Page 76 of Strays
“She’ll be fine,” I say. “She just needs time to adjust. She’s strong.”
I hope I’m right. But that hope feels thin when we step out into the morning. None of us say much on the way to work.
We barely make it through the front doors of the station before someone flags us down. Internal Affairs wants to see us at nine o’clock.
It’s starting.
When the time comes and we head to the interview room, my hearing picks up voices through the closed door. I can already tell Wilsbone and Fontes are inside, with Lieutenant Borgianni. Never spoken to the guy, but I’ve seen him around. The type who watches more than he talks.
“No, sir. I wasn’t coerced in any way,” Fontes is saying, tight with irritation. “I acted on my own judgment.”
Figures. They think we pressured him to cover for us. He’s telling the truth, but that doesn’t mean they’ll let him keep backing us.
The second we walk in, the conversation cuts off. Borgianni doesn’t even look up from his file. “Officers. Have a seat.”
We sit shoulder to shoulder. We know what’s coming: suspicion, bias. I glance at my brothers, and their faces are blank. Good. Let them see stone, not sweat.
Borgianni closes the folder and presses the button on the small recorder in the center of the table.
“This is an administrative interview regarding Internal Affairs File 25-117B,” he begins. “Incident type: off-duty use of force. Date: Monday, May 12th, 2025. Time: 0904 hours. Location: Great Sky PD. Present are Lieutenant Matthew Borgianni, IA; Sergeant Arthur Wilsbone, patrol supervisor; Officer Daniel Fontes, witness; and Officers Kory, Jayson, and Shane Larsen, subject officers.”
His gaze lifts. “You are being interviewed in relation to an off-duty incident that occurred on Sunday, May 11th, involving a physical altercation between Officer Jay Larsen and civilian Luc Knolson, which resulted in injury and hospitalization. This is an internal administrative review, not a criminalproceeding. That said, you are ordered to answer truthfully. Failure to comply may result in disciplinary action, including termination.”
He pauses. “Under the Garrity rule, your statements may not be used against you in a criminal prosecution, but may be used internally. Do you understand and agree to proceed?”
“Yes, sir,” I say.
Borgianni nods and turns to Jay. “Walk us through the incident, starting from the civilian’s arrival at your residence.”
“The subject came with a guest. He was uninvited. He smelled of cocaine,” Jay says.
Borgianni raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say a word.
“We didn’t engage,” Jay continues. “We stayed in the backyard and kept our distance.”
“What happens next?”
“The subject drank excessively. Got loud. Then he started making sexually explicit comments about our mate. Inappropriate and escalating. Eventually, the guest who brought him tried to remove him.”
“Did you threaten the subject?”
“No.”
“Any physical intimidation?”
“No, sir.”
“Then explain the strike.”
Jay keeps his tone steady. “He came back on his own. Came stumbling toward our mate. I perceived a direct threat to her safety, so I stepped forward and used one controlled strike. Closed fist.”
“You’re saying this was a controlled strike?”
“Yes.”
“You do understand,” Borgianni says, his voice sharpening, “that the civilian suffered a concussion and two facial fractures. He was unconscious on scene. You expect us to believe you weren’t trying to incapacitate him?”
“Yes, sir,” Jay answers calmly. “If I’d wanted to incapacitate him, his skull would be fractured, and he’d be in a coma.”
