Prosecutors have dismissed multiple charges against a former Bellevue police officer after investigators found evidence that invalidated the probable cause and questioned the alleged victim’s credibility.
Former officer John Kivlin was arrested in July on assault and witness tampering charges and was released on Oct. 5 after the charges were dropped. An Issaquah woman, who had been dating Kivlin in an extramarital affair from September 2017 to April, accused him of punching her twice, later violating a protection order, and tampering with a witness by attempting to coerce her into recanting the assault allegations.
King County Prosecutors dismissed the case “in the interest of justice due to information received after the filing.”
The woman, according to a King County Sheriff’s Office investigation, has a history of seeking out men on Craigslist and falsely reporting her consensual encounters as a crime and even rape, The Seattle Times reported. According to the report, investigators are not recommending the woman be charged with false reporting or other crimes because of the 44-year-old’s mental health.
Before dating Kivlin, the woman also claims to have dated a Bellevue police detective who raped her when she was passed out after drinking alcohol. Prosecutors decided not to pursue the charges in light of the investigation.
The same woman may be behind criminal allegations against Bellevue Police Chief, Steve Mylett, The Seattle Times reported. Mylett has been on paid administrative leave since August for the still undisclosed allegations. Bothell police are investigating the allegations that detail an incident that occurred more than a year ago.
Mylett was placed on leave by the city of Bellevue police.
“Whenever there is a criminal investigation underway involving a police department employee, it is our policy to place the employee on administrative leave,” said Bellevue city manager Brad Miyake in a press release. “We took immediate action when we learned of the allegation.”
Bellevue’s human resources department and attorney’s office is conducting an internal investigation, alongside the Bothell police investigation, with assistance from an outside investigator.
“The city of Bellevue takes such allegations very seriously,” Miyake said. “To ensure a fair and thorough process for everyone involved, we will not provide further comment prior to the completion of the internal and external investigations.”
Miyake appointed Assistant Police Chief Patrick Arpin to serve as acting police chief during the investigation.
