Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is intended to teach residents, community organizations or workplaces the basics of preparation and response skills between emergency services and the people they serve, and the next training session starts March 15.

Class times run Thursday evenings from 6 p.m to 9 p.m. at SeaTac City Hall, located at 4800 S. 188th Street.

Training sessions are held twice a year in the spring and fall, and 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.

For more information or to register, contact Community Service Officer Mechee Burnett at (206) 973-4917 or fill out an application (PDF file) and mail it to:

SeaTac Police Services
RE: CERT Training
4800 S. 188 St.
SeaTac, WA 98188

Here’s more info:

CERT Classes
The training is a Citizen Corp and FEMA supported curriculum and promotes a partnering effort between emergency services and the people they serve.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.

Contact Us
For more information or to register for CERT, contact Community Service Officer Mechee Burnett at (206) 973-4917 or fill out an application and mail it to:

SeaTac Police Services
RE: CERT Training
4800 S. 188 St.
SeaTac, WA 98188

Training Sessions
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.

The next CERT training will begin Marc 15, 2012 (schedule of classes)

SeaTac City Hall
4800 S 188th Street
SeaTac, Washington

Training Topics
Training is designed to cover the following:

• Disaster preparedness
• Fire safety
• Disaster medical operations
• Triage
• Treating life threatening injuries
• Assessment, treatment, and hygiene
• Light search and rescue
• Team organization
• Disaster psychology
• Terrorism and CERT
• Practical final exercise

The community is invited to attend a fundraiser Italian Dinner and Silent Auction to benefit the “Justice For Jayme” Memorial Fund on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Des Moines.

Nineteen year-old Jayme Thomas was shot and killed early Saturday morning, Nov. 5th in Redondo following an argument that escalated among two unidentified men (read The Waterland Blog’s previous coverage of this tragic crime here).

Resurrection Lutheran Church is located at 134 S. 206th Street in Des Moines.

UPDATE 11/28/11: Tickets are available from the church office (M-F 9am-5pm) or at the door, and are $10 Adults, and FREE for ages 5 and under.

There will also be a silent auction with many great items up for bid.

The money raised from the sale of the tickets and silent auction will increase the reward amount, which is currently at $1,000, to make it more attractive for someone to step forward with information. This would be paid to anyone providing information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whomever is responsible for her death – read more about that, along with photos of a ‘person of interest,’ here.

If you are unable to attend and would like to make a donation to the Fund, you may do so at any branch of Chase Bank.

As many of our Readers are aware, on Nov. 5, 2011, at 2:40 a.m., 19-year old Jayme Thomas was shot and killed as she sat in the backseat of a vehicle in the 800 block of Redondo Way South.

Anyone with information about this case who wishes to remain anonymous can get that information to Des Moines Police by calling Crime Stoppers at 206-243-2020, or toll-free at 1-800-Crime-13 (274-6313).

See the photos and full details here.

He is in serious condition.

The incident occurred about 1:20 a.m. at the Puerta Villa Apartments, located at 3051 S. 188th.

The victim lives in the complex, and had several people over to his apartment during the evening. As some of his visitors were leaving, the man got into an argument in the parking lot with one of his guests, and was shot by that man.

There are no suspects and there have been no arrests.

If anyone has information on this shooting they are asked to call the king County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 9-1-1.

SeaTac Police Captain Annette Louie confirmed this morning that SeaTac Sgt. Rich McMartin and his team participated in the joint police raid over the weekend that rescued three 15-year-old girls working as prostitutes in SeaTac.  As is often the case with underage sex workers, the three had been coerced into the trade by unscrupulous adults–an offense that puts convicts in a Federal penitentiary for at least 15 years, Louie points out.

The FBI’s Innocence Lost Task Force, which is “aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States,” acted as the main coordinator of weekend stings in the greater Seattle area, including specific locations in Shoreline and SeaTac, according to Louie.  Local law enforcement agencies cooperate with FBI agents to execute raids planned by Innocence Lost.  In the weekend operation in Seatac, officers from the Tukwila and Seattle police departments were also involved.  On the SeaTac side, Louie said the department’s Street Crimes Unit–which includes McMartin and three detectives–”helped to coordinate the whole weekend.”

Louie is grateful for the help the Federal agency brings to the table in combatting sex trafficking–which is not only a national problem, but a global one.  “The FBI is integral in that,” the Captain points out–a valuable “regional asset” for a small municipality with limited resources and budgets.  According to Task Force site, over the last seven years, joint operations

have worked successfully to rescue more than 1,200 children. Investigations have successfully led to the conviction of over 600 pimps, madams, and their associates who exploit children through prostitution. These convictions have resulted in lengthy sentences, including multiple 25-year-to-life sentences and the seizure of real property, vehicles, and monetary assets.

Captain Louie also touts other local resources devoted to stemming both the tide and effects of sex trafficking.

The Genesis Project–which “exists to offer hope for a new life to young women and girls involved in Domestic Minor Sex-Trafficking (DMST) in the South King County area”–is one of those, and has been working with girls since 2009 to provide them with alternatives to jail time.  In the past, prostitutes as young as 11 years old might be arrested and sent directly to juvenile detention centers.  With facilities like the Genesis Project’s 24-hour drop-in center, girls rescued from the sex trade, have a process that treats them like victims rather than criminals.  (The girls rescued over the weekend were returned to their parents.)  As described by the Genesis Project website:

Phase 1: Rescue  – Once rescued, victims will be able to utilize the 24 hour drop-in center to access hot meals, showers, laundry facilities, and a place to rest in a safe, stable environment. They will receive counseling and encouragement as well as access to any and all resources that are available through our other non-profit partners.

Phase 2: Renew and Restore  – Referral to transitional housing that is already established. As funding is received we will build our own housing which will be long term and outside the normal areas of prostitution to offer normal living conditions in a loving environment.

Phase 3: Education and Release  – After a victim has been enrolled in the long term housing we will offer them the option of taking classes from our educational faclility. This facility will offer them the ability to get their GED as well as other Job and life skill training. They will be able to choose something that they are passionate about and upon completion we will assist them in job placement. Once released, they will receive support from the Genesis Project for as long as they wish.

Another resource is Soroptimist, an international volunteer organization “raising awareness about the devastating and complex crime of sex trafficking, which largely affects women and girl children.”  The Federal Way chapter is hosting a forum on human trafficking tonight in the Federal Way City Council chambers at 7 PM (33325 8th Ave. South).  District 30 State Senator Tracey Eide, Chris Johnson (policy director for state attorney general Rob McKenna), Sr. Donna Freed of Sisters United Against Human Trafficking, Federal Way deputy police chief Andy Hwang, and Robin Schildmeyer of the Genesis Project are expected to participate.

Sex trafficking has been in the local and national headlines of late due to the controversy over online classified ad site Backpage.com’s “adult services” listings–which fail to screen out ads for underage girls and boys.  As reported today on Publicola,

Backpage is in the midst of a game of legal chicken with Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and a group of 51 attorneys general—led by Washington’s Republican AG Rob McKenna—who have all demanded Backpage shut down their escort ad section, or institute much stricter guidelines on the site to protect children from being exploited by pimps and johns.

Backpage responded to McKenna in a letter last week, declining to make any major changes to the site, and saying the company is already doing its “best to provide a sage and legal environment for its customers and to be a responsible corporate citizen.”

Village Voice, which publishes Backpage, has since early summer been editorializing against CNN, McGinn, McKenna, and other public officials for criticizing what Backpage sees as its right to free speech.  As reported today by MyNorthwest.com‘s Dan Mitchinson, McGinn was feisty yesterday in the wake of the weekend’s operations:

“In light of Backpage.com’s response to the 51 attorneys general, I’d like to update you on our efforts to rescue children from being sexually exploited on Backpage.com,” said Mayor Mike McGinn. “On Thursday September 22, while Backpage.com was drafting its lengthy rationalization of their practices, our High Risk Victims Unit participated in a task force operation in SeaTac. We recovered three female children who were being advertised for sex on Backpage.com.”

McGinn says protecting exploited children is a top priority for the Seattle Police Department, but continues, “we can never get ahead of this crime while a company like Backpage.com profits from the sexual exploitation of children and uses their newsrooms to minimize the extent of the issue.”

by Greg Wright

At the Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday night in the City of SeaTac City Council chambers, a portion of the agenda will be given over to public comment on the existing moratorium on establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries and collective gardens, even as the State legislature continues to hash details out on pending legislation.  Agenda Bill 3362 lays out the background:

Due to the current state of medical marijuana laws in Washington State, the Council determined that a moratorium on the establishment of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries and Collective Gardens was appropriate, and therefore adopted Interim Ordinance 11-1015 on August 9, 2011. This Ordinance also created definitions of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries and Collective Gardens as those terms were not defined in State Law. Ordinance 11-1015 is currently valid through February 1, 2012 and can be extended for an additional six months after another public hearing and adoption of findings of fact supporting the extension.

A public hearing is scheduled for the September 27, 2011 Regular Council Meeting. After the required public hearing has been concluded, the Council may consider the proposed Resolution. If passed by the Council, the Resolution adopts the necessary findings of fact required to support the Council’s adoption of Ordinance 11-1015.

The agenda bill also lays out the “Findings of fact” as follows:

The City Council hereby finds and adopts the following findings of fact in support of Interim Ordinance 11-1015:
a) Initiative Measure No. 692, approved November 3, 1998, created an affirmative defense for “qualifying patients” to the charge of possession of cannabis.
b) The Initiative and current Chapter 69.51A RCW are clear that nothing in its provisions are to be “construed to supersede Washington state law prohibiting the acquisition, possession, manufacture, sale or use of marijuana for nonmedical purposes.”
c) The Washington State Department of Health opines that it is “not legal to buy or sell” medical cannabis and further opines that “the law [Chapter 69.51A RCW] does not allow dispensaries,” leaving enforcement to local officials.
d) The City acknowledges the right of qualified health care professionals to recommend the medical use of cannabis, acknowledges the affirmative defense available to qualifying patients from the possession of cannabis as well as the right of patients to designate a “designated provider” who can “provide” rather than sell cannabis to “only one patient at anyone time.”
e) The 2011 State Legislature passed E2SSB 5073 (“the Act”) and the Governor has signed the bill but has vetoed several sections of the bill.
f) E2SSB 5073 was effective on July 22, 2011.
g) The Act authorizes “collective gardens” which would authorize certain qualifying patients the ability to produce, grow and deliver cannabis for medical use.
h) The acceptance of development applications proposIng medical cannabis dispensaries and collective gardens development may allow development that is incompatible with nearby existing land uses.
i) Despite the Governor’s veto of certain Sections of E2SSB 5073, it is appropriate to impose a moratorium on medical cannabis dispensaries, so the City Council can determine whether further regulation is necessary.
j) The City Council finds that there is an apparent conflict between State and Federal law regarding regulation of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries and
Collective Gardens, and that it is in the public interest that any zoning and development regulations are consistent with both federal and state law.
k) The City Council deems it to be in the public interest to establish a zoning moratorium pending local review of the anticipated changes in the law.

If you’ve got a horse in this race, get involved!

The jail, located at 1801 S. 200th Street, is a joint project of the cities of SeaTac, Burien, Des Moines, Auburn, Federal Way, Renton and Tukwila.

The 164,000 sq. ft., 813-bed facility cost $80.5 million, and will house both male and female prisoners from member cities who’ve committed misdemeanor crimes.

The jail is expected to employ around 120 workers, including corrections officers, medical staff and administrative personnel.

It will begin receiving inmates sometime in mid-September and will be in full operation by mid-October.

After a color guard ceremony performed by various law enforcement officers from the seven cities involved, Auburn Singer/Songwriter Lori Anne Mullins sang the National Anthem. Jail Director Penny Bartley spoke, followed by Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler and Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was also held, officially opening the prison.

Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer was also on hand (and not in jail…yet), and he took these pics:

Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler read a poem written by Edgar Albert Guest entitled “It Couldn’t Be Done,” which he thought was appropriate “due to all the naysayers who said we couldn’t build this facility…”:

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one has done it”;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That “couldn’t be done,” and you’ll do it.

To read our previous coverage of the SCORE Jail, click here.

A City of SeaTac Fire Department Investigator is looking into the cause of an apartment fire on Aug. 14th that appears to have been intentionally set in the 3000 block of S. 204 Street.

SeaTac firefighters were first dispatched to the call at 1:33 a.m. to investigate smoke at the apartment complex. The call was quickly changed as more information was obtained by 9-1-1 call receivers and upgraded to a commercial building fire.

When firefighters arrived and entered the building they found fire in the hallway leading to the individual apartments. After extinguishing the fire, they checked to ensure that it had not extended into any of the units. A red gas can was found in the hallway.

All of the residents were able to escape the fire safely and there were no reports of injuries. Because the fire was stopped by firefighters in the hallway, all of the affected residents will be able to return to their homes.

Firefighters from SeaTac, South King Fire and Rescue, and Tukwila responded to the incident.

Because of the evidence, the fire is now considered a crime scene.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the SeaTac Fire Department at 206-973-4500.

Jennifer Walstrand was found murdered on Aug. 31, 2010.

The Des Moines Police Department announced Wednesday morning (June 22) that, with help from SeaTac Police, made two arrests related to the murder of Jennifer Walstrand, 28, who was found dead in her residence in the 24000 block of 25th Ave South on Aug. 31, 2010 (read our previous coverage here).

Police arrested a 23-year old male and a 21-year old female, both of whom were booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Homicide. Their identities were not released.

“Des Moines Police Department’s Investigations Unit received information from ‘Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound,’” read the press release. “The Unit followed up on this information and with the assistance of the Sea-Tac Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit made two arrests last night (Tuesday, June 21).”

The Des Moines Police Department still considers this a very active investigation and is looking into the possibility of others being involved. According to police, the victim was involved in a dating service, which included use of the internet to arrange and meet dates (aka “clients”).

Police say that the landlord of the complex, who lives in an adjacent unit, called 911 just after midnight on Aug. 30, 2010, after hearing “thumping” sounds a short time earlier. The landlord also stated the dogs inside the unit were barking excessively, which was unusual.

Arriving patrol officers found the apartment locked, interior lights on, and the front window coverings closed. Officers received no response at the door. Utilizing a chair from the landlord, officers were able to peer into the apartment through a small window at the top of the front door. Officers saw the victim on the floor just inside the entry way and proceeded to enter. The victim was deceased and it was evident she had died from homicidal violence.

Investigators also still believe the murder of Walstrand was not a random act of violence.