DENVER (CBS4) – A Denver police vice detective caught last week with a known prostitute had his pants down, was driving a police car, and the woman was in a compromising position, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the case.
However, as CBS4 has previously reported, Lakewood police did not cite or arrest either Denver police Detective Michael Ryan or the woman in his police car last Thursday night.
Steve Davis, a spokesman for the Lakewood Police Department, declined to discuss specifics of the case, but said Lakewood police agents handled the case appropriately. He said as soon as officers knew they had stopped a Denver police detective with a known prostitute a supervisor was notified, a watch commander was notified, and the Denver Police Department was notified the following day.
Davis acknowledged that in similar circumstances most citizens would have immediately been cited for soliciting a prostitute. But he said the unusual, extenuating circumstances in the Ryan case caused Lakewood police to release both Ryan and the 49-year-old woman and continue their investigation.
Davis said on Tuesday that Lakewood police are “not done with the case,” and it was still possible Detective Ryan, 50, could be charged.
Lakewood police insisted Monday that Ryan was driving his personal car and was off duty when he was apprehended. However, CBS4 confirmed that Ryan was actually driving an unmarked law enforcement vehicle — possibly belonging to a federal law enforcement agency.
Sources also told CBS4 that Lakewood agents actually followed Ryan and the woman into Denver, where Ryan parked his car in a darkened cul-de-sac. Sources familiar with the case say that when Lakewood agents approached the car the woman was bent over the center console of the car and Ryan’s belt and pants were unbuckled.
Davis said he would not discuss specifics that were emerging in the CBS4 probe.
The Denver Police Department has placed Ryan, a 17-year veteran, on paid administrative leave and told him to stay home.
“If these allegations are true it makes us all look bad and we don’t condone that activity,” said DPD Cmdr. Matt Murray.
Murray said Ryan was supposed to investigate prostitution cases as part of his caseload.
“This is not the kind of thing we would expect and its troubling if these allegations are true,” said Murray.
RELATED: DPD Officer Ensnared In Prostitution Probe
