Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training begins Sept. 16th and continues every Thursday evening from 6pm – 9pm at SeaTac City Hall, which is located at 4800 South 188th Street.

CERT was created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 1994. The goal is for emergency personnel to train neighborhood residents, community organization members and employees in basic emergency response skills. CERT members are then integrated into emergency response efforts for their area. Some sessions require physical participation while others are primarily lectures. Instructors emphasize that participants must be physically fit enough to engage in strenuous activities, such as lifting and carrying.

There is a $35 fee for the course and select supplies, and a thorough background check is conducted on applicants.

Various session highlights include:

• Sept. 16: Disaster Preparedness, with Instructor Mike Marrs, Chief of the Burien/Normandy Park Fire Dept.
• Oct. 7: Disaster Psychology & ICS, taught be Sgt. Henry McLauchlan of Burien Police, and Kathleen Gleaves of the Port of Seattle.
• Oct. 28: Terrorism & Review with Doug Reynolds of SeaTac Police.
• Oct. 30: Final Mass Casualty Exercise, which is the big finale with fake “victims” being treated in a mock disaster. Cool.

For more information, contact Community Service Officer Mechee Burnett at (206) 973-4917 or mechee.burnett@kingcounty.gov.

Here’s the full class lineup:

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According to the King County Sheriff’s Department, a 64-year old SeaTac man was critically injured when homemade fireworks exploded Sunday night (July 4), sending him to Harborview Medical Center.

Police say that a 52 year-old resident of a house in the 2800 block of South 138th Street built a homemade “aerial device” by tying together a bundle of sparklers. He placed the sparklers in a tube, and then into a concrete cinder block to brace it. When the man lit off the “rocket’, it exploded in place, sending pieces of the concrete block in all directions.

The 64-year old victim was standing about 15 to 20 feet away when the device detonated. He was hit in the head by part of the cinder block, causing a serious head injury, which, according to the fire department, was life-threatening.

Other pieces of the block struck a nearby car, denting the door and breaking the window. The house and the garage door were also hit.

Both men live at the residence, as does the victim’s adult daughter. No one else was injured.

The Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Bomb Disposal Unit are investigating.

No arrests have yet been made and the investigation is continuing.

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Own a '91-'98 Honda? You could get a "Club" for free.

Ten area police departments are participating in this program.

To get yours, contact Officer Doug Reynolds at 206-973-4904.

Here’s more info from a press release:

Due to the increase in thefts of Honda vehicles, several local police agencies are making The Club available to owners of 1991-1998 Honda Accords and Civics free of charge as part of the statewide authority to reduce vehicle crimes.

In 2007, the legislator created the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority (WATPA) in the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). The Authority consists of 10 Governor appointees serving staggered terms. Representatives of law enforcement, prosecution, the auto industry, the insurance industry, the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs and the private sector are included as members of the Authority. WATPA aims to reduce vehicle theft across the state and funds several regional task forces.

The Preventing Auto Theft Through Regional Operational Links (PATROL) Task Force is made up of all South King County police departments and Bonney Lake and Sumner Police Departments. Several cities which contract for police services with the King County Sheriffs Office also participate in PATROL.

As part of the PATROL task force’s auto theft prevention strategies, local police departments have a quantity of the steering wheel locking devices (The Club) available for free. To obtain the free Clubs, Honda owners must prove Honda ownership by showing a current Department of Licensing registration at one of the participating police departments. This offer is available only while supplies last.

“Vehicle thefts continue to be a crime plaguing the South King and North Pierce County areas. Remember, vehicle crimes are most of the time preventable. We know that auto thieves target certain vehicles and we hope through this initiative, the public will become better aware of their ability to prevent auto theft from occurring. Using devices such as The Club is absolutely recommended and a huge deterrent to auto thieves,” said Kent Police Lieutenant John Pagel, who also commands the PATROL Task Force.The Clubs are available for pick up at several police departments.

Other participating police departments and contacts are:

• Covington PD: Chief Kevin Klason, 253-638-1110
• Des Moines PD: Tonya Seaberry, 206-870-7619
• Federal Way PD: Kelly Crouch, 253-835-6710
• Kent PD: Sara Wood, 253-856-5851
• Maple Valley PD: Robin Larsen, 425-413-5158
• Newcastle PD: Aleta Phillips, 425-649-4444
• Renton PD: Cyndie Parks, 425-430-7521
• Sumner PD: Det. Troy Nikolao, 253-299-5655
• Tukwila PD: Chris Partman, 206-431-2197

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James Graddon, Chief of Police for the City of SeaTac, has been honored with the Crime Prevention Chief of the Year award by the Washington State Crime Prevention Association (WSCPA).

“The award is based on Chief Graddon’s contributions made through his leadership with crime prevention projects, not just in SeaTac, but throughout the state of Washington,” said Vince Powell, vice president of WSCPA. “His support of the WSCPA has been instrumental in training, improvement and awareness in the field of crime prevention.”

The WSCPA is hosting its 2010 Awards Ceremony in Spokane, Wash., Wednesday, April 29th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m at the Mirabeau Park Hotel and Convention Center.

“I have had the distinct pleasure of working closely with Chief Graddon and I can’t imagine a better person for the honor,” said Todd Cutts, interim city manager for the City of SeaTac. “In just three years his leadership has resulted in continuous improvements in public safety and has helped to change some long-held perceptions of our community.”

Chief Graddon is a graduate of Kennedy High School in Burien, and he earned his AAS Administration of Justice degree from Highline Community College. He began his career with the Seattle Police Department in 1978. He was the Green River Task Force commander through the arrest of, and later plea agreement process with Gary Ridgeway. He was named Chief of Police for the City of SeaTac in 2007.

The Purpose of the Washington State Crime Prevention Association is to contribute to the reduction and control of criminal victimization in the State of Washington. For more information please visit www.wscpaonline.org.

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On Monday (April 12) the Better Business Bureau announced that it had discovered that counterfeit BBB complaint notices are being sent out to businesses across the country from the email address “seatac@bbb.org.”

According to the BBB, several businesses across the U.S. (including law firms, advertising agencies and architecture firms) have reported receiving a suspicious e-mail from this fake email address. The subject line says “BBB Complaint Case #… (Ref #…).” Each one comes with a nine-digit case number and a 21-digit reference number.

The body of the e-mail claims that the company did not respond to a complaint filed by a consumer named Jason Harlow. E-mails contain a link that says “please click here to access the complaint.” Those who hover over the link will find that it goes to ca-bbb.org, a fake BBB Web site page that has been suspended and is currently unavailable.

Here’s a screenshot of the actual e-mail:

Click image to see large version.

Here’s more info from the BBB on this incident:

Both BBB Accredited and non-Accredited businesses have been targeted.

“Part of BBB’s role in the marketplace is to be a trusted third-party, which involves sending correspondence and informing businesses of complaints and compliments from consumers. It’s really unnerving that someone is trying to defraud our system,” said Robert W.G. Andrew, CEO of BBB serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington. “We want business owners to feel like they can trust all communications coming from our organization, which is why we are taking steps to stop unauthorized imitators.”

BBB Of Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington does not:

• Refer to itself as “Seatac BBB.”
• Send complaints to businesses outside of its service area. Based on where they are located, businesses can expect to hear from their local BBB only. For example, your BBB would not send a complaint notice to a company located in any state other than Alaska, Oregon, or Western Washington.
• Send e-mails requesting private information. Do not provide personal details or payment information via unsolicited e-mail.

Businesses that receive suspicious e-mails claiming to be from BBB should take the following steps:

• Do not click on any links or reply to the message.
• Forward it to phishing@council.bbb.org and delete it from your inbox.
• Run a virus scan on your computer.

Businesses are encouraged to verify the legitimacy of BBB e-mails: If you receive an e-mail from Better Business Bureau about a complaint and need assistance in determining if it is legitimate, contact your BBB directly at 206-431-2222 or e-mail info@thebbb.org.

For more advice on how to protect your business from malicious online attacks and data breaches, visit www.bbb.org/data-security.

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How about one that works at the airport, or on the waterfront, for the Port of Seattle?

Well, the Port of Seattle Police Department is holding its own “Citizens Academy,” which is a unique opportunity to learn up close and personal about the many challenges facing local law enforcement.

This is a once-a-week, 10-week program that is open to the public at no cost. That’s right – it’s FREE.

It will be held at Sea-Tac Airport on Mondays, from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., beginning April 12th and continuing through June 28th.

Police officers and civilian personnel who are experts in their fields will teach classes at the Citizens Academy. Each instructor has years of training and street experience, providing insights not ordinarily available to those outside the department.

Subjects include patrol, community policing, recruitment and training, domestic violence, narcotics, dispatch, investigations, crimes scene analysis, SWAT, explosive detection and narcotics detection K-9, and the bomb squad.

All classes are free of charge and open to the public. The class is limited to 25 participants, so get your application in early.

Want to participate? You’ll need:

• The ability to commit to attending a two-hour weekly class for ten weeks
• A background check

Port employees who wish to participate must have their manager’s permission.

Ready to Apply? Download, print and fill out the application (PDF file) here, then return it to:

FAX: (206) 787-5741

or Mail:

Port of Seattle Police
Attn: Citizens Academy
PO Box 68727
Seattle, WA 98168

For more information, please contact Detective Dan Breed, at breed.d@portseattle.org, or Officer Kyle Yoshimura at yoshimura.k@portseattle.org.

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Together with the King County Sheriff’s Office, SeaTac and Burien Police are continuing their twice-yearly “Citizen’s Police Academy” program with an orientation on Thursday, March 11th, and classes on Wednesday nights from 6pm-9pm.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Citizen’s Police Academy Training

WHEN: Starts Thursday, March 11th and continues through April 24th. Classes are held on Wednesday nights from 6pm to 9pm at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center in Burien.

Classes will run for 13 weeks, plus a graduation ceremony including a certificate of completion and pictures with police staff. A light meal will be provided for students. There are presentations by many of the Sheriff’s Office Units and several opportunities for hands-on experiences, plus a field trip to the King County Communications Center.

The training sessions are held twice a year in the spring and fall. The sessions require approximately 20 hours to complete. There is a minimal fee for tools supplied to students, enabling them to build their own emergency response kit.

WHERE: Orientation meeting will be at the Burien/Normandy Park Fire Station, which is located at 15100 8th Ave SW in Burien; subsequent classes will be at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center in Burien.

COST: FREE!

INFO: From a press release:

Graduates of the Citizen’s Police Academy will have a better understanding of the law enforcement role in the criminal justice system and an appreciation for the many challenges facing law enforcement in today’s complex society. They will also be better able to assist offices in improving their neighborhoods and communities.

The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations or workplaces in basic preparation and response skills. CERT members are then integrated into the emergency response capability for their area.

SeaTac and Burien Fire and Police Departments partner in offering this eight-week training held on weekday evenings, with a Practical Fianl Exercise held on a Saturday. Sessions require approximately 20 ours to complete. There is a minimal fee for tools supplied to students, enabling them to build their own emergency response kit.

Training is designed to cover the following:

• Disaster Preparedness
• Fire Safety
• Disaster Medical Operations (Triage, Treating Life Threatening Injuries, and Assessment, Treatment and Hygiene.)
• Light Search and Rescue
• Team Organization
• Disaster Psychology
• Terrorism

Graduates will also be eligible for the Ride-Along program, in which you can spend up to an entire shift riding with an officer.

This course is an unforgettable experience and it’s completely free for anyone who lives or works in the cities of SeaTac or Burien!

There are two sessions each year and they fill up fast, so register early with your local Community Service Officer.

If you are interested in attending the next session and would like an application sent to you by mail, please contact CSO Mechee Burnett at mechee.burnett@kingcounty.gov or 206.973.4917 (you can also download a PDF application here).

• SEATAC: If you are from the SeaTac area, please contact: CSO Eloise Kruger: 206-973-4915 or ekruger@ci.seatac.wa.us
• BURIEN: If you are from the Burien area, please contact: CSO Nicki Maraulja: 206-296-3333 or nicki.maraulja@kingcounty.gov

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Francisco went missing after leaving his work at an ad agency in Seattle two years ago; he was supposedly heading home to bake cookies with his children. His car was found abandoned at a condominium complex a few days later in Federal Way, and an extensive investigation was conducted to see if he had been a victim of foul play.

Dozens, if not hundreds, of volunteers spent days looking for him, and thousands of dollars was spent in the search as well.

Nothing ever turned up, and subsequently his wife divorced him in absentia after having his third child – that is, until last November when King County Sheriff’s Department detectives found him alive and well, living under a new name in another state.

This week, KIRO-TV tracked him down and interviewed him – watch it here (it’s a very compelling video).

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The King County Sheriff’s Department announced Tuesday (Jan. 19th) that they have arrested two men they allege committed numerous “takeover” robberies, including the Jan. 13th one of the Silver Dollar Casino in SeaTac.

The men were alleged to be involved in robberies of casinos, a bank, and a check cashing business in SeaTac, Renton, Shoreline, Lynnwood and Snohomish County.

According to Sgt. John Urquhart, during these takeover robberies, the men would typically wear masks and gloves, as well as often carrying shotguns in each hand. These types of crimes are dramatic, and are considered especially dangerous to victims, witnesses and bystanders.

The two bad guys were arrested Friday morning (Jan. 15th) around 1:45am, after a Shoreline patrol sergeant noticed a suspicious vehicle parked near two casinos on N. 167th. He pulled in behind the car and the driver quickly drove off. A short pursuit ensued until the sergeant used a PIT maneuver and the car was stopped near NE 163rd and Ashworth. The driver took off running and the passenger was taken into custody. The arrested man is 46 years old from Seattle.

The driver initially escaped, but evidence recovered led detectives to believe these two were involved in numerous armed robberies.

After further investigation, the second man was arrested at his home in Edmonds late Friday afternoon. He is 34 years old.

Detectives from at least four jurisdictions were looking for these two armed robbers who “takeover” the business being robbed.

Takeover-style robberies are considered especially dangerous to victims, witnesses, and bystanders. These robbers are considered armed and dangerous!

In some of the robberies one of the suspects carries a shotgun in one hand and a shotgun the other.

Robbery Details: Both robbers wore masks and gloves. A puffy black jacket was worn in several of the robberies. One of the robbers fires his gun into the air during two of the robberies.

Here’s the dates and locations of the robberies:

• October 26th 1:40pm. Check to Cash in Renton on Rainier Ave South. A shotgun and pistol were displayed.
• October 29th 3:00pm. Bank of America in Lynnwood along SW 196th. One suspect has guns in both hands, a shotgun and pistol. The other man is armed “only” with a pistol. A shot is fired as they exit the bank.
• November 13th 6:30am. Goldie’s Casino in Shoreline. Only one suspect inside the casino, armed with a shotgun and pistol. He robs the casino’s cash cage and gets into a waiting vehicle driven by another suspect. A shot is fired as he flees the area.
• December 2nd 7:00pm. Royal Casino, Snohomish County, along SR99. Lone robber armed with a shotgun and pistol.
• January 13th 5:00am. Silver Dollar Casino, City of SeaTac along International Blvd. Two suspects, one armed with a shotgun and pistol, the other with a pistol.

In addition, other area robberies may be related but have not yet been linked.

Formal charges are expected later this week.

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Just got off the phone with Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department, who reports Monday (Nov. 9th) that Nicholas Francisco, a SeaTac man who went missing in Feb. 2008, has been found alive and well, living in another state, living under a new name.

Francisco was last seen leaving his work at an ad agency in Seattle on Feb. 13th, 2008; he was supposedly heading home to bake cookies with his children.

Francisco’s car was found a few days later abandoned at a condominium complex in Federal Way, and an extensive investigation was conducted to see if he had been a victim of foul play.

Nothing turned up, and subsequently his wife divorced him in absentia.

Last week detectives developed information that he was in fact alive, had changed his name and was living outside of Washington.

“Since he did nothing illegal and this case is basically closed, we won’t reveal where he was found,” Urquhart said to The B-Town Blog. “But let me tell you – there was something incredibly unique about this guy that made bloggers go crazy. In all my years, I have never seen such a reaction. I’m glad this case is closed.”

And yes, the King County Sheriff’s Department has indeed closed their investigation, so we may never know where he lives and why he left so suddenly.

Read previous coverage of this story on our sister site The B-Town Blog here.

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