A tort claim notice filed in January by a former Bend real estate broker against the city of Bend, the Bend Police Department and a police officer has been dismissed.
Tami Sawyer sought unspecified damages, alleging she was subject to an unwarranted arrest. A person must file a tort claim notice before suing a government agency.
According to Bend city attorney Mary Winters, Sawyer’s claim was denied by the city’s insurance company in March and the claim file was closed in June. Sawyer, who was representing herself in the claim, has not taken further action in her claim.
In the notice, Sawyer alleged Bend Police Officer Mike Maunder “knowingly engaged in conduct constituting the unauthorized exercise of his official duties," and that such conduct arose from a lack of training, supervision and oversight by the city and the Police Department.
Sawyer was arrested July 10 by the Port of Portland police at Portland International Airport upon returning from Mexico, after being indicted on one count each of felony first- degree criminal mistreatment and aggravated theft.
In a response to the claim, a claims adjuster for CityCounty Insurance Services wrote that the police department’s actions were reasonable and appropriate.
Sawyer and her husband, former Bend Police Capt. Kevin Sawyer, are also under federal indictment on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and bank fraud. They are scheduled to go to trial in January in federal court in Eugene.
