City of Seattle Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor

NEWS ADVISORY
SUBJECT:   Seattle Police Department Awards Employees for Valor, Distinguished Service, and Excellence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    10/26/2007  6:00:00 PM	FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Police Media Relations  (206) 684-5520

The Seattle Police Department and the Seattle Police Foundation honored the incredible work performed by employees of the Department in their professional commitment to serve and protect the community on Friday, October 26th from 6:00 to 10:00 P.M. at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel Grand Ballroom located at 1400 Sixth Avenue.

One of the most effective ways in which the Seattle Police Foundation achieves its mission to support the employees of the Seattle Police Department is through their sponsorship of the Awards Banquet. The banquet also raises money to support public safety initiatives funded throughout the year by the Seattle Police Foundation. In six years, the Foundation has funded over 135 projects in partnership with the Seattle Police Department. On Friday night, about 1,000 employees, their friends and families, and members of the community attended the annual banquet.

“The annual awards banquet is a special time to reflect on the great deeds of the Department, and honor individual men and women of our agency who accomplish so much for their community,” said Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske. “And we appreciate the confidence and support that we receive from the community in which we serve,” he said.

“The Seattle Police Foundation is proud to present the Seattle Police Department’s Annual Awards Banquet, which recognizes and honors some very special police officers, and brings together nearly 1,000 police, corporate leaders, elected officials and community leaders. It is a tribute to the quality of our Seattle Police and the community itself,” said Michael Malone, Chairman of the Seattle Police Foundation.

Dozens of members of the Seattle Police Department were awarded this year for valor, distinguished service, excellence, and a wide range of other accomplishments.

The following is a small sampling of some of the Department’s award recipients:

Officer of the Year

John Schweiger
Officer Schweiger has shown a positive attitude for years. From the time he came on the Department he has impressed those around him with his approach to policing. Officer Schweiger has always found a way to see the best in any assignment or situation. He is always willing to step up and handle the job, to completion. He is well respected by his peers and acts often in the capacity of mentor or counselor. Because of his common sense approach and friendly demeanor, Officer Schweiger is able to give advice and have it well received, even when it might be a bitter pill to swallow. His natural leadership skills, courage and coolness under fire and his organized manner consistently come together to get dangerous situation under control and not escalate the situation into a “Help the Officer” call. Officer Schweiger exemplifies the highest standards of conduct and police work and is being recognized tonight for those qualities and his consistent work performance over the years.

Detective of the Year

Kevin Grossman and Chris Young
In 2003 Detective Kevin Grossman was assigned to investigate an attempted rape. He developed information regarding a possible suspect, but was unable to verify due to the victim’s inability to recognize her assailant. While investigating, however, Detective Grossman learned that this same suspect was the primary suspect in an extremely violent rape/murder case from 1981. He received permission to investigate the “unsolved” cold case in his spare time. After a year, Detective Young joined him in his efforts. They were able to obtain DNA testing on the available biological evidence and a DNA profile was obtained. It did not implicate the original suspect but did match DNA in the database. The DNA profile in itself, although compelling, was not enough for a Murder charge. Detectives Grossman and Young continued their investigation, spending two years interviewing witnesses and following up on leads. Through this they were able to establish that the suspect, who matched the DNA sample, was the one who murdered the victim in 1981. He was charged with Murder 1 and is currently awaiting trial. Detectives Grossman and Young worked this case in their spare time, in addition to investigating their “regular” cases. The fact that these detectives did this is, in itself, is a testament to their dedication. That they were able to solve the murder and obtain charges against the suspect (with no prior experience investigating homicides) is a testament to their exemplary investigative skills and work ethic.

Medal of Valor

Chuck Allers
It was July 4, 2006 and Officer Allers had just finished a grueling day patrolling Lake Union during the Independence Day fireworks display. After 12 hours on shift he was getting ready to head home when a call came in “Fire at the NOAA Piers”. Despite being off duty, Officer Allers ran for Patrol Boat 2 and began towards the fire. Being the senior Officer aboard, he took charge and began leading the crew. Upon arrival the fire had engulfed a NOAA ship and was rapidly burning down the creosote pier. Firefighters from SFD were arriving and running down the pier carrying hoses. The flames were traveling so fast they burned under the pier that the firefighters were on. The fire was billowing a hundred feet high and the air was filled with acrid black smoke. Officer Allers, realizing the risk to the firefighters, got on the PA and alerted them to the fire that was burning under their feet. No sooner had they dropped their hoses and fled, the fire completely took over the pier. By now the smoke was so thick visibility was reduced to several feet. The fire had consumed the first pier, wrapped completely around Patrol Boat 2 and was now burning a second pier, leaving the boat trapped with no visual reference on how to escape. Even more frightening was the fact that everyone on the boat had run out of air in their SCBA backpacks and were breathing in the hot, creosote smoke. Officer Allers, having the presence of mind and years of experience, knew they had to get out quickly. He maneuvered the boat until it contacted the pier to the north. He then used the pilings of the pier, bouncing the boat from piling to piling as they traveled in a complete blackout toward safety. One of the officers on the boat describes Officer Allers as “driving the boat by brail”. His courage and calm under “fire” stood out among his peers. Throughout the ordeal his thoughts were always for the safety of his crew and the firefighters. Officer Allers showed great leadership and calmness under extreme stress and literally saved the lives of the Patrol Two crew that night.

Community Ambassador Award

Patrick Chang
Officer Chang has an amazing ability and desire to connect with the youth of Seattle. His unique blend of support and holding youth accountable for their behavior has proven a potent formula in impacting youth crime in his district. In a recent case, Officer Chang was able to identify a juvenile suspect that had been accused of property damage and harassment. When he had enough evidence to question the juvenile, he not only got a confession from the youth, but an apology and a promise to change his ways. To date the youth has had no further incidents. Whether it is juvenile vandalism, car prowling, burglaries or assaults, the citizens of Seattle are most fortunate to have an Officer like Patrick Chang. His reputation and follow through have caused more than one “would-be” offender to think twice before committing crimes in the Southwest Precinct.