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Bend OSP Captain Charged With Domestic Violence

BEND, OR -- A Bend-based State Police Captain is being charged with Domestic Violence. Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel says Captain Bill Fugate has been under investigation since February when his wife filed a complaint, "I requested some follow-up investigation, and after completing my review, I determined that Mr. Fugate had committed two separate incidents of Domestic Violence/Harassment." He's due in court July 10. 

 
Fugate is accused of bruising his wife by grabbing her in 2017 and, on one occasion, throwing her to the ground. Hummel says other allegations were also investigated, dating back to 2007 when the Fugates lived in Roseburg, "Five incidents were time barred by the Oregon statute of limitations. Even if I had determined there was sufficient evidence that Fugate committed a crime in those incidents, I could not bring charges."
 
Hummel calls Fugate's wife brave for telling her story, "It's always hard to come forward and tell the public the pain that you experienced at the hands of someone you love. It's also, no doubt, harder for somebody who is accusing a prominent member of our law enforcement community." He says that standing as an officer did not factor into his decision. Hummel tells KBND News, "I let the facts and the law dictate my charging decisions when it comes to police officers just as I do with any other member of the public."
 
Fugate has worked for OSP 11 years and was the agency's senior public information officer when he was placed on leave in March. Oregon State Police is managing a concurrent personnel investigation into Captain Fugate. OSP Superintendent Travis Hampton issued a statement Tuesday, saying "While Captain Fugate is entitled to due process, the Oregon State Police strongly condemns acts of domestic violence, which is especially alarming and disgraceful when involving a police officer. Conduct of this nature is grossly unacceptable and employee that engage in these actions have no place in law enforcement. Pursuant to OSP policy, the agency is modifying Fugate's state to unpaid administrative leave. 
 
Photo Courtesy KPTV-TV

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