Pasco resident alleges police failed to enforce court protection order, threatens federal lawsuit

During public comment at the Sept. 2 Pasco City Council meeting, resident Zachary Poteet said the Pasco Police Department failed to enforce a 2004 Benton County Superior Court protection order relating to custody and service of the order. Poteet said officers "refused" to carry out the court mandate and cited unspecified "so called orders" instead, which he said violated Washington statutes and his constitutional rights. He referenced statutes by shorthand in his remarks, saying the conduct violated "RCW 26.5, RCW 7.1050.105, and RCW 36.8.0.01" and the Fourteenth Amendment. Poteet described having suffered emotional harm and said he has pursued counseling as a result. He told the council, "Families in Pasco cannot afford to have their rights subjected to selective enforcement." He said he seeks accountability from the city and asked the council to address the matter. Poteet added that "if this matter is not resolved through a settlement outside of court, I will be filing a federal lawsuit against the city of Pasco" seeking $1,000,000 in compensatory and punitive damages and attorney fees. Mayor Milney acknowledged awareness of the case and advised Poteet to email the other council members if he wished to provide additional information. The mayor said he could not comment further at the meeting. The council did not take formal action on the matter during the meeting; Poteet's remarks were made during the public‑comment portion of the agenda. No city representative provided a substantive response during the public comment period recorded on the meeting video.