But there’s no backing away from it. And the man who has to step up and take the heat for all those criticisms is Commissioner Crispin Jeffries. This morning on KREM’s WUB, he made a startling admission: that the officer who the Murillo family accuses of executing their son was called in by his superior a week ago for carrying in fact wearing – a ski mask while on police duties. Here’s that exchange followed by a call from mother of the deceased, Danalyn Murillo.
[From KREM WUB Morning Vibes]
Crispin Jeffries, Commissioner of Police
“That specific officer that is the subject of this investigation was pulled in my Senior Superintendent Blackett early last week and a mask was taken away from him. A mask was taken away from him.”
Mose Hyde, Host
“Why would he be wearing a mask? Is that a police issued mask?”
Crispin Jeffries,
“No.”
Mose Hyde,
“So why would he have a mask?”
Crispin Jeffries,
“This is the type of ego you have with people out there, people have all sorts of ego.”
Mose Hyde,
“I don’t understand, I think masks are used for particular reasons, to conceal identity. You are suggesting to me that the person is doing it as a kind of fantasy but I am saying…”
Crispin Jeffries,
“And I am saying that shouldn’t happen and we dealt with it.”
Sharon Marin, Co-Host
“But this officer was left on duty after being found left with a mask. It means maybe the Police Department did not see it as an offense.”
Crispin Jeffries,
“The Police Department did not see an offense but they saw the behaviour.”
Danalyn Murillo, Mother of Murder Victim
“I think it can’t be worse. That police officer that was found with a ski mask is like a spoilt child in the police force, they found him with something he shouldn’t have and they gave him a little spank and told him to be good. That is the reason why my son is dead today.”
Jeffries has said that the police officer in question is the subject of an inquiry which is not a criminal investigation.
