Timeline of internal investigation into fired Bend police officer, paid over $180,000 while on leave

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Questions have been raised about the length of the investigation into former Bend Police Officer Kevin Uballez, as he was paid over $180,000 in taxpayer money during his 2 1/2 years of paid leave before he was fired last Friday.

In July of 2021, Uballez was placed on paid leave for an arrest of man accused of being drunk and walking in the middle of a NW Bend street around 1AM. Uballez was accused of using excessive force and slamming the mans head into the ground and causing him to bleed. Before the mans arrest, he had been beaten up by three Summit High teenagers.

Bend Police immediately opened an internal investigation, but it was quickly put on pause as then-Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel pursued criminal charges against Uballez. Nearly two years later, in November of 2023, District Attorney Steve Gunnels dropped the charges, citing a lack of evidence and adding that the officers who were set to testify against Uballez weren't credible themselves. It's not clear why it took so long for the charges to be dropped.

Bend Police then resumed its internal investigation of Uballez. Two months later, the investigation was finished and Uballez was fired. Due to an ongoing civil lawsuit brought by the man arrested, Bend Police couldn't comment on whether Uballez was fired because of the results of the investigation. They also declined to say whether Uballez violated any department policies.

During his 2 1/2 years of paid leave Uballez was paid $184,038.27, according to Bend Police.