Thursday Brier’s mayor issued a statement but refused to be interviewed by local reporters.
“They are feeling the heat from scrutiny, they realize that’s indefensible, that’s appalling,” Anderson told us.
In the letter Brier city mayor Bob Colinas says Anderson’s version of events is “not a complete or accurate description.”
Colinas writes that Anderson was not meeting expectations in “several key performance related matters” and that he had to repeat training. But Anderson says that’s not so unusual since he was learning a new computer system.
Colinas said Anderson’s decision to respond to Mukilteo is “another example of a performance issue” and that there were other, closer departments with more officers while Brier had just Anderson.
“But I’m sorry, if officers are being overwhelmed by circumstances of tactical disadvantage in a certain situation like for instance a shooter on a roof might present, they are entitled to ask for help,” Anderson responded.
Anderson also points out he arrived at that scene quicker than some of the closer agencies mentioned in the mayor’s letter. We asked the mayor to go on camera but he declined.
You can read the complete statement here.