(The Center Square) – Spokane Police Ombuds Bart Logue is facing an independent investigation after using his official title to obtain a $100,000 consulting contract for a village located in Oak Park, Ill.
Spokane Valley resident Evans Sims filed a complaint against Logue in May, alleging mishandling of an investigation into a separate case. Sims claims he was “falsely accused of wrongdoing” in a prank that injured him, and that Logue allegedly certified that probe despite knowing that evidence was missing.
The Spokane Ethics Commission dismissed that complaint in June, which Sims refiled earlier this month with new allegations. He revised his other claims, but also accused Logue of using his position with the city for personal gain. Last week, the commission met again and approved an investigation into Logue.
“Spokane deserves and requires honest and independent police oversight,” Sims alleged. “If not now, when? Maybe there is time between trips to the bank to cash $100,000 checks from different cities?”
Much of his revised complaint still centers on the alleged mishandling of Sims’ prior claims, which is the reason Assistant City Attorney Megan Kapaun recommended the investigation into Logue. Still, the Ethics Commission took a particular interest in the accusations surrounding his $100,000 outside contract.
The Village of Oak Park Board of Trustees approved that agreement with Pivot Consulting Group after hearing a presentation from Logue in November 2024. He named himself the chief executive officer, but also listed titles as police ombuds and a commissioner of the Criminal Justice Training Commission.
According to a letter dated Dec. 3, 2024, Logue hadn’t officially disclosed that he had formed a limited liability company until two weeks after Oak Park approved the contract. However, he obtained a business license by at least Oct. 10, according to reporting by the Spokane Journal of Business.
“As of the date on this correspondence, there were no applicable City policies that prohibit secondary employment,” Logue wrote in a letter to the Spokane Ombuds Commission. “The attached agreement incorporates the applicable Code of Ethics policies mentioned above and commemorates our commitment to prioritizing the work of the Office of the Police Ombuds above private employment.”
Documents that PCG had already submitted to Oak Park listed Logue’s official position with the city of Spokane and estimated $20,000 in travel expenses for the work. He went out to Illinois and presented police oversight recommendations in person on Sept. 9, days after Sims filed the new complaint.
The Center Square contacted Logue with questions about Oak Park and any other contracts that PCG has applied for or received, but did not receive a response before publishing. He is currently out of the office until Monday. Ombuds Commission Chair Luc Jasmin III declined to comment on the investigation.
Jasmin signed Logue’s Private Employment Agreement on December 3, 2024, and also owns a private consulting firm. Spokane Communications Director Erin Hut told The Center Square that Jasmin is not a city employee, so he didn’t have to disclose his LLC. She declined to comment on the investigation.
“This would be virtually impossible to not conflict with his duties to the citizen’s of Spokane,” according to Sims’ ethics complaint. “He has failed to remain independent of the police department because he is expanding his business into rewriting the use of force manual, likely so he can attempt to profit off it.”
According to the Spokane Code of Ethics, no employee shall use their official position with the city to secure personal benefit, gain or profit for themselves or anyone else. Another provision of the ethics code prohibits employees from using city resources for personal use, outside employment or profit.
Logue didn’t respond to questions before publication regarding other contracts that PCG has pursued; however, records from other cities mention applications submitted by another Pivot Consulting Group.
There are at least four other companies called Pivot Consulting Group in Texas, Georgia, Colorado and Florida. According to records from the city of Pasadena, Calif., a company with the same name was one of 12 applicants for a September 2024 request for proposals regarding a $175,000 service contract.
The company did not receive that contract. Another Pivot Consulting Group unsuccessfully applied for a contract with the city of Minneapolis back in 2023, according to reporting by the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Hut did confirm that Logue was required to disclose his company before seeking contracts with outside entities. Although she told The Center Square that Logue is under the supervision of the commission, not the administration, and that the city hasn’t entered into a contract with investigators over this yet.
Mayor Lisa Brown and the five Spokane City Council members making up the progressive majority are also facing an ethics investigation over a separate matter. Hut said on Thursday that the city entered into a contract capped at $10,000 for the initial stages of that probe, but hasn’t paid for any of it yet.
The commission extended the 45-day deadline for that investigation on Friday, and if it takes longer, the city may incur additional expenses. It’s not clear yet what cap the city will put on Logue’s investigation.
“If these issues are not corrected promptly at the local level, I will have no choice but to escalate this matter to the [U.S.] Department of Justice for review and enforcement,” according to Sims’ complaint.
