, denying any romantic relationship with one of the women and declining to guess why they would make up such accusations about him.
"I haven't the foggiest clue. ... until I sat down here today with you, I assumed she'd be truthful and forthright," he told investigators. "I mean, I consider her a friend of mine. And you're shocking me."
Both women, interviewed by investigators separately, admitted to numerous sexual encounters with Cochran while he was on duty and in uniform. They described meeting him in back offices and out on the beach for sex.
Cellphone records also show hundreds of text messages between Cochran and the two women. The women said many included sexual photos and messages. Many, they added, were sent while he was on duty.
"These descriptions were provided independently, and both (name redacted) and (name redacted) provided this detailed information against their own self-interest, as these details were embarrassing and of a very intimate nature," the Lacey detectives reported.
Under repeated questioning transcribed in the investigative records, Cochran maintained he had not broken any department policies or committed any of the violations alleged against him.
"That is completely false," he said of the accusations. "Completely inaccurate. And untrue."
Fitts wrote in a memo that Cochran was given multiple opportunities to contradict the allegations and present exonerating evidence. Fitts said Cochran declined, leaving officials with the impression he did not want to tip his hand before challenging his termination.
"While most employees would rather avoid termination now rather than enhance their chances of reinstatement later, this is obviously not the strategy you are deploying," Fitts wrote to Cochran.
Under advice from his union representative, Cochran has not presented any information undermining the allegations. He may still choose to do so during the arbitration hearing in May.