Vancouver police officer Erik McGarrity, embroiled in an internal affairs investigation of his alleged relationship with a former confidential informant, resigned Friday.
McGarrity had been on paid leave from his $76,486-a-year job as a patrol officer since February, after allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with Tegan Rushworth, his former confidential informant.
The Vancouver internal affairs case has been largely concluded. However, because as many as four other officers may face discipline, it is not yet available to the public, spokeswoman Kim Kapp said Monday.
“Whether some, any or all of those will have some kind of discipline or a letter hasn’t been determined,” Kapp said.
McGarrity, 43, has already been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by a Washington State Patrol investigation; the findings of the 7,000-page VPD internal affairs investigation have been presented to him.
According to the WSP investigation, Rushworth, 25, worked as McGarrity’s informant on low-level drug-related crimes for several months in 2007, until she was arrested on a felony warrant and sent to prison.
It was after Rushworth was released, in May 2008, and no longer working for McGarrity, that the relationship started, according to Rushworth’s testimony in the WSP investigation. They lived together for a period of time, and had a sexual relationship until late summer or early fall 2009. A few others told state police investigators that the relationship began in 2007, when McGarrity was still married and living at home with his children.
Rushworth, who was queen of the 2003 Fort Vancouver Rodeo, is currently serving a 17-month sentence for car theft, forgery and identity theft at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women in Belfair. Her record includes other misdemeanor and felony convictions.
Vancouver police policy states that employees must avoid continued association with those who have a reputation or known involvement in current criminal activity. The VPD oath also says that an officer will “keep my private life unsullied as an example to all.”
Vancouver Police Chief Cliff Cook was unavailable Monday, but said in July that the situation was “a profound disappointment.”
Friends and family told the state patrol that Rushworth went down the wrong path, and developed a methamphetamine habit. The state patrol documents recount episodes where she allegedly stole McGarrity’s badge and bulletproof vest, and tried to sell them to at least one man.
Future of inquiry
Now that McGarrity has resigned, the investigation will turn toward what should happen to the four other police employees who apparently knew about the relationship, but didn’t report it. Vancouver policy requires those in the department who are aware of possible policy violations report them to internal affairs.
According to the WSP investigation, Vancouver Sgt. Duane McNicholas knew about the relationship, and Rushworth even attended a barbecue at his home. Rushworth also said she went out to drinks at Beaches Restaurant with Department of Corrections Officer Fili Matua. A friend reported that Rushworth said she’d been in the home of Vancouver Officer Spencer Harris.
Her relationship with McGarrity raised some eyebrows among those in uniform — “99.9 percent of law enforcement officers are gonna say, ‘Hey, would you do this? And, they’d say no — hell no,’ ” Matua told WSP investigators. But the news of the affair was never reported to higher ranks in the department.
Rushworth was described by McNicholas in a WSP interview as “attractive.”
“She never stunk like most of ’em do,” McNicholas said. “She was clean-cut. She just hung out with all these people.”
Rushworth did not respond to a letter written to her at Mission Creek requesting an interview.
She told investigators from prison in February that she knew her criminal activities were jeopardizing McGarrity’s police career, but that she also thought their relationship could continue if she cleaned up.
“We love each other,” she said. “And this is a very difficult situation for us, you know. I’m trying to get through the stuff I need to get through so it doesn’t affect him, because I don’t want my past to affect him as an officer. Because he, you know, he does his job, and he does it well.”
Andrea Damewood: 360-735-4542 or andrea.damewood@columbian.com.
