A formal complaint against the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has been filed by the King County Sheriff's office with the Washington News Council.

The complaint targets on ongoing series of articles-"Conduct Unbecoming"-that is highly critical of the sheriff's office.

Both Burien and SeaTac contract with the sheriff's office for city police services.

In the complaint to the news council, which was dated July 28, Sheriff Sue Rahr said the P-I series and related stories "have been intentionally biased, unfair, malicious, and lack balance" in their portrayal of the sheriff's office.

Rahr said the P-I "has gone back 20 years and four sheriffs to portray events as representative of the current Sheriff's Office."

P-I editors defended the reports as "hard-hitting but fair and accurate."

The Washington News Council, a media ombudsman group of journalists and community members, urges parties to work out compromise settlements, according to executive director John Hamer.

If a compromise cannot be reached, the council holds a public hearing into a complaint.