message from the chief's office... - Spokane Police Department

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF’S OFFICE...
BY: MAJOR SCOTT STEPHENS
Spring is rapidly approaching and with it
comes the annual promise of rebirth. It has
been a long difficult winter and as a nation
and a community we are currently faced with
many severe challenges. As winter melts into
spring we, as members of the Spokane Police
Department, have the opportunity to rededicate
ourselves to our profession and to the
community that we serve. We must retain our
organizational hope and belief that working
together as a police family we can not only
persevere but succeed in the months ahead.
I am very grateful and enthusiastic about the
opportunity to serve as the new Operations Support Bureau commander.
The Operations Support Bureau is busy with several projects including a
change in management at the Dispatch Center, the implementation of the
Officer Involved Fatal Incident Protocol and some procedural changes in
the manner in which evidence is managed and transferred in the Property
Room. As always, the Operations Support Bureau stands ready to assist in
anyway possible.
Have a safe and wonderful Spring.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE...
2008 Employee Awards Ceremony 2
Employee of the Month 3
Chief’s Citation Award 4
2008 Volunteer Awards Ceremony 5
Citizen’s Recognized 6
Child Passenger Safety Team 6
K-9 Dogs Retire 7
Monthly Exercise Tips 8
Total Station Training 8
Years of Service 9
Jan Colburn Retires 9
Officers Injured in the line of Duty 9
Law Enforcement Museum 10
SPD TV Schedule 10
Citizens Applaud Our Employees 11
Upcoming Events 12
FEBRUARY 2009 EDITION

www.spokanepolice.org
2008 EMPLOYEE AWARDS CEREMONY
The annual Spokane Police Department Employee Awards Ceremony was held February 24th at the City
Hall Council Chambers. The following awards were issued:
Lifesaving Awards
Ofc. Dan Lesser Ofc. Cory Lyons Ofc. Nick Geren Ofc. Brian Eckersley Ofc. Gene Baldwin
Ofc. Sean Wheeler
1st Quarter
Ofc. Chris Bode Ofc. Marie Rosenthal Ofc. Bob Collins Ofc. Derek Bishop
Employee of the Quarter Awards
4th Quarter &
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Bill Flatt
Sgt. Steve Wohl
Sgt. Jason Hartman
Chief’s Special Award Presentation
Purple Heart~Detective Terry Ferguson
Carly Cortright
Chaplain’s Joe Farrow Award
Chaplain Dan Smith
The 2008 SPD Employee Awards Ceremony will play
on Channel 5 during March on the following dates:
3/5 9 pm
3/12 7 pm
3/17 8:30 pm
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EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Congratulations to Detective Mark Burbridge who was chosen
as Employee of the Month for February 2009.
Mark is a Major Crimes Detective for the Spokane Police Department
where he began his career in 1988. This unit handles
homicides, robberies, assaults, kidnappings and a myriad of criminal
cases which entail working in conjunction with other agencies
and municipalities.
During his tenure with the major crimes unit, Mark has consistently
provided excellent service as a lead detective as well as
back up detective on investigations. During a recent investigation,
Mark exceeded the standards of performance and was recognized
by the Benton County Sheriff, Benton County Prosecutor and the Attorney General’s
Office for excellent service for his work on an intense case involving possible misappropriation
of property taken from deceased persons.
In another case, involving a victim of a homicide who had very little ties to the Spokane
area, Mark was the lead detective. There were approximately twenty members of the victim’s
family, including his mother and sisters, who arrived from Seattle to indentify the victim.
Their initial perception was that the Spokane Police Department would not care
about their family member since he was not from this area and was associated with the
drug trade. Knowing the caliber of detectives that work for the police department, the
Lieutenant in charge promised the family that the perpetrator would be located. Mark
and other detectives worked from 1 a.m. until 8
p.m. the night the crime was discovered, and
then Mark returned to work at 4:30 a.m. the following
day to follow up on leads. Mark worked
an additional 14-hour shift and, within thirty
hours of the initial crime, three arrests were
made of individuals who were not residents of
Washington State. Due to Mark’s dogged determination
and tireless efforts, the family of the victim
was able to have closure to a tragic event.
Detective Mark Burbridge and
Mayor Mary Verner
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Mark consistently maintains the highest quality
of professional skill and personal integrity which
makes him a shining example of pride in service
and an exemplary team member of the Spokane
Police Department.
Congratulations Mark! Your service and commitment to the City of
Spokane and the community are greatly appreciated!
Mark was presented with the Employee of the Month plaque on February 17, 2009.
PAGE 3

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CHIEF’S CITATION AWARD
On Wednesday, February
18th, the Vertical Staffing
Communications Team was
presented with the Chief’s
Citation Award. The Chief’s
Citation is intended to recognize
members of a team or
Unit for participating in an
incident, event, or series of
events, or project which has
a substantial positive impact
on the community or the police
department. The incident,
event or project must Chief Kirkpatrick and Mayor Verner present Darlene Ahrendt with the
be superior in nature and
Chief’s Citation Award
further the Department’s
mission and overall effectiveness.
The Vertical Staffing Communications Team has contributed to many projects that have
and continue to have a positive impact on the community, City of Spokane, Spokane
Sheriff's Office, Spokane C.O.P.S. and the Spokane Police Department. Some of which include
advocating the need to reinstate Crime Check through education, analysis and survey’s;
implementation, maintenance, and education of the Law Enforcement Help Line,
SPD website, Ask Spokane and frequently asked questions; flyers, media releases, phone
directories, and various web-based communication tools. These are just some of the projects
that furthered the department’s mission and overall effectiveness to improve
communications internally and externally.
Congratulations to the Vertical Staffing Communications Team:
Major Gill Moberly
Lt. Craig Meidl
Sgt. Jim Faddis
Cpl. Tom Lee
PFC Sue Mann
Pam Ames
Richard Cain
Lynn Dahmen
Jason Franklin
Alisha Grow
Lorraine Keane
David Lund
Ryan Shaw
SCSO Undersheriff Jeff Tower
Maurece Vulcano—C.O.P.S.
Lt. Bill Drollinger
Lt. Glenn Winkey
Sgt. JD Anderson
Det. Stacey Carr
Darlene Ahrendt
Susie Bisson
Rob Chiappe
Zan Deery
Jody Goldman
Shannon Hallam
Marisa Kurtz
Ron Nicodemus
Carla Stamatoplos
Gayle Tucker
John Walters
PAGE 4

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2008 VOLUNTEER AWARDS CEREMONY
SENIOR VOLUNTEERS
Senior Volunteer of the Year
Rookie of the Year
Perseverance Awards
Bill Saylor
Ray Mohney
Gayle Yeager
Catherine Padilla
Iron Man Awards
Iron Woman Awards
Dave Grant
Joe Martinez
Hazel Vercruysse
Dedication and Commitment Awards
Rosemary Hiller
Norm Evans Ray Ripley Wayne Lythgoe Linda Wallick Gene LaLiberte
RESERVE OFFICERS
Rookie of the Year
Reserve Officer of the Year
CO-OP of the Year
Scott Lesser
Devin Fisher
CO-OPs
Dedication and Commitment Award
Rookie of the Year
Ryan Akins Brittney Taylor Kyle Trotchie
EXPLORERS
Leadership Award Rookie of the Year Explorer of the Year Leonard Lemay Award
Greg Thompson
Alisha Fiskvik
Amanda Siers
Cody Harder
PAGE 5

Just before the Spokane City Council meeting
on February 9, 2009, Chief Kirkpatrick recognized
Spokane citizens for their bravery.
On October 10, 2008 Airman David Scarlett
pulled two men out of the Spokane River before
patrol officers arrived on scene.
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CITIZEN’S RECOGNIZED
On July 28, 2008, Sara Murphy was instrumental
in saving the life of another citizen who was
attempting to jump off the Monroe Street
Bridge.
Chief Kirkpatrick stands with Airman David Scarlett,
On January 6, 2009, Josh Meyers ran to the Sara Murphy, Josh Meyers and Mayor Verner
aid of a man who crashed his car into a snow
bank. The car then caught on fire. Meyers pulled this man to safety.
All three citizens received a letter and a plaque containing the Chief’s Coin.
CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TEAM
Many of you know the Spokane By: Officer Teresa Fuller
Police Department has a number
of officers on the Spokane County Child Passenger
Safety Team. We are all dedicated to making the children
of our community safer by ensuring they are
buckled correctly. What many of you don’t know is
that SPD’s involvement on the team was spearheaded
by Ofc. Jennifer DeRuwe.
Eight years ago Jennifer was certified under the Safe
Kids national curriculum to become a car seat technician.
After that, she went on to become a “senior”
checker, one that helps double check other technicians’
work, and then she became an instructor. I had the
privilege of being in the first class that Jenn taught. Her
passion definitely influenced me as well as other officers that have chosen to make the
commitment to our team.
Sadly, Jennifer’s time had to come to an
end, so she attended her last car seat
check on January 24 th . Although she
doesn’t have time attend car seat checks,
Jenn will always be an integral part of our
team. Unbeknownst to her, we wouldn’t
let her leave without a proper farewell, so
she was presented with a certificate of
appreciation for her dedication to the
team. Thank you Jenn for the time and
effort you put into making our team what
it is today!
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K-9 Beny
K-9 DOGS RETIRE
K-9 Beny retired in October of 2008 due to age-related health issues. Beny
was a patrol dog partnered with Officer Craig Hamilton when he was first assigned
to the K-9 Unit in February of 2004. Beny was a sport-trained German Shepherd
imported from the Czech Republic. They were immediately successful when they
hit the street. Beny retired with 157 criminal captures and 36 evidence finds.
Two examples of Beny’s captures are tracking a suspect that fled from a
stolen vehicle to the Spokane River near Downriver Golf Course. They located the
suspect who was quite a ways out in the river concealed in the darkness and overgrowth.
The river was still very cold, and if not located, the suspect might certainly
have died there in his efforts to escape arrest. In another instance, Beny also
tracked and located a male suspect that tried to burn down his own house with his
wife and kids still inside. Beny will spend retirement on Craig’s property with his
other dogs.
K-9 Var retired just last month, also due to age related health issues
at 10 years of age. Var, also a patrol dog, was partnered with Officer Dan
Lesser in January 2001. Var too was a German Shepherd imported from the
Czech Republic. Officer Lesser, a SWAT team member, then became the primary
SWAT K-9 with Var, who quickly became an essential part of the team.
Var had 237 criminal captures and 8 evidence finds in his career.
One example of Var’s many captures was locating a suspect who
killed a 3 year old girl. The suspect was aware the police were searching for
him and hid himself in a house. Var located the suspect who had actually
concealed himself behind a false wall in the basement. Without Var, this
suspect would most likely have escaped detection.
On Var’s last night of service last month, he captured another homicide
suspect from a stabbing, also hiding in a basement. The story of Var’s
significant capture on his last night was actually picked up by the Associated
Press and made newspapers all over the country. Var will spend his retirement
with Ofc Lesser’s family.
K-9 Var
**
K-9 Jasmine, a drug dog, recently passed away last month. Jasmine
was a Rottweiler and Golden Retriever mix that was donated to Spokane Police
Department. Jasmine was trained in drug detection by the K-9 Unit. She
was partnered with Officer Ernie Wuthrich for a short while in 1996, and then
partnered with Officer Eric Olsen when he needed a new K-9. When Eric was
promoted to Detective in 1997, Officer Tracie Meidl was selected as his replacement
and partnered with Jasmine. Tracie and Jasmine worked as a team
until the Drug Dog program was disbanded due to budget cuts in 2004.
(Chief Kirkpatrick brought the program back in early 2007.)
For those who had the opportunity to watch Tracie and Jasmine at
work, they would agree that they were truly an impressive team. In one instance,
instead of going inside to search a car after an arrest as directed, Jasmine
immediately dove under the car and alerted on a substantial quantity of
methamphetamine. The driver had dropped the drugs to the ground
K-9 Jasmine through a hole near the car’s gear shift, knowing that officers would not think
to look on the ground. It did not fool Jasmine’s nose however, and the driver was arrested.
In another case, Jasmine alerted to a package that had been sent through the mail. After obtaining
a search warrant, the package was opened. The box was completely sealed in tape. Inside the box was a
zip-lock bag full of laundry detergent. Inside this bag was a spice jar that had been sealed with hot glue.
Instead of spice, the jar was full of methamphetamine. These are just a couple of examples of Jasmine’s thousands
of drug finds over her years of service.
These dogs are responsible for the arrest of hundreds of criminal suspects that would have otherwise
escaped, and they did it only for the praise of their handlers. Besides capturing criminals, they showed off
their skills in hundreds of demonstrations, creating plenty of goodwill for the Spokane Police Department.
The Spokane Police Department K-9 Unit is renown throughout the northwest United States because of our
quality K-9 teams like these.
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OFC. MARIE ROSENTHAL’S MONTHLY EXERCISE TIPS
During the past 7 ½ years that I have been a police officer with the Spokane
Police Department, I have been frequently asked diet and exercise
questions. Someone even suggested I write a book about Fitness for
Police Women! I was hesitant at first, but decided I could write a
monthly tip or two for our newsletter. Now is as good a time as any,
since its almost Spring!
I am sharing from my own personal viewpoints, training and experiences
that I have gained over the past 20 years. I began lifting weights
and running when I was 19 years old. Back then, I saw instant results,
but now I have to work twice as hard to get those same results!
This month is focused on starting a plan or adding to your current routine.
My trick is making my gym very accessible to me. Mine is in my
Marie Rosenthal
basement and I have acquired all the equipment I like to use, that will keep me motivated and
interested. For me, this includes a multi-station piece, free weights, a bench, smith-machine, and
three types of cardio equipment. A “must have” is a TV and stereo!
First plan: Make the commitment and plan to stick with it every day!! I know we all work different
schedules, but based on your personal schedule, get out of bed one hour earlier than you do
already. Sounds hard to do, especially if you are working these long 11 hour shifts, but you can
do it, and you will feel better. Grab a cup of black coffee, and get moving! Do a 1/2 hour of
cardio every day BEFORE you eat breakfast. You will burn more calories faster this way. Whether
it be on a stationary bike, Stairmaster, or whatever you may have—start out small and build at your
own pace. Work up to 1 hour if you can, but do not burn yourself out. On top of this, carry
around a water bottle and drink from it all day. You will be amazed at how that will curb your
appetite.
Do this for the first month, and in the next newsletter I will tell you more! Good luck & have fun!!!
TOTAL STATION TRAINING
By: Officer Teresa Fuller
There are many important tools police officers have to
help them do their jobs. One of them is the Total Station.
Similar to the survey equipment you see road crews using,
the Total Station is used at crime scenes to collect
data so that investigators can create scale depictions of
what happened at any given scene. It’s used for both
fatality crashes and homicide scenes, although it can be
used for any scene deemed necessary.
On February 12 th , Spokane police officers went
through a refresher course on the Total Station at
Northtown Mall. The “scene” was set up by Cpl.
Dave Adams and started outside with a vehicle
crash, then moved inside to a fictitious homicide.
Fortunately, there aren’t a lot of incidents where the
total station is necessary, so it’s important that the
officers trained on the system stay current with their
skills. Thank you to Cpl. Adams as well as to Northtown
Mall for helping make this training a success!
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YEARS OF SERVICE
Paul Taylor
15 Years
Dusty Patrick
5 Years
Becky Nelson
5 Years
JAN COLBURN RETIRES
Jennifer Quick
5 Years
After 25 years of service, Jan Colburn has
decided to retire.
Jan was hired in November of 1983 as a Radio Operator
I. She was promoted to a Police Radio Dispatcher
I in December of 1985 and became a Police
Radio Dispatcher II in October of 1997. Jan was
a member of Dispatch when they received the
Chief’s Citation Award from Chief Bragdon on February
9, 2005. Jan retired in Februrary of this year.
Thank you, Jan, for your years of hard work
and dedication to SPD!
OFFICERS INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
Often Police Officers are recognized for their heroic efforts in saving lives and protecting
the community. They are often recognized during high profile cases in which they have
apprehended wanted suspects. You may also hear an officers name if they have been
involved in a deadly force situation. But we never hear about those officers who have
made sacrifices in the line of duty and are temporarily unable to perform their duties. This
article is to serve as a Thank You to those Spokane Police Officers who have recently been
hurt while doing their job – Corporal Kurt Vigesaa and Officer Sean Wheeler. We hope
to see you back out on the street soon!
Officer Steve Arredondo, Officer Tamie Johnson, and Officer Matt Rose
have all returned to work.
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SPOKANE LAW ENFORCEMENT MUSEUM
Friday, February13 th was a special day for the By: Susan S. “Sue” Walker
SPOKANE LAW ENFORCEMENT MUSEUM AND THE SPD due to a phone call
February 4, 2009 from Salem, Oregon. Dennis Griffiths, the Oregon State Sheriff's
Association Historian came across these priceless items while searching
through a treasure trove of boxes in their possession, that belonged to our very
own Joel F. Warren. Warren was one of our first policeman, and served as our
4th and 8th Chief of Police in 1887-90 and again 1897-1899 (he was also a U.S.
Marshal and wore that badge also). Dennis just happened to discover these
items under a table in an old dilapidated box that had two plastic boxes which
included these items. The medals were black with tarnish and the badge, he
said, was in pristine condition. He cleaned them all up personally, and the handetched
detail on this badge is amazing. In the earliest known 1888 photo of our
"police department" this badge is clearly shown with Warren wearing it with his
U.S. Marshals badge, and there is no doubt that this IS the original badge. We
are grateful to Dennis for his willingness to see this come home at a time when
we will be putting together the first "Spokane Law Enforcement Museum" for the public to see.
Our extensive research on all that we are putting in our history books
involved an enormous amount of research, and it was suggested that for the
newsletter I write an article about the amount of information we have accumulated
from research from officers in positions to remember the details about significant
units over the years. We are here to help/share - them/you with everyone,
that is why we have an “archive” of information on any aspect of our department.
We at the SPLEM Historical Office are working WITH you all to save
our history and document it.
It is a privilege to be a part of saving our Spokane Police Department history...
QUILT RAFFLE
Lisa Hagle, the winner of the SPLEM Building Fund "Quilt" Raffle for 2008,
was presented the "Bridging the Stars" quilt made by Kay Sargent, by her
grandfather, John H. McGregor (RET. SCSO Capt.). The winning ticket
was drawn at the SPD History Book Meeting on November 26,
2008. The money raised will go towards the remodeling of our museum
building at 1201 W. 1 st . Thanks to all of you who supported this fundraiser
for the Spokane Law Enforcement Museum.
RECORDS DIVISION ON SPD TV
The Records Division will be profiled during March on SPD TV. Cpl. Dave Adams is By: Mike Lavelle
joined by Records Specialists Michelle Loucks and Marnie Rorholm as information is
presented on the numerous jobs that Records provides for the citizens and the law enforcement agencies it
serves. SPD TV airs on City Cable Channel 5 and the program will also be available on the department’s
web site. Air times on Channel 5 are as follows.
3/7 8:30 pm
3/8 12 pm
3/9 11:30 am
3/10 8 pm
3/12 11:30 am
3/13 10 pm
3/14 8:30 pm
3/15 11:30 am
3/17 8 pm
3/19 11:30 am
3/21 8:30 pm
3/24 8 pm
3/26 11:30 am & 8:30 pm
3/28 8:30 pm
3/31 8 pm
PAGE 10

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CITIZENS APPLAUD OUR EMPLOYEES
On February 2, 2009, I contacted 911 to initiate a welfare check on my brother, who resided
in Spokane. Sgt. Yamada responded to the call and contacted me for more information.
I explained to him that my brother had been suicidal and I was concerned for his
safety. After arriving at my brother’s apartment complex and doing what he felt he had
the power to do, it was determined that since my brother’s truck was gone they didn’t
have the right to enter his home. After the officers left the complex, management decided
to enter and found a note indicating suicide and called the police back. Sgt. Yamada
again contacted me and explained the new developments. Following our
thoughts on where my brother might go, my brother was soon found and he had indeed
killed himself. He had been found in another jurisdiction and I was notified of his death by a deputy
of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. During each call with me Sgt. Yamada managed to be both professional
and kind. And, going above and beyond, he called me the next day to express his condolences. I
have worked with a number of officers throughout my career and I found Sgt. Yamada’s professionalism,
interpersonal skills and compassion to be exceptional. The last few weeks have been extremely difficult, but
I wanted to express my gratitude for the exceptional service provided by Sgt. Yamada. ~Kristin Bergeron
**********************************************************************************************************************
This is a long overdue letter of thanks to you and the Spokane Police Department for the
opportunity to ride along with an officer. I rode with Gordon Grant and was greatly impressed
by his demeanor, commitment and capability. In the time I rode with Gordon, I
saw him and other officers handle several difficult situations with the utmost respect for
everyone involved, including the guys who were headed to jail. These were situations
where something could have easily gone wrong, with people hurt; but things went right
due to the skill of the officers. I appreciate the chance to get a small bit of insight into the
work of the department. More importantly, I appreciate the dedication and service of the
officers and staff.
~Bruce Howard
**********************************************************************************************************************
On January 2nd, one of our clients met with his therapist and stated that he was actively
suicidal. Because the mental health system did not respond in this type of crisis, we called
911. We were very impressed by Officer Chris Bode, who was the first responder. This
officer presented a non-confrontational, compassionate and caring demeanor. He spoke
in a gentle and non-judgmental manner to a terrified and impaired client in such a way
that the client was willing to accompany him get the help he needed. He was reassuring,
clear and concerned about the welfare of our client. I just wanted to pass on our gratitude
to Officer Bode for seeing beyond the stereotype and responding to the human suffering
in such an outstanding way. ~Cathy Doran
**********************************************************************************************************************
I would like to compliment one of your night patrol officers, Officer Rich Meyer. Officer
Meyer conducted himself very professionally and was very kind to myself and my son,
when he returned my son home. It is good to know that Spokane Police Department
employs officers of Officer Meyer’s standards. Thank you.
~Natalie Lattanzio
**********************************************************************************************************************
On February 24th, I had the distinct privilege to go on a “ride along” with the Spokane Police Department.
I extend my great respect and admiration for the Department and its tremendous professionalism. Everyone
I met is deserving of our appreciation every single day. Thanks to Detective Bob Mosman for coordinating
my day and seeing that I was taken care of and that I met with professionals who could answer my
great thirst to understand. Thanks to Major Scott Stephens for a warm reception and great insight into the
department, its leadership and healthy “climate of command.” Most importantly, I extend my gratitude to
Officer Tony Lamanna who was the “stuckee” saddled
with babysitting a civilian all day answering just about
every stupid question imaginable. I wish to extend
praise to our men and women in the Spokane Police
Department for their equal commitment and sacrifice
every single day to keep us safe in the City of Spokane.
~Pete Joplin
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Upcoming Events:
C.O.P.S. West Silent Auction & Spaghetti Dinner
March 7—4pm to 8pm
1425 N Ash
$6 per person
“Run With Cops Not From Them”
5K Run/Walk Fundraiser
Saturday, June 29
Marymoor Park, Remond, WA
www.RunwithCops.com
Spokane Police Department
1100 W. Mallon Ave.
Spokane, WA 99260-0001
www.spokanepolice.org
SUGGESTIONS—COMMENTS?
Editor, Kiley Friesen
Phone: 509-625-4456
OR
Email: kmfriesen@spokanepolice.org
DON’T GIVE UP—COVER IT UP
Prevent—Report—Remove
Preventing…
graffiti reduces citizen fear and improves business patronization
and restores community pride.
Reporting….
graffiti to Crime Check and photographing the vandalism, aids
in tracking and prosecution of graffiti vandals.
Rapid Removal…
reduces the chance of a reoccurrence on your property
To report graffiti call Crime
Check at 456-2233
To report graffiti in progress
call 9-1-1
Did You Know?
If a trail of photographic evidence is
tied to a vandal who has been caught,
police may be able to use the evidence
to present a stronger
prosecutable case.
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