A former Tacoma police officer, Christopher Burbank, who was acquitted of murder in the 2020 death of Manuel Ellis, a Black man who was shocked, beaten, and restrained face down on a sidewalk as he pleaded for breath, has been hired by the Thurston County Sheriff's Office in Olympia, Washington. Despite an ongoing federal investigation into Ellis' death, Burbank has been hired as a patrol deputy.

Burbank, along with two other officers, Timothy Rankine and Matthew Collins, were cleared of criminal charges by a Pierce County jury last December. The officers were accused of using excessive force that led to Ellis' death, but their attorneys argued that Ellis died from a lethal amount of methamphetamine and a heart condition, not from the officers' actions. The Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled Ellis' death a homicide caused by a lack of oxygen during the physical restraint.

Ellis, 33, was walking home with doughnuts when he encountered the officers in Tacoma in March 2020. Witnesses and surveillance footage captured parts of the encounter, showing Ellis with his hands up in a surrender position as Burbank shot a Taser at his chest and Collins wrapped an arm around his neck from behind. Ellis pleaded for breath as he was restrained face down on the sidewalk.

The hire of Burbank by the Thurston County Sheriff's Office has sparked controversy and outrage, especially from Ellis' family and their attorney, Matthew Ericksen. The family is still pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Tacoma, and the case is also under review by the attorney's office in Seattle for potential federal civil rights violations.

Sheriff Derek Sanders defended the hire of Burbank, stating that the former officer underwent a thorough background check, including a polygraph, before being hired. Sanders emphasized that Burbank had been cleared of any wrongdoing by Tacoma PD, the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office, and a jury trial. The sheriff also noted that the Thurston County Sheriff's Office has been working to improve its crisis response by incorporating mental health co-responders and utilizing dashboard and body-worn cameras for transparency.

Despite the controversy surrounding Burbank's hire, the Thurston County Sheriff's Office stated that he would provide immediate relief in their patrol division, as the agency has been dealing with understaffing issues. The news of Burbank's hire comes in the midst of ongoing protests and calls for police accountability in the wake of incidents of police brutality, including the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.