Suicide

[sgtbear111]

Troubled former officer commits suicide | Yakima Herald-Republic Online

Troubled former officer commits suicide

Mike Rummel, fired in 2005, kills himself after police pursuit
by Mark Morey
Yakima Herald-Republic



TOPPENISH, Wash. -- A fired Yakima police officer who had gone through several years of legal battles in an attempt to regain his job shot himself to death Sunday afternoon after a police pursuit, authorities said.

Mike Rummel, 41, died at the scene on Campbell Road outside of Toppenish.
Rummel was fired in 2005 after police administrators ruled that he violated a last-chance agreement related to a drunken driving arrest in 2002.
Although described by a former supervisor and police union official as a good officer, Rummel had dealt with depression and alcohol use, according to legal filings.
Rummel's death followed a pursuit that started about 1:45 p.m., when state Trooper Corey Kingman was nearly hit head-on by a white Ford Taurus in the area of Fort Road and Lateral A Road, said Lt. Jim Keightley of the Washington State Patrol.
Kingman turned his car around and began pursuing Rummel's vehicle at speeds between 60 and 75 mph, Keightley said.
The chase ended at 7801 Campbell Road, about a mile south of Fort Road and seven miles west of Toppenish, when Rummel pulled into the driveway of a home there.
Kingman, who took a protected position behind his car, began issuing commands to the driver when he saw a pistol and heard gunfire, Keightley said.
Rummel died in the car, where alcohol containers were found, Keightley said. He had been living at the home.
Keightley said no obvious indication of motive was found at the scene. Patrol detectives and Yakima County sheriff's deputies were investigating.
Union leaders had fought to bring Rummel back on the force, saying that Chief Sam Granato retaliated against the union's resistance to random drug testing by firing Rummel.
During the dispute, Granato said he had offered to help Rummel as much as possible through treatment but denied any retaliation. City officials said the last-chance violations ultimately led to his dismissal.
About four years ago, he was accused of flashing his badge to enter a bar and of being insubordinate by calling his then-girlfriend, who works in the city's 9-1-1 dispatch center.
Union officials countered that Rummel showed his badge only after being asked if he was an officer and that the phone call was brief.
Rummel had worked in the construction industry since being fired. He had a young son, who lives out of town with his mother.
In a brief phone conversation, brother-in-law Eric Vargas said Rummel was a "good man, and he was very loved" by his family.
Jeff Brownfield, a former Yakima police officer who is fighting his own termination for reasons unrelated to Rummel's case, said Rummel was a giving person who often helped his friends with building projects.
"He was definitely a good guy," Brownfield said. "A lot of people are missing him."
After a series of back-and-forth rulings, Rummel's legal battles had recently taken another turn against him.
The state Court of Appeals last month ruled that the city was justified in firing Rummel. Any notice of appeal to the state Supreme Court was due Feb. 9. It was not immediately clear Sunday evening whether the union had been planning to proceed with an appeal.
Rummel also had filed a federal lawsuit against the city over his discharge.
The union's president, Detective Mike Nielsen, declined to comment on Rummel's death, and Granato did not return phone messages late Sunday.
"We're definitely saddened by Mike Rummel's death, and our condolences go out to his family and friends," city spokesman Randy Beehler said Sunday night.
Rummel worked for the Yakima Police Department for about five years. He had been a Selah police officer before that.
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[lewisipso]

Deeply sorry to hear this.

[Odd]

My condolences to his family, especially the son he left behind.

[Wolven]

Sad.

[Willowdared]

Very sad.

Thoughts and prayers for all.

[Jenna]

Rest in peace.

[BigDawg]

Thoughts and prayers to all he left behind.

[Car 4]

So Sorry, Brother. Remember me to my friends....we will all be there soon enough.


Car 4

[Skyy]

I feel bad for his family. Not so sure I feel bad for him. Anyone who does that to his/her family loses all of my respect.

As for his firing, if the city is right, I'd side with them. If the Union is right, I'd side with them. Odd how such minor changes in the story change my alliance so drastically.

[Car 4]

I feel bad for his family. Not so sure I feel bad for him. Anyone who does that to his/her family loses all of my respect.

As for his firing, if the city is right, I'd side with them. If the Union is right, I'd side with them. Odd how such minor changes in the story change my alliance so drastically.

Walk a mile, Skyy.....before you start throwing those stones.


Car 4

[Skyy]

My cousin killed himself. I was very close to him, we grew up together. He killed more than himself that day. He killed his mom, he killed his dad, and he killed his sister. I hope he burns in hell.

And unless everyone this guy has no family, and everyone he has ever known dislikes him, I hope he does too.

And don't let the Unions twist of things fool you. And from what I've seen from numerous departments, it's terribly difficult to get fired from this job. You have to really fvck up, and fvck up over and over again. A department simply has too much invested to let you go for making a phone call or flashing an ID. You and I both know there was more to it than that.

[Car 4]

I am sorry for your pain, Skyy....but you just made my point.


Car 4

[Cidp24]

Skyy, IF you were to get on a department, IF you were to survive your attitude there long enough to get some miles under your belt, someone like car4 or others on here just might take notice of what you have "seen from numerous departments".

You have no clue.

Now, pardon me. Back to the topic.
Prayers to his family and others hurt by this. Whatever the cause.

[MacLean]

Skyy, IF you were to get on a department, IF you were to survive your attitude there long enough to get some miles under your belt, someone like car4 or others on here just might take notice of what you have "seen from numerous departments".

You have no clue.

Now, pardon me. Back to the topic.
Prayers to his family and others hurt by this. Whatever the cause.

Can two or three of you rep Cidp for me, I seem to have run out for the day.

I think junior just tried to tell a 30 year veteran of a large Sheriff's Office, who rose to Chief after working every specialty unit the department has, how to interpret discipline problems according to press bias.

[Retdetsgt]

Rep'd Cidp24 Green, Skyy got another well deserved red.

Skyy, you're a fucking idiot. Sorry about your cousin, but the officer that killed himself was suffering from demons that you have no fucking idea about. Being a recovering alcoholic who once thought eating a gun was the way to end the bullshit, I can relate to that officer.

Why don't you climb back into your cesspool of ignorance.

God rest that officer's tortured soul.....

[Captain America]

Rest in peace, Mike.

[Willowdared]

I also lost someone I loved to suicide, so I know the pain of being left behind, but it is too easy to lash out at the person who took their life.

I may be over-reading the story, but to me it sounds like admin ego played a deadly role.

I will pray for him, because he deserves prayers.

[Norm357]

Sad.

[Pudge]

Very sad indeed. Rest easy.

[JMoney5150]

This is terrible. My thoughts and prayers to him, his family, and the officers that were involved.


Skyy, I believe the gentleman before me said it best. Until you've been there, you just don't know. Have you seen the things on the job he has? Have you faced the danger, dispair, and pain he has? It's easy to sit back and Monday morning QB someone's actions, but unless you've been there, don't comment.

You sound like great admin material.