Bellingham Police Detective Adam “Bo” McGinty was terminated on Friday, Aug. 18, for the alleged fraudulent use of dry cleaning services, according to an email from police spokesperson Lt. Claudia Murphy.
A previous investigation revealed that McGinty, who remains under criminal investigation, had used another detective’s name to obtain dry cleaning services at the city’s expense.
“When my office learned this was occurring, we immediately took action and began an internal investigation,” Bellingham Police Chief Rebecca Mertzig said in a statement. “Our community expects their law enforcement professionals to be honest, to do the right thing, and maintain a high level of integrity both on and off duty.
“While the facts of the case are about the fraudulent use of dry cleaning, the core of this investigation is about integrity.”
McGinty was placed on administrative leave June 7. Whatcom County Prosecutor Eric Richey, in a July 21 letter, said the city’s accounting department had found that two detectives, including McGinty, were using dry cleaning services in excess of the one-uniform-per-week allotment officers are allowed under their collective bargaining agreement with the city. A monetary value for the cleaning services has not been released.
The second detective was not named in the prosecutor’s letter. “It was determined that Det. McGinty had used another detective’s name to obtain additional dry cleaning services,” Richey’s letter said.
“The administrative investigation concluded that Det. McGinty violated the state law of theft, that he misappropriated or misused public funds and that he engaged in conduct that was criminal, dishonest or disgraceful,” the letter said.
McGinty could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Mount Vernon Police Department is conducting a separate criminal inquiry into the case.
McGinty was the lead detective on the case of three Bellingham Public Schools assistant principals accused of failing to report the sexual assault of a student. He has been replaced by Detective Lisa Aspessi.
Prosecuting attorney Dona Bracke said she does not expect the change in detectives to impact that case. The administrators, who recently were returned to supervisory duties, have an Aug. 28 trial date on the misdemeanor charges.
McGinty previously worked for the Hattiesburg Police Department in Mississippi. He was sued in 2014 for the alleged unlawful arrest and the wrongful filing of charges against the lawsuit’s three plaintiffs, according to court documents. The suit was permanently dismissed in 2015, and a confidential settlement was paid to the plaintiffs.
McGinty joined the Bellingham Police Department in 2015 and was promoted to detective in 2018.
