A Federal Way officer who posted a controversial TikTok video last month received a suspension after the department found two conduct violations, according to the Federal Way Police Department (FWPD).
Officer Breanna Straus is seen sitting inside a vehicle while in uniform in the video. Straus urges people to move out of the way when officers are driving behind them.
“If we’re driving on the freeway in our police car, get the f—- out of the way,” she says in the TikTok video. “I can go 90 miles an hour, you can’t. You can’t do that. So get the f—- out of the way. If us officers stay behind you long enough, we can find a reason to pull you over.”
The video was first obtained and published by KIRO 7, which censored Straus’s expletives. In the original video that the Mirror requested from the department, the officer’s expletives are not bleeped out.
On July 7, the department concluded its investigation into Straus. The investigation looked into possible violations of standards and considered any previous disciplinary issues, said Cmdr. Kurt Schwan of Federal Way Police. Schwan added that Straus has no previous disciplinary issues.
The department determined Straus violated the FWPD’s Code of Conduct in two areas of social media conduct and personal conduct. At the decision of Police Chief Andy Hwang, Straus received a 10-hour suspension without pay for the violations, according to police records. A 10-hour suspension is one shift.
In the video, Straus says that officers can “find” a reason to pull people over. When asked, Schwan said the department’s investigation did not review all of Straus’s past arrests made or citations issued to civilians.
“We had not received any complaints against Officer Straus regarding arrests, citations, or traffic stops,” Schwan told the Mirror.
Straus was sworn into the force on Aug. 9, 2021.
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