SEATTLE — The Office of Police Accountability (OPA) is investigating after an ER nurse said a Seattle police officer refused to wear a mask inside a hospital.
The incident allegedly happened Friday, Jan. 15, when an officer responded to a call at a local hospital and refused to put on a face mask.
The nurse posted about the incident on Twitter where it has gotten more than 40,000 retweets and said she notified the OPA of the incident.
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) said Sunday the incident was brought to their attention through social media and they have been in contact with the OPA.
SPD released this statement Sunday regarding its mask guidelines:
"It has been brought to our attention through social media that an officer was seen not wearing a mask. All our officers and civilian employees have previously been directed to follow CDC and City of Seattle mask guidelines for their safety and the safety of our community.
"The behavior outlined in last night’s post is unacceptable and not what we expect of our Department members. We know the profound impacts that COVID has created for our community. We will hold our personnel accountable for actions that violate policy and the trust of the community we serve.
"The department has been in contact with OPA since last night and the OPA is now investigating."