PORT TOWNSEND — The city manager is assembling a task force in the wake of a police arrest that left a man and two police officers injured.
City Manager David Timmons told the City Council on Monday that the task force formation was prompted by a June 7 incident in which Myles Sebastian Carroll, 24, was involved in an altercation with Port Townsend police.
Officers Patrick Fudally and Jon Stuart, along with Sgt. Garin Williams, who was present at the scene, are the subjects of an investigation of use of force conducted by PST Investigations, a Lynnwood-based firm that services both public and private agencies, according to interim Police Chief Mike Evans.
Evans said the investigation could take a month or more. During that time, all the officers will remain on duty.
Fudally and Stuart were treated and discharged from Jefferson Healthcare hospital after the arrest, and each missed three days of work, according to Evans.
Carroll “has a long history of violence and mental health issues,” according to an incident report by Stuart.
The task force will make recommendations as to how mental health services can be better coordinated, Timmons said Tuesday.
“This task force would focus attention on how we are going to deal with the mental health matters that seem to be popping up repeatedly in all circles,” he said.
“The police are dealing with the same people over and over again, and there are common issues. The system isn’t working because they are not criminals, and there is no facility to deal with them.
“It’s a broken system.”
Timmons said the task force would include representatives of the Port Townsend Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Mental Health, the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the courts and substance abuse counselors.
Timmons said the task force’s recommendations could take several months to assemble but that it would not cost any of the involved agencies extra funds.
“It’s a reallocation of time,” he said.
“If you are already dealing with the issue, you may be wasting money and are not efficient or effective, so this will save money because it will increase efficiency.”
On the day of the arrest, Carroll refused to leave the Cellar Door, 940 Water St., when asked, and employees called police, according to police reports.
Fudally, one of three officers called to the scene, pursued Carroll with the intent of arresting him for trespassing, but Carroll did not respond to calls to stop, Fudally’s report said.
Carroll, who grew up in Port Townsend and is listed as “transient,” was well-known to police and has been arrested several times, according to Fudally’s report.
A scuffle followed, according to his report. Fudally attempted to arrest Carroll but was unable to secure the handcuffs.
Fudally struck Carroll in the face in an attempt to subdue him, but the blow had no effect; Fudally lost his balance and Carroll escaped, Fudally’s report said.
Stuart joined Fudally in pursuit of Carroll.
Fudally asked emergency dispatchers to initiate “rage aggression delirium” protocol, meaning he would get help in calming Carroll down, before he pinned Carroll against a car and snapped on handcuffs.
Carroll continued to struggle. Officers threatened to use a stun gun but did not because of the close proximity to other officers and onlookers, Fudally said in his report.
Carroll actively resisted until East Jefferson Fire-Rescue personnel arrived and administered a tranquilizer, the report said.
Carroll, along with Fudally and Stuart, was taken to Jefferson Healthcare hospital for examination.
Fudally’s nose was bloodied and Stuart’s back was wrenched, according to the police report.
Carroll was discharged and sent to the Jefferson County jail, where he remained Tuesday on $15,000 bond.
He faces an Aug. 10-11 trial on charges of assault, criminal trespass, obstructing law enforcement and resisting arrest.
Carroll was arraigned June 12.
An omnibus hearing is set for June 26. A readiness hearing is scheduled July 17 and a pretrial hearing for July 21.
All hearings will take place at Jefferson County Superior Court at the Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St. in Port Townsend.
Timmons said input from different agencies would help police deal with such incidents in the future.
City Councilwoman Michelle Sandoval said she advocated a community-oriented policing model rather than the “one size fits all” attitude she said has taken hold since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
“After 9/11, the focus has been on fighting terrorism rather than community policing,” she said.
“The public needs to be able to develop a better relationship with the police, and the police needs to better connect with the public.”
The proposed task force will work to achieve those goals, Sandoval said.
“There needs to be mutual respect and trust between the public and the police,” she said.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
