Fired Seattle cop convicted of misdemeanor harassment to be rehired

A Seattle police officer who was fired last year after he was charged with felony harassment of his ex-wife and her date will be rehired.

Former Officer Felton Miles pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment in February. The plea came after a Snohomish County jury deadlocked in favor of acquittal on the charges of felony harassment and burglary when Miles was tried in January. Chief Gil Kerlikowske refused to rehire the 20-year department veteran after he was charged with a felony. Miles appealed the chief's decision to the Public Safety Civil Service Commission, which ruled in the officer's favor.

Today, the Seattle City Attorney's Office said that Miles will be rehired. Ruth Bowman, a spokeswoman for City Attorney Tom Carr, said that the rehiring process has been started and will likely be "finalized" next week.

Mill Creek police say Miles, 51, showed up at his ex-wife's home on June 28, 2007, and started shouting obscenities. Police said that Miles shoved his ex-wife and threatened her date. In a recent interview, Miles said he had stopped by his ex-wife's house to pick up his young daughter. He said there was an agreement that he could enter the home.

Miles acknowledged that he threatened to slap his ex-wife's date because he thought the man was making faces at him. He denied he threatened to kill him. He said his gun was in the car.

"It was stupid," he said earlier this month. "I just want to get back to work. I love being a cop."

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com