Drug addicted police officer raids prescription drop off box from the police station

A Poulsbo police officer was charged Wednesday with theft and felony drug possession after she confessed to repeatedly taking narcotics left in city hall's prescription drug take-back box
Stacey Lee Smaaladen, 49, told Bremerton police investigators she took the drugs to supplement her own legally prescribed medications, which she took for pain from injuries, including back surgery.

A search of her bag found morphine, tramadol (both of which are narcotic painkillers) and several other prescription pills that had not been prescribed to her.

Smaaladen gave a testimonial for the Bothell clinic where she received her back surgery, which was posted in September. In it, she describes the frustration of not being able to go on calls with her fellow officers because of her severe back pain but said her recovery from the surgery allowed her to resume duty and ride horses.