Bodycam footage shows a Washington state cop telling partygoers 'the key is out of sight, out of mind' and advising them to move their maskless event indoors to avoid penalties for breaking COVID gathering rules as cases spike in the county
Bodycam footage has shown a Washington state cop telling partygoers 'the key is out of sight, out of mind' and advising them to move their maskless event indoors in order to avoid penalties for breaking COVID-19 gathering rules.
Pullman police officers had been called to reports of a party in the driveway of WSU women's basketball coach Kamie Ethridge's home in Pullman, Whitman County, back on August 29.
The video, obtained by KREM2, shows the cop letting off the revelers for flouting social distancing and local coronavirus safety rules and instead recommending ways to help ensure they don't get caught.
This came as cases were spiking in Whitman County following the return of Washington State University students to the area for the fall semester.
Bodycam footage has shown a Washington state cop telling partygoers 'the key is out of sight, out of mind' and advising them to move their maskless event indoors in order to avoid penalties for breaking COVID-19 gathering rules. Pictured footage of the gathering
The bodycam footage shows the unidentified male cop speaking with Ethridge after someone reported the large gathering in front of her home.
More than a dozen people are seen gathered in the driveway of her home, not wearing masks or social distancing.
An outdoor tent and what appears to be cups of alcohol are seen in the footage.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee banned all gatherings of 10 or more people in Whitman County.
To enforce the rules, Pullman Chief of Police Greg Jenkins announced August 27 that officers would slap offenders with fines.
He vowed to fine the party host $250 for the first offense, $350 for a second offense, and to charge repeat offenders after that with a misdemeanor.
The party at Ethridge's home took place two days after the 'nuisance party infractions' and the ticket system was introduced.
In the footage the cop is heard offering tips to skirt around the rules by taking the party 'out of sight, out of mind.'
He asks Ethridge 'is there any way that we can have masks and social distancing?' before encouraging another woman to move the party indoors or to a backyard.
Pullman cops had been called to reports of a party in the driveway of WSU women's basketball coach Kamie Ethridge's (pictured) home in Pullman, Whitman County, back on August 29
'I'm going to give you the same advice I give everybody else, okay? We're pretty much in between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the community and stuff like that. Really the key is out of sight, out of mind,' he says.
The cop tells the partygoers on multiple occasions to stay 'out of sight, out of mind' to avoid getting a ticket, reported KREM2.
'We're taking an education approach the best way we can. Unfortunately, our directive is to write tickets to those who aren't abiding by that because there's been a massive public outcry because we're doing that with all of the students on the hill,' the officer says in a reference to parties on WSU's College Hill after students returned to the area.
The officer did also give Ethridge a ticket over the party.
Police Chief Jenkins condemned the officer's messaging to the parytgoers as 'inappropriate'.
'After viewing the video, I made it clear to all my staff that messaging should be to gain compliance with the nuisance party ordinance to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread in the community,' he said in a statement to KREM.
The video, obtained by KREM2 , shows the cop letting off the revelers for flouting social distancing and local coronavirus safety rules and instead recommending ways to help ensure they don't get caught
The cop tells the partygoers on multiple occasions to stay 'out of sight, out of mind' to avoid getting a ticket
Jenkins added that he had randomly viewed other bodycam footage and had not seen 'messaging similar to the incident in question.'
Ethridge also issued a statement via WSU Athletics apologizing for breaking the rules put in place to slow the spread of the deadly virus but insisted she had not organized the get-together.
Police Chief Jenkins condemned the officer's messaging to the parytgoers as 'inappropriate'
'I would like to apologize for the violation of our local social distancing guidelines. There was a gathering held on my driveway, of which I did not host,' she told KREM.
'But as the guidelines state, the owner of the property is responsible for maintaining proper social distancing and mask wearing for all that are in attendance. As this did occur on my property, I take full responsibility.
'I appreciate the hard work being done by our Whitman County Health officials to keep our community as safe as possible during this pandemic. As a role model in our community, I will work to set a better example.'
Cases have surged in Whitman County since Washington State University students started return to the county.
A total of 1,184 people have been infected with the virus but so far no one has died.
However the county has now put its current risk of COVID-19 spread at the highest level.
More than 201,000 Americans have been killed and more than 6.9 million infected by coronavirus.
