Police and the Community
Watch the Episode
Original Air Date: 2/18/2010
Police and the Community
A Seattle police officer is shot in his patrol car. Four Lakewood police officers are gunned down in a coffee shop. Two Pierce County deputies are shot by a supposedly subdued suspect. Now a State Trooper is released from the hospital with a bullet still lodged in his head.
From shock to grief to pure unbelief- What is going on? And how do we stop it? How did we go from Norman Rockwell’s famous picture of the Policeman and the little to boy to these horrific events?
Guests
Chief Bret Farrar – Lakewood Police Department
Chief Bret Farrar has 20 years of Law Enforcement experience working with the Lakewood Police Department and the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. He became the Chief of Police of Lakewood in February 2008. During this time, Chief Farrar has been active in his community and belongs to several organizations, including the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, the Washington Association of Sheriff's and Police Chiefs, the Pierce County Cooperative Cities, and the Pierce County Chief's Association. He will be able to speak directly about how the tragedy has impacted the small Lakewood Police Department, and will be able to talk about the community’s relationship with police before and after the recent tragedy.
Visit the Lakewood PD website here.
Learn about volunteering for the Lakewood PD here.
Deputy Chief Nicholas Metz – Seattle Police Department
Acting Deputy Chief Nicholas Metz has been with the Seattle Police Department for over 23 years. He oversees the Patrol Operations Bureau, Criminal Investigations Bureau, and Special Operations Bureau. He has commanded numerous departments at the Seattle Police Department, including Human Resources, the South and East Precincts, the Internal Investigations Section, the Operations Bureau, the Employee & Community Support Bureau, and the Investigations Bureau. He will be able to speak about the reach of public relationships over expansive Seattle Police Department, and how the community interacts with the police force.
Visit the Seattle PD website here.
Learn about volunteering with the Seattle PD here.
Sheriff Paul Pastor - Pierce County Sheriff’s Department
Paul Pastor has been serving Pierce County as Sheriff since 2000. He helped design the national model procedures for policing mass civil disturbance after the World Trade Organization riot in Seattle and also consulted to the International Olympic Security Committee in Salt Lake City in 2001. He serves on state and national committees for emergency mobilization, ethics and intelligence and in 2004 helped develop the National Sheriff’s Association WMD training program. In addition, he helped develop the Washington State law on police use of lethal force and the Northwest Law Enforcement Executive Command College. He will be able to speak directly about the relationship between civilians and police, and what can be done to improve that relationship.
Visit the Pierce County Sheriff's website here.
Learn about volunteering with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department here.
Stats and Facts
The slain officers:
Seattle
Officer Timothy Brenton, age 39 with nine years in the Seattle Police Department. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. His father and uncle are retired Seattle police officers.
Lakewood
Sergeant Mark Renninger, age 39 with thirteen years of law enforcement experience. He is survived by a wife and three children.
Officer Ronald Owen, age 37 with twelve years of law enforcement experience. He is survived by a former wife and a daughter.
Officer Tina Griswold, age 40 with fourteen years of law enforcement experience. She is survived by her husband and two children.
Officer Greg Richards, age 42 with eight years of law enforcement experience. He is survived by a wife and three children.
Pierce County
Deputy Sheriff Kent Mundell, age 44 with 10 years in the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. He is survived by his wife, 16-year-old daughter, and 10-year-old son.
The state house has approved a number of bills in response to the recent police shootings. They are:
House Bill 2625 would end the practice of allowing some prisoners to be released on weekends without going before a judge. Some jails have allowed inmates to post bail on weekends, when judges normally don't work, according to a preset formula based on the charges.
House Bill 1203 would make it a felony to help relatives run from the law. Now, friends or acquaintances who harbor criminals can be charged with felonies, but close family members face only misdemeanors.
House Bill 2519 would boost the one-time lump-sum payment to families of officers or firefighters killed in the line of duty, to $214,000 from the current $150,000. It also would guarantee their children free state college tuition.
Send your questions and comments to NorthwestNow@kbtc.org
