Centralia Officer Granted Anti-Harassment Order Against Citizen

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A local citizen known for filming police officers who says he is working to hold law enforcement officials accountable for their actions caused one Centralia police officer to seek court-ordered protection after online postings made him fear for his family’s safety.

Officer Mike Lowrey filed a petition for an anti-harassment order against 20-year-old Bo Rupert on Feb. 13 in Lewis County District Court. 

Court Commissioner Wendy Tripp signed the order at a hearing Monday for Lowrey’s family and the officer while he was off-duty.

“I don’t have anything against Bo Rupert. ... I have something against his actions against my family,” Lowrey said as the petition came after Rupert posted photos of the officer’s family to social media websites.

Lowrey said he thinks Rupert’s behavior toward him will continue while he is on duty, and is concerned the case may have upset Rupert more. 

However, with Rupert posting online about how he thinks the officer should be executed, the issue may have peaked, Lowrey’s attorney Shane O’Rourke noted.

O’Rourke said it’s rare for an anti-harassment order to be sought by an officer. 

To what extent Rupert’s posting on social media can be limited is a “gray area” that will have to be worked through in court if something of concern occurs.

“At the end of the day (Rupert) crossed a line,” O’Rourke said.

Rupert said that he is “pissed” about the decision and that he plans to appeal the order. It sends a message that police can continue their “reign of terror,” he said.

Lowrey sought the order after Rupert posted photos of Lowrey and his family, and called Lowrey and Centralia Police Sgt. Stacy Denham “lawless,” adding that they should be executed for treason.

“So that was a huge concern,” Lowrey said at the hearing.

Rupert said his posts on social media are just him stating his opinion.

O’Rouke asked Rupert if, based on previous interactions with the officer, that he thought he should die.

Rupert said yes, or he should at least be in jail.

“If we can’t speak out against those that are in power, we might as well be in Auschwitz,” Rupert said.

Denham, who Rupert called as a witness at the hearing, said he thought the posts were inappropriate and threatening and that he thought Rupert may get to the point of carrying out the threats or having someone else complete them.

In his petition for the order, Lowrey wrote that he fears for his family and that Rupert’s accusations will bring harm to them.

During his testimony, Rupert said he never made threats to Lowrey’s family and that when Lowrey is on duty he has no right to privacy.

Rupert told the court he is concerned about his own safety regarding Lowrey. He said he almost asked his relatives to move out of concern for their safety following a situation at Starbucks in Centralia in mid–to late–January.

Rupert claims Lowrey responded to a call at the coffee shop involving one of Rupert’s family members. 

He said Lowrey banned a juvenile family member from Starbucks because the boy is related to Rupert. 

He said the incident was an attack on his family and that it made him very angry.

According to Lowrey, he wasn’t working that day and didn’t respond to the scene. He said he pulled the report on the incident to see who did respond. 

During the court hearing, both Lowrey and Rupert recounted incidents in which they were involved, but details differed, which Tripp noted at the hearing. 

She also noted that Rupert testified that he became angry when Lowrey allegedly involved his family, but then Rupert posted pictures on social media of the officer with his family. She said any responsible person would consider the pictures and comments threatening.

Rupert said a jaywalking incident began Lowrey’s “reign of terror” against him.

According to Lowrey, when he issued Rupert a citation for jaywalking, the man started yelling and arguing to the point that the officer called for backup.  

With the rarity of jaywalking citations, Rupert said it was a direct attack against him. 

In February, Lowrey said he saw Rupert at Centralia City Hall and he told the officer he should follow him on Instagram, a photo sharing social media site, because he posted a photo of Lowrey and his wife.

Lowrey said Rupert said he was going to “fix” him, then went into the police department and started yelling that Lowrey needs to be dealt with.

While Lowrey said he’s used to some people videotaping police and citizens who don’t like law enforcement officers and government, Rupert has “taken it to the extreme.”