Seattle police captain, 53, is arrested in sting operation carried out by his own department 'after offering $40 to an undercover cop posing as a prostitute'

  • Captain Randal Woolery, with Seattle PD's Professional Standards Bureau, faces a sexual exploitation charge
  • The 31-year police veteran was among five men caught in prostitution sting 
  • Woolery was released from jail less than 30 minutes after booking 
  • He has recently received an award recognizing him as an inspirational leader 

Capt Randal Woolery, with the Seattle PD's Professional Standards Bureau, faces a sexual exploitation charge for allegedly offering $40 to an undercover cop posing as a prostitute

Capt Randal Woolery, with the Seattle PD's Professional Standards Bureau, faces a sexual exploitation charge for allegedly offering $40 to an undercover cop posing as a prostitute 

A Seattle Police Department captain has been arrested on suspicion of sexual exploitation after getting caught in a prostitution sting operation. 

Randal Woolery was booked shortly after midnight Thursday and was released less than 30 minutes later, according to King County Jail records.

Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said in a statement that a 53-year-old police department employee, later identified as Woolery, was arrested in an undercover Vice operation in North Seattle.

Woolery, who is assigned to the Seattle Police Department's Internal Affairs, was among five men who were arrested during the undercover operation carried out by his own department's Vice squad.

KIRO7 reported, citing multiple unnamed sources, that the police captain offered $40 to an undercover officer posing as a prostitute and was immediately taken into custody.

Woolery has been on the force for 31 years, most recently with the SPD's Professional Standards Bureau, where he is tasked with reviewing officers' use of force, reported The Seattle Times.

Woolery, whose job it is to review officers' use of force, was among five men arrested during a sting operation carried out by the SPD's Vice squad

Woolery, whose job it is to review officers' use of force, was among five men arrested during a sting operation carried out by the SPD's Vice squad 

He also serves on the Snohomish County Fire District 7 Board of Commissioners.

According to KIRO7’s report, the veteran cop is highly respected by his peers and has recently received an award recognizing him as an inspirational leader.

Seattle Municipal Court records show no complaint was immediately filed by the Seattle City Attorney’s Office he has not been charged.

City Attorney Pete Holmes’s spokesman Dan Nolte says the case is with the office’s review and filing unit.

Woolery has been placed on administrative leave.   

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