The Kent Police Department has created a website showcasing photos of 160 recovered stolen items including electronics, wallets, purses, backpacks, stereos, baby clothes and even a wedding dress; some of which may have been originally swiped in the Des Moines/South King County area.

According to police, a man and woman who are suspected of breaking into more than 100 cars have been busted. Now, they want to return the stolen items to their rightful owners.

The suspects were apparently caught when they used stolen credit cards at local businesses. Police then followed their trail and recovered the stolen stuff in a storage locker as well as at local pawn shops.

According to the website:

Suspects Mode of Operation:

Type of crime: Vehicle prowls (car break ins)

Method of entry: Break window or force door lock

Types of vehicles: Different types and styles but they favored FORD F-series trucks

Property targeted: luggage, purses, laptop computers, GPS units, assorted tools, backpacks, cameras, MP3 players, I-Pods, cell phones, CD players, car stereos, jewelry, anything of value.

Estimated time range of criminal activity: Past 3-4 months

Focus area of vehicle prowl activity: Kent, Tukwila, Renton, SeaTac, Burien, South Seattle, Unincorporated areas of South King County. Collateral areas that may have been impacted as well are: Des Moines, Federal Way, Auburn, Bellevue.

If you were the victim of a car break-in between Oct. 1, 2009 and Feb. 4, 2010, your stolen items may be in police custody – check this website now and see if you recognize anything; if you do, contact Officer Bateman at (253) 856-5894 or via email: kbateman@ci.kent.wa.us.

The recovered stolen property includes (click on links below to see individual pics):

• Laptops
• Cell phones
• MP3 players
• Car Stereos
• Unusual, miscellaneous stuff like:
  • Baby clothes
  • Wedding dress
  • Ford Truck Manuals
    
  • “Pirate Stuff“
  • Swords
  • “Aiming for Barcelona” Belt Buckle

Some items have been claimed and returned, but most are still in evidence and awaiting rightful return to their owners – so check out the website here.

by Brenda Anders

Salon Michelle on Marine View Drive was hit overnight by a crowbar-wielding thug who broke both the large plate glass window and glass doors.

Both were struck several times with a crowbar, leaving them shattered and riddled with holes. The vandal also moved the businesses’ freestanding sign in front of the door but did not damage it.

“The glass was everywhere,” stated Michelle Fawcett, salon owner. “We have spent hours cleaning up glass that was all over our waiting area.”

It appears the thugs were unable to gain entry to the salon and that no other businesses in the building were hit.

“The special film on the glass is probably what prevented entry into the building,” commented Sgt. Bob Collins of the Des Moines Police Department.

Michelle estimates there is several thousand dollars worth of damage.

“At least I was able to rearrange my schedule so I have not lost any business, although I will be staying late tonight to get everyone in.”  She went on to say, “I don’t do anything to anyone. I volunteer my time to help make this community a better place. Why would someone do this?”

Michelle has been a hairdresser here in Des Moines for over 20 years, opening her own shop 6-½ years ago. She is a board member of the Des Moines Legacy Foundation and volunteers every year for the annual Bayside Brunch, which benefits Des Moines Area seniors.

If you have any information regarding the vandalism to Salon Michelle or any other business in Des Moines, please call the Des Moines Police Department immediately at (206) 878-3301.

Our very Des Moines Police Department’s Police Blotter continues, with fresh, local crime news information fed to us directly from our good friends at the DMPD.

This week’s crimes include an interrupted residential burglary, with the suspect’s shoe left behind, and a self-proclaimed gang member pleading guilty to robbery charges.

Here’s the Blotter for the week ending Mar. 5, 2010:

DES MOINES POLICE BLOTTER NEWS (March 5, 2010)

Interrupted Residential Burglary:
Des Moines PD Requests Help with Identifying Owner of Shoe – On March 4th at about 9:40 AM a 19-year old resident was asleep in the basement area of his residence when he was awaken to the sounds of breaking glass. When he opened his bedroom door he saw a teenage male standing in the hallway. The burglar ran out through the garage and into the backyard, losing a shoe (see photos below). The victim saw two additional suspects also exit out of the garage.

This incident occurred in the S. 22900 block of 21st Ave. South. The primary suspect is described as an African American male, with a dark colored hoodie and dark colored beanie style hat. The recovered shoe is a Jordan “Spiz’ike” size 10.

Here are pics of the suspect’s left-behind shoe – recognize it, or know anyone who fits the description walking around with just one shoe?

Anyone with information is asked to call the Des Moines Police Department at 206-878-3301 and reference Case 10-0495.

Des Moines 20 Year Old Pleads Guilty on Robbery Charges:
A 20-year old self proclaimed gang member plead guilty “as charged” on March 3rd to one “Attempted Robbery 1” and one count of “Robbery 2.”

He also plead guilty to a second count of “Robbery 2” from an incident that took place in the City of Kent. The first robbery attempt occurred on June 24th, 2009 while the victims were waiting for a bus near 20th Ave. South and S. Kent-Des Moines Road. The second robbery took place in the S. 22300 block of 30th Ave. South on August 25th, 2009.

The suspect was armed with a handgun during both incidents. Des Moines Detectives filed both cases with the Gang Emphasis Unit of the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

The man is scheduled for sentencing on March 12th. He faces 43 to 57 months in prison. Charges have been filed on accomplices in both cases.

We’re proud to introduce our latest regular feature here at The Waterland Blog – our very Des Moines Police Department’s Police Blotter, with fresh, local crime news content fed to us directly from our good friends at the DMPD.

Here’s the Blotter for the week ending Feb. 26, 2010:

DES MOINES POLICE BLOTTER NEWS (February 26, 2010)

Robbery 1st Degree:
On February 22nd at about 10:20 PM a 31 year old male was robbed at gunpoint. The victim was walking home after getting off the Metro bus stop at S. 240th and Pacific Highway South. While cutting through a gravel lot in the between the highway and 27th Ave. South the suspect approached the victim and grabbed a paper bag the victim was carrying. The suspect then pushed the victim to the ground and pulled out a handgun and threatened to shoot. The suspect robbed the victim of his wallet, iPod and Keys. The suspect fled the area on foot. A K9 search track was conducted but the suspect was not found.

The suspect is described as an African American male, about 6’2 and thin build. The suspect was wearing a black hooded sweat shirt and black pants.

Arrest of Robbery Suspect from Stolen Vehicle:
On February 24th at about 5:00 PM a Des Moines Officer was running radar in the S. 22700 block of 30th Ave. South. The officer contacted the driver of a car he had stopped for travelling 16 MPH over the posted speed limit. A return on the plate showed the car had been reported stolen out of Des Moines several days earlier. The driver was arrested for possession of stolen property and an outstanding felony warrant out of King County Juvenile Detention for “Resisting Arrest,” “Trespassing,” and “Taking Motor Vehicle Without Permission.”

While at the arrest scene Des Moines Officers learned the suspect was wanted by Federal Way PD for investigation of a strong armed robbery that occurred in their city on February 21st. The suspect and vehicle were turned over to Federal Way PD at the scene. The suspect is a self proclaimed and documented gang member.

Residential Burglars Charged:
Several counts of residential burglary have been filed in King County Superior Court against two burglary suspects arrested during an in progress burglary in Des Moines. The arrests were made on December 8th, 2009 at about 3:45 PM by Des Moines Officers. The burglary where the arrests were made occurred at a private residence on Redondo Beach Drive South. A neighbor made the 911 call after seeing two suspects in the backyard, and then in the house. The suspects were still in the house when Des Moines Police arrived. Federal Way Police also assisted in the arrests. The suspects were taken into custody without incident. One suspect had armed himself with a weapon he had stolen from inside the house but tossed it back inside before surrendering to police. The suspects later led police to approximately 6 other homes they had burglarized on prior dates. One of the six locations was another home was in Des Moines. The other five additional burglaries occurred in Federal Way. The Federal Way Police Investigations Unit submitted the criminal filing on all of the burglaries with the King County Prosecutor’s office.

For more information on the Des Moines Police Department, check out their website here.

The FBI announced recently that Gino Augustus Turrella, 47, of Des Moines, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven years in prison, five years of supervised release and $231,100 in restitution for 19 felony counts regarding threats he made against the Boeing Company, Shell Oil and Chevron Oil Company.

As we reported Nov. 6th, Turrella was convicted Nov. 6, 2009, following a four day jury trial in front of U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour. Turrella was convicted of the following:

• Making Interstate Communications with Threat to Injure Person
• Making Threat by Instrument of Interstate Commerce
• Possessing a Firearm during Threats of Violence
• Identity Theft

At sentencing Judge Coughenour ordered Turrella to forfeit his extensive arsenal of weapons to the government.

According to the FBI’s announcement:

Turrella was arrested on August 26, 2008, in the parking lot of the REI store in Tukwila. In a search of his home, law enforcement recovered more than 100 firearms. According to records in the case and testimony at trial, Turrella sent threats via e-mail and through the Internet, on nine occasions between the dates of May 2, 2008, and May 30, 2008. In making the threats, Turrella posed as other real people, and used e-mail addresses that he had opened under the names of those individuals.

In the e-mails that he transmitted to Boeing, Turrella stated variously that he was going to bring a gun into a Boeing facility and “shoot ever [sic] employee I see,” and also that he would “strap himself with explosives and detonate” them if and when he was apprehended, in order to cause “maximum death and destruction in the workplace!”

In an e-mail he posted to the Anacortes oil refinery website, and to the Richmond, CA Chevron Oil refinery website, he stated that “a bomb was placed at a strategic location at the oil refinery” and that he was “going to set if off via remote control” so that it “will kill the most of your employees and do the most destruction to your refinery.”

In making the threats to the Boeing Company, Turrella posed as one of his former managers at the Boeing Company. Turrella was angry at the manager because he had authorized disciplinary action against him. In making the threats to the Shell and Chevron Oil refineries, Turrella posed as a different person—a former co-worker at another company that Turrella disliked. In both cases, Turrella apparently hoped that the people who he impersonated when making the threats would suffer repercussions—either in their jobs or even perhaps in the form of criminal investigation—because of them. Prosecutors were able to show that Turrella’s laptop contained evidence linking him to the e-mail accounts used to send the threats, and that the laptop had been logged on to the wireless networks at the King County Library or Highline Community College when the threatening communications were transmitted.

In their sentencing memo, prosecutors noted that Turrella had a history of making threats. In 1992 he was investigated for jamming HAM radio frequencies and was fined $10,000. His response was to make threats over HAM radio. In 1997, he disrupted the U.S. Coast Guard emergency broadcast channel, and made threats when he was informed of the possibility of federal prosecution. In 2001, Turrella sent threats via mail and e-mail to the Army National Guard.

Asking for a significant sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court: “In short, Turrella has persisted, for years, in deviously exploiting his knowledge of successive technologies to terrorize others. He has done so, relentlessly, despite the fact that he was explicitly warned that he would be federally prosecuted if he persisted.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Auburn Police Department, and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn Warma and Aravind Swaminathan.

The Des Moines Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the man who was photographed by security cameras (see pics below) during a local bank robbery on Saturday, Feb. 13th.

The bank robbery took place around 4pm last Saturday at the Wells Fargo Bank inside the Safeway store at the Redondo Square shopping complex, located at South 272nd and Pacific Highway South.

According to police, the suspect told the bank teller he had a gun and demanded money.

No weapon was seen and no one was injured during the robbery.

The suspect was last seen leaving the area on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The suspect is described as:

• Black male with a very light skin complexion
• About 6′2″ tall
• Thin build
• In his 20s
• Dark colored “beanie hat”
• Dark (or black) hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants
• Silver-rimmed sunglasses

Here are two security cam pics – recognize this guy? Anyone with information about this case should call the Des Moines Police immediately at 206-878-3301 or dial 911:

Dear Editor,

Recently, the Des Moines Police Officers’ Guild started a website to pass on information to its members and the public. We, as a group, felt it was important to open a more effective line of communication with the citizens we serve and again our members. On our site you will find important links to other local guild’s web pages along with links to other law enforcement organizations.

Recently on our site, we have posted, with permission, a memo written by Chief Baker about the state of the Des Moines Police Department and how recent budget cuts have affected us and the voter approved 2006 Tax Levy Lid Lift. This memo is posted on the home page of the site under the “What’s New” section.

Please take the time to look over our site and contact me with any questions:

http://www.desmoinespoliceguild.com/

Thank you,
Kevin Montgomery
Vice President
Des Moines Police Officers’ Guild
kmontgomery@desmoinespoliceguild.com

Story & Photos by Janet Grella
(with help from Megan Shephard)

Last Wednesday morning (Feb. 3rd) around 4am, a Des Moines Police Officer was on routine patrol downtown.

As he passed WLB Advertiser Kimberley’s Exquisite Jewelry, alarm bells went off, and he spotted a masked man running from the doorway to a car parked nearby.

The officer slammed on his brakes and set off in pursuit of the suspect, who had thrown a bag into the vehicle.

According to Sgt. Bob Collins, Public Information Officer for the Des Moines Police Department, the chase led the pair over a fence and down a hill toward the marina. When the officer yelled, “Stop and drop, or I’ll shoot,” the suspect—armed with a crowbar–continued running, yelling, “Go ahead!”

Wielding his taser, the officer was happy to oblige.

The impact brought the man to the ground, where he was handcuffed.

The suspect, a 40-year-old Seattle man with a history of burglary convictions, had to be treated for injuries but was ultimately booked into the Regional Justice Center in Kent for investigation of 1st degree robbery and 2nd degree assault (for threatening the officer with the crowbar).

Though he didn’t have any property on his person, officers did find a large garbage can with the jewelery in the trunk of his car when a search warrant was executed on Thursday, Feb 4th.

The last thing you want to hear when you pick up the phone at 4:11am is “you’ve been robbed.”

That’s exactly what Kim Beasley’s husband Bill heard when he answered the phone call from the alarm company that morning. Within five minutes Kim (owner of WLB Advertiser Kimberley’s Esquisite Jewelery on 7th in Des Moines) and Bill were on the scene and amazingly enough, the suspect had already been apprehended.

Kim called The Waterland Blog to report this incident because she wanted to publicly commend the Des Moines police on their quick and thorough actions.

“Bless their hearts, they were paying attention. Our police did a marvelous job,” said Kim. She added that “the officer did everything he could to apprehend” (the suspect).

In the 10 years since opening, Kimberley’s has experienced only one other attempt to burgle the store. Kim credits this to the police telling her to keep the lights on and the blinds up so when they cruise by they can see if anyone’s inside.

And there could be a happy ending. The police feel that they recovered all the stolen jewelry. But until Kim completes a full inventory of the items returned by the police, the ones found in the parking lot, and the entire store she won’t know for sure.

At the time WLB posted this story, Kim estimated the value of the stolen items at nearly $65,000.

She also has major damages to her cases and door.

In the meantime, Kim invites all our readers and her customers “to come and buy what’s left in the store.”

The family of Mark Ebinger (pictured, left), 25, who was stabbed to death outside Good Time Ernie’s in Burien last November, has increased the reward offered to $10,000 in hopes of generating tips that will lead to an arrest.

Mark and his brother Peter, 24, were attacked outside the Burien bar on the morning of November 12, 2009. Mark died from stab wounds at the scene. Peter was stabbed numerous times, but survived.

Detectives believe there were several witnesses to the attack, and these witnesses might have information that could solve the case.

The homicide occurred outside Good Time Ernie’s Pub, located at 15747 Ambaum Blvd SW in Burien.

As our sister website The B-Town Blog reported on Dec. 28, 2009:

Peter recalled the attack, saying that a “few words were spoken to someone who was with us in the bar, and I told Mark we should leave…and as we left a group of guys came out the other door, a bottle was thrown at us, then they came at us with knives.”

“I was just scared, and was trying to get away,” Peter said. He also added that Mark was “kind of far away” from him in the parking lot at the time of the attack.

The Ebinger Family at the Dec. 28th press conference.

Peter also added that “someone else had words with one of the guys in the other group…” and he had no idea what was said, but is certain that the attacker(s) were in that group.

Once outside, “one guy came up in my face and tried to take a swing at me and another guy hit me from behind,” Peter continued. “I got stabbed probably six or seven times in the back…”

Peter said he’s “not planning on going back” to Goodtime Ernie’s anytime soon, “and no one I know is going back…”

Despite numerous rumors, there is no definite word on whether the attackers are part of a gang.

Mark Ebinger's brother Peter was also stabbed, but survived.

“We’re all very upset and angry, and well, you can imagine…”

Mark worked at a printing press and mostly did manual labor.

Regarding Mark’s death, Peter said: “It happened real fast and he didn’t feel much pain…”

The investigation is still ongoing.

“We know that someone out there knows something, saw something, or has heard something,” said Jim Laing. “…and that information might seem insignificant to them but it could be the information that cracks this case and we’re appealing to anyone who has any information to come forward.”

Laing continued: “No homicide case is ever closed until it’s closed, and this will remain open until it’s solved.”

On The B-Town Blog’s original Nov. 12th report, there are now 105 Comments, which make for some very interesting reading – see it here – many comments are in scolding tones to those who were there that night but have refused to come forward to identify the suspect(s). Perhaps this higher reward will change that?

Crimestoppers is also offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information on the case.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours), or 9-1-1.

Normandy Park City Hall was evacuated and closed for most of Thursday, Jan. 28th, after a bomb threat was left on a city official’s voicemail Wednesday night claiming to blow up the building “around Noon.”

According to a Normandy Park Police spokeswoman, the building went into “lockdown” mode around 10am this morning, when city hall was shut down and all employees were evacuated and sent home for the day.

After the evacuation, Port of Seattle Police brought in their bomb squad, which includes bomb-sniffing dogs, and checked the building for around an hour. Officers from the Des Moines Police Department also helped out.

No bomb was found.

However, city hall was shut down for the day, and it will not re-open until tomorrow.

As for the bomb threat itself, police say the caller ID was traced to Minnesota, and they’re considering it a hoax.

Lovelychild Manuel of Des Moines was sentenced Friday (Jan. 8th) to eight years in prison for the deadly shooting of Devon Guidry after a book signing in Tukwila in April, 2008.

Manuel pleaded guilty to killing Guidry and wounding Paul Dervin after a party for two authors of a book about rapper Dr. Dre in the parking lot of the Gordon’s On The Green restaurant, which is located at Foster Golf Links in Tukwila.

Witnesses told police that Manuel shot Guidry in the back of the head after an argument, then fled in an SUV driven from the scene by another man.

Following the shooting, police received several tips that Manuel had been involved in the shooting and was planning to leave the state. Officers arrested him following a traffic stop in SeaTac. Manuel admitted to being at the restaurant during the party, but initially denied any involvement in the shootings.

At first charged with second-degree murder, Manuel pleaded guilty to reduced charges of second-degree manslaughter and second-degree assault. Had he been convicted as initially charged, he would likely have faced more than 20 years in prison.

Manuel is currently jailed at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, pending transfer to the Department of Corrections.

According to KING-TV, Des Moines Police are investigating the discovery of a 22-year old Tukwila man’s body after it was found near a Des Moines gas station on Pacific Highway South.

According to reports, a pedestrian first spotted the body face down on some gravel between a wall and a carwash at a Shell station located in the 23000 block of Pacific Highway South near Kent-Des Moines Road.

Police have questioned the clerk, and have also interviewed people in the surrounding area. They will also be reviewing footage from numerous surveillance as well as red light cameras in the neighborhood.

The victim’s identity has not yet been released, although sources say he was a Tukwila resident.

UPDATE 1/4/10: Here’s a video courtesy Q13 News:

Story & Photos by Scott Schaefer

It must’ve been the absolute toughest Christmas ever for the Ebinger family of Burien, as they had to celebrate without their son Mark, 25, who was fatally stabbed outside Goodtime Ernie’s Nov. 12th.

On Monday (Dec. 28th), the family held a press conference at the King County Sheriff’s office in downtown Seattle, where they offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) in the fatal stabbing.

Acting Public Information Officer Jim Laing spoke, along with Mark’s brother Peter (who was also stabbed), 24, as his distraught parents, sister and girlfriend sat nearby, solemnly holding back tears; here’s the raw MP3 of the conference:

Peter recalled the attack, saying that a “few words were spoken to someone who was with us in the bar, and I told Mark we should leave…and as we left a group of guys came out the other door, a bottle was thrown at us, then they came at us with knives.”

“I was just scared, and was trying to get away,” Peter said. He also added that Mark was “kind of far away” from him in the parking lot at the time of the attack.

Peter also added that “someone else had words with one of the guys in the other group…” and he had no idea what was said, but is certain that the attacker(s) were in that group.

Once outside, “one guy came up in my face and tried to take a swing at me and another guy hit me from behind,” Peter continued. “I got stabbed probably six or seven times in the back…”

Peter said he’s “not planning on going back” to Goodtime Ernie’s anytime soon, “and no one I know is going back…”

Despite numerous rumors, there is no definite word on whether the attackers are part of a gang.

“We’re all very upset and angry, and well, you can imagine…”

Mark worked at a printing press and mostly did manual labor.

Regarding Mark’s death, Peter said: “It happened real fast and he didn’t feel much pain…”

The investigation is still ongoing.

“We know that someone out there knows something, saw something, or has heard something,” said Jim Laing. “…and that information might seem insignificant to them but it could be the information that cracks this case and we’re appealing to anyone who has any information to come forward.”

Laing continued: “No homicide case is ever closed until it’s closed, and this will remain open until it’s solved.”

If anyone has any information on this case, they should call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-274-6313.

$1,000 of the reward money comes from Crimestoppers, and $4,000 from the Ebinger family.

Read our previous coverage of this tragic incident here.

At 2:46pm Wednesday (Dec. 23rd) a bomb threat was made at the Des Moines QFC, located at 21815 Marine View Drive South, resulting in a major police response, including the King County Sheriff’s Department, at least one helicopter, lots of yellow crime scene tape and a total blockade of the surrounding area.

We first received the hot tip from our friend Janel Stoneback of Emerald City Smoothie, who texted us.

After a quick call to the Des Moines Police Department, we found out that it was a bomb threat, and that the big police call-out is a “typical response” to such a crime.

No bomb was found, the suspect was apprehended and hopefully the scene has returned to normal so everyone can get back to their last-minute shopping.

View Larger Map

by Ralph Nichols

Buffeted by sharply declining city revenue, the Des Moines Council is scheduled to adopt a 2010 general and street funds budget tonight (Thursday, Dec. 10) that will cut five positions from the police department.

The $15,660,337 budget – based on total projected revenue of only $15,891,600 – reflects a reduction in revenue of almost $3 million in less than two years.

As currently structured, the new city budget will reduce to 49 the number of sworn officers and civilian employees in the police department.

“We’re struggling to maintain a basic level of city services across the board, and it’s unfortunate that we are in a position where we have to cut police services,” said Mayor Bob Sheckler.

“This is a clear call to the Des Moines community to do everything we can to rejuvenate the downtown business district to increase commercial activity and increase local revenue for the benefit of all.

“I am determined to work on the revenue side of the budget so in the future we will not have to face this kind of tough decision again,” Sheckler added.

Police Chief Roger Baker said, “I stand by the city council’s and city manager’s decision. The police department will do the best we can with what he have, and we thank the community for their support.”

While Des Moines Council members sustained on Dec. 3 their prior reduction of $879,221 in the 2010 police budget, they did reinstate a sergeant position that previously was eliminated.

This action followed a request by Baker that the current level of administrative positions be maintained, and that he be given flexibility to find the savings of $30,000 elsewhere in the department.

Baker told city lawmakers the higher level of internal oversight and accountability afforded by the additional sergeant is essential for professional management of the department to avoid problems that existed before he became chief in 2003.

The Des Moines Police Guild countered with a statement issued on Dec. 5 that charged the mayor and city manager with retaliation by forcing cuts on the department rather than accepting an offer to take reduced compensation for one year to help balance the city budget.

City Manager Tony Piasecki responded to that claim earlier this week, saying the police guild didn’t tell the public “the rest of the story” in its statement.

The guild wanted increased benefits from the city beyond 2010 if it agreed to concessions next year, Piasekci noted.

Council members did avoid another budget controversy on Dec. 3 when they agreed not to cut the city’s code enforcement officer.

The 2009 city budget reflected sharp cuts in every department except the police department, which sustained only marginal reductions.

With revenue continuing to decline and the police department accounting for about 50 percent of city operating expenses, Des Moines lawmakers had limited options available for balancing next year’s budget.

Then, when word got around in October that one alternative was to cut the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, a public outcry from the community forced that possibility off the table.

This left the police department vulnerable to major cuts – yet public opposition has not risen to the level it did over possible closure of parks and recreation programs, or to the earlier threatened closure of Mt. Rainier Pool.

While there has been an undercurrent of support for maintaining the current level of police department staffing, not a single city resident spoke out during a hearing on the 2010 budget at the council’s Dec. 3 meeting.

The police guild said in the Dec. 5 statement that it “agreed to a one time surrender of a funded annual benefit, saving the City in excess of $70,000.”

But “in an unprecedented event,” the city officials again “met with the Guild in an effort to re‐open concessions negotiations on the existing contract … [for] an annual reoccurring cut in wages, amounting to approximately $62,000.”

The guild said it “countered again with a one time surrender” and agreed to respond to the city’s request – but instead the city retaliated by cutting almost $900,000 from the police department budget.

What the guild didn’t say, according to Piasecki, is that it wanted a lot more from the city in exchange for a “one-time surrender of a funded annual benefit.”

Piasecki recalled that during a negotiating session on Nov. 19, which included Sheckler and police guild representatives, the guild indicated it would be willing to accept either a reduction in the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) increase or a change to their health plan to save costs, or both.

“But in exchange for those concessions, they wanted one or more concessions from the city that would increase vacation time, increase the allowed cash-out of sick leave at the time of leaving city employment by adding a second category of sick leave cash-out, or increase other time off by increasing the number of hours off in lieu of paid compensation.”

He said the guild also wanted an increase from a minimum of 2 percent to a minimum of 3 percent in the COLA formula beyond next year, as well as other provisions that “would weaken the city’s management rights in scheduling employee shifts and in deciding whether any police services would be contracted out.”

Piasecki noted that “given how much we have cut [from other departments] in the past two years, there was very little cutting we could do without gutting departments or gutting programs” – crippling city government in the process – or completely eliminating Parks and Recreation, which public opinion is strongly opposed to.

“Do we make more cuts in the Finance Department?” he asked. If that were done, the city would be unable to track revenue and expenditures with accuracy, eventually creating problems with the State Auditor’s office.

Cutting the assistant city manager “would leave me without anyone to perform human resource duties,” Piasecki continued. “By cutting the city attorney, we would lose the checks and balances we need, and we would be unable to respond to lawsuits and prosecute crimes.”

And cutting planners would impact the city’s ability to maintain its comprehensive plan and review the shoreline master plan. “If we cut from those programs, we can’t comply with state law,” he said.

“The city council is working to maintain balance in the city. That’s why they’ve made the decisions and choices they have. But the budget is not adopted yet, even given all the work that’s been done to date, and it will not be until it gets at least four yes votes.”

City Councilman Dave Kaplan said “with a $2 million gap between expenses and revenue” when the budget process began, “it was clear we were going to have to take some pretty drastic actions … then we got 125 people at city hall saying don’t cut Parks and Recreation….

“We promised not to cut the parks department and we were not going to ask for any additional tax … none of us wants to cut cops, but we were left with no other option.”

Last year, Baker said, the police department absorbed budget cuts without cutting personnel by not replacing equipment. But the continuing revenue shortfall and budget-balancing decisions by the city council have made employee layoffs unavoidable next year.

Baker offered the city council four levels of proposed budget cuts:

1. Freeze and unfund two “vacant” positions (those officers currently are assigned elsewhere with their salaries paid by other agencies) and freeze two vacant and unfunded civilian community service officer positions.
2. Freeze and unfund one police officer position, lay off and unfund one civilian records specialist, and cancel the city’s contract with the emergency management coordinator that also serves SeaTac, Burien, and Normandy Park.
3. Lay off two officers and freeze and unfund those positions.
4. Lay off three more officers and freeze and unfund those positions as well.

“The council wants all four” budget-reduction options, Baker said. Combined, they will reduce the number of police department employees – officers and civilians – from 60, a number he agreed to last year, down to 49.

This means patrol teams will be reduced from five officers to four. Each patrol team still will have a supervising sergeant.

“All four cuts are taking hours from the proactive crime task force,” Baker noted, because task force members will be required at times to cover for patrol on calls for service.

As a result, the crime task force won’t have as much time to deal proactively with prostitutes, gangs and slumlords, which has been effective in reducing crime along Pacific Highway South, he added. “If we cut back too far, the gangsters and slumlords will begin to return.”

Fewer officers on patrol will “impact our response time to calls for service, and will impact the time our officers in the field have to investigate calls,” Baker predicted. “I think we can anticipate lower response times and less investigation.”

Although the city council has faced a difficult task in maintaining essential functions of each department as it balanced the 2010 budget, he observed “the litmus test is this: when you call 9-1-1, who answers?”

Baker did voice support for before- and after-school programs through the Parks and Recreation Department because they keep young people engaged in positive activities that keep them away from influence that could lead to gang involvement.

A special “Tip-A-Cop” fundraiser is being held by the Tukwila Police Department this Friday night, Dec. 4th, to help raise money for the families of the Lakewood Police Officers killed last Sunday (Nov. 29th).

The fundraiser will be just down the hill at the Claim Jumper Restaurant (located at 5901 S. 180th Street in Tukwila), beginning at 4pm, and all donations collected between 4-11pm will go to a trust established for the families of fallen Lakewood Police Officers Mark Renninger, Tina Griswold, Greg Richards and Ronnie Owens, who were all shot and killed at a coffee shop in Lakewood this past Sunday.

Officer Renninger served eight years on the Tukwila Police Department, and was most recently a member of the Lakewood P.D. and SWAT team. He is survived by his wife and three children.

“Tip-A-Cop” is a great, fun fundraiser, where, for a small donation, you can pay to have a friend or family member “arrested” and taken out of the restaurant by uniformed cops. It’s all in fun, for a great cause, and from our own previous experience it provides a lot of laughs as well as a great way to meet and learn about local law enforcement.

Other participants will include Valley SWAT, Tukwila Fire Department and Les Schwab.

On Tuesday (Nov. 17th), Leemah Carneh, the man accused of murdering an elderly couple and two teens at a Des Moines home in 2001, pleaded guilty to murder.

Carneh, 28, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated first-degree murder with a firearm for the brutal killings. These charges carry a mandatory life sentence, which King County Superior Court Judge Palmer Robinson imposed following the plea.

Carneh, who was 19 at the time, is accused of killing Richard and Jane Larson, 63 and 64, their grandson Taelor Marks, 17, and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Josie Peterson, in the Larsons’ home in March 2001. Peterson was a cheerleader at Evergreen High School when she was killed.

As we reported previously, Judge Robinson, following a competency hearing that took place over several weeks, ruled in August that Carneh was mentally fit to stand trial. He was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic not long after his arrest.

Carneh was arraigned on the four counts of aggravated first-degree murder immediately following Robinson’s ruling.

According to police investigators, Carneh allegedly gunned down Marks’ grandparents, hid their bodies, then waited inside the house for Peterson and Marks and brutally beat them in an ambush when they came home. King County prosecutors allege that Carneh was obsessed with Peterson, who didn’t know him.

He was arrested at his home two days after the killings. When police searched Carneh’s house after the killings they found a photo of Peterson, a ring belonging to Marks, luggage with the Larson’s name on it, a stereo from Marks’ car, a handgun – and bloody clothes.

Despite this evidence, criminal proceedings were delayed while Carneh was treated for his mental condition at Western State Hospital. On several occasions, he was returned to the King County Jail only to be sent back to the hospital when it was determined he still was not mentally competent to participate in his defense.

After prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty, Carneh will now face life in prison without the possibility of parole. In late 2005, he received a civil commitment to Western State when another superior court judge ruled he still was not competent to stand trial but under state law no longer could be held on the criminal charges.

One year later, prosecutors were notified by officials at Western State that Carneh’s mental condition has improved to the point that he no longer needed constant supervision. They also said he was eligible to earn permission to leave the hospital grounds. At that point, prosecutors re-filed the murder charges and requested a new competency hearing for Carneh. But it took another two and a half years with a new treatment regime before he was finally found fit to stand trial.

Shortly before the original murder charges against Carneh were dismissed, Taelor’s mother Lorraine Marks said, “It’s unbelievable to me. He wrote the book on how to commit murder and get away with it…. I’m furious with the system.”

When the charges against Mr. Carneh were dismissed in 2005 and he was sent from the King County Jail back to the mental treatment facility, prosecutors said it was unlikely, even if he never went to trial for the murders, that he ever would ever be free again.

But late last year, prosecutors learned the defendant had made enough improvement to be unsupervised and perhaps even leave the grounds of the institution.

 At that point, they re-filed the charges of aggravated first-degree murder against him.

 Yet now, he again has been found mentally unfit. Western State staff believe additional treatment alternatives can help Mr. Carneh become competent so he finally can stand trial.

Area native and King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg announced Thursday (Nov. 12th) that Christopher John Monfort, 41, will face charges of aggravated first-degree murder charges for the killing of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton, along with three counts of attempted first-degree murder for allegedly trying to kill his partner, aiming a gun at police, as well as first-degree arson charges for trying to kill officers by firebombing police vehicles at a city maintenance yard.

Along with that litany of charges, it’s also probable that Satterberg will pursue the death penalty for Monfort, as aggravated first-degree murder of a police officer is punishable by one of two sentences in Washington — life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

As we previously reported, Monfort was shot last Friday (Nov. 6th) outside his Tukwila apartment after being approached by police about his car, which matched a vehicle seen near the scene of Brenton’s death on Halloween night.

After aiming a malfunctioning handgun at police, Monfort was shot on the scene and is still in custody at Harborview Medical Center. It was also revealed by his family today that he is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the shooting.

According to Seattle Police documents, Monfort’s apartment had a cache of weapons, including bomb-making materials. He is also believed to have “worked alone” in the fatal shooting of Officer Brenton, and has been called a “lone terrorist” in this case. Detectives have recovered DNA evidence from both the arson scene at the city maintenance facility and the scene of Officer Brenton’s murder directly tying him to both incidents.

Detectives also recovered a .223 caliber rifle from Monfort’s apartment, and a ballistics test identified it as the firearm used in Officer Brenton’s murder.

Also recovered from Monfort’s apartment was a considerable amount of bomb-making material and evidence that indicates that the type of explosive devices Monfort was in the process of making or had made were even more lethal than the ones used in the Oct. 22nd arson.

According to police, “he clearly was intending to inflict even more destruction in his next criminal attack.”

Further examination of the explosive devices used in the arson and of the devices found in his apartment indicate that Monfort was also intending to harm first responders to the scene, such as police and fire department personnel.

Monfort once attended Highline Community College in Des Moines, where he became involved in student government and was elected vice president of legislation.

The Oct. 23, 2003, edition of HCC’s student newspaper The Thunderword describes how Monfort ran for student senate and spoke at a candidates’ forum, where he was quoted as saying:

“Too often, too many of us walk around with our head in the clouds.”

According to the article, Monfort:

“…believes he is unique, because he is upset about our current state of government and actually wants to do something about it. … The student body has been cheated and lied to by the Bush Administration,” said Monfort. He plans on putting together a petition to bring our soldiers home.”

Monfort was also quoted as saying: “Our freedom is under attack.“

UPDATE Sat. 11/7/09: The Seattle Police Department released more information Saturday about Christopher J. Monfort, the suspect shot Friday in Tukwila after being approached about his car, a Datsun B-210 that matched a vehicle seen near the scene of Officer Timothy Brenton’s death on Halloween.

He was shot on the scene and is currently in serious condition, in custody at Harborview Medical Center.

According to the latest reports, Monfort’s apartment had a cache of weapons, including bomb-making materials. He is now believed to have “worked alone” in the fatal shooting of Officer Brenton, and is also a suspect in the Oct. 22 firebombing of seven Seattle police vehicles.

Monfort once attended Highline Community College in Des Moines.

Here’s the release:

On the afternoon of November 6^th , 2009, Seattle Police Homicide detectives received a tip about a Datsun 210 matching the description of a possible suspect vehicle used in the slaying of Officer Tim Brenton. Detectives responded to a parking lot in the 13700 block of 56^th Avenue South in Tukwila. While detectives were investigating the scene further an adult male suspect emerged and pointed a gun at them. Detectives fired on the suspect in self defense, striking him at least once. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. No detectives were injured.

The Tukwila Police Department is handling the crime scene investigation and the King County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit is conducting the officer-involved shooting investigation.

SPD detectives obtained search warrants to further examine the crime scene. Evidence located inside the suspect’s apartment included improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a rifle, and various other items of evidence. Detectives now believe that this individual is responsible for both the murder of Officer Brenton, the attempted murder of Officer Sweeney, and the arson attack on October 22^nd at the Charles Street facility. Detectives are asking the Prosecutor’s Office for formal charges. The Datsun that detectives were looking for is registered to the suspect. Our investigation into the murder of Officer Tim Brenton and attempted murder of Officer Britt Sweeney continues and we are still receiving and following up on tips. We have received numerous tips from the public and we encourage everyone to continue to call us with any information they may have regarding this investigation.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call either 911 , or the tipline at (206) 233-5000. Those wishing to remain annonymous are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or send a text to CRIMES (274637). Your text message should include “TIP486″ to ensure proper routing. Calls are taken 24 hours a day.

PREVIOUSLY: Friday afternoon (Nov. 6th), shortly after Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton’s memorial concluded, a suspect named Christopher J. Monfort was shot outside his apartment building in Tukwila, prompting a massive outpouring of police to the area.

Police were apparently serving a search warrant on Monfort, 41, when he pulled out a weapon. He was shot on the scene and is currently under custody at Harborview Medical Center.

Monfort apparently attended Highline Community College in Des Moines, where he ran for student office in 2003.

According to HCC’s “Thunderword” student newspaper dated Nov. 20, 2003 (PDF link to issue), Monfort’s platform was:

“Christopher Monfort said he’s running to make the student body more aware of the civil liberties lost under the Patriot Act and the current political administration (Bush).

Monfort said students should vote for him because he actually cares about the world and wants to make a positive change.”

Monfort also studied law enforcement issues at the University of Washington.

Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton was shot and killed as he sat in his patrol car with an officer-trainee after a traffic stop on Capitol Hill on Oct. 31. Thousands of officers from around the country attended a memorial Friday afternoon for him at KeyArena in Seattle.

The Seattle Times is reporting that Gino Turrella, a Des Moines man, has been convicted of 19 felony counts for threats he made against Boeing, Shell Oil and Chevron Oil.

Turrella was convicted Friday (Nov. 6th) in US District Court in Seattle after a jury deliberated about five hours following a four-day trial.

According to the Times, Turrella was convicted of:

• 2 counts of making interstate communications with threat to injure persons
• 7 counts of making threats by instrument of interstate commerce
• 1 count of possessing a firearm during threats of violence
• 9 counts of identity theft

He faces between 5-10 years in prison. His sentencing date is scheduled for Feb. 19th.

According to documents, Turrella made eight threats via email in May of 2008, posing as other people by using accounts he’d created himself. The threats included one to Boeing in which he claimed that he was going to bring a gun and go on a shooting rampage, as well as detonate himself as a suicide bomb.

When Turrella’s home was searched, police discovered over 100 firearms.

When you do a Google Search for Turrella, you’ll see that he was also quite active Commenting on various websites, oftentimes with fiery language.

Read the full story here.

A 14-year-old girl was shot in the arm early Saturday morning as she was walking with friends along Pacific Highway South near Kent-Des Moines Road.

The shooting took place around 1:30am (Oct. 24th) after the victim, along with a 15-year-old female cousin and two boys (ages 16 and 18), had taken a Metro bus to Des Moines from Tukwila, then walked form the bus stop to a nearby drug store.

After exiting the store the group crossed the street to the east side of the highway, where the suspect in a vehicle heading northbound stopped and allegedly yelled at the kids.

One of the boys noticed a gun, the group started to run and the suspect fired a weapon once, striking the victim in the upper arm.

The girl was taken to the hospital with a non-life threatening injury.

The vehicle drove off, heading northbound on Pacific Highway South, and was described as a small import car, possibly a Honda or Toyota, dark color, described as “dark ash.”

The suspect, who is still at large, is described as a Hispanic male in his twenties with dark spiked hair, wearing a dark shirt.

Police chiefs from King and Snohomish counties voiced their concerns at a press conference in Burien Wednesday morning (Oct. 21) about potential impacts of Initiative 1033 on public safety – especially in smaller cities.

But they stopped short of opposing the revenue-limiting ballot measure. Public officials are prohibited by state law from campaigning for or against ballot proposals as well as candidates.

Instead, said Scott Kimerer, Burien police chief and chairman of the King County Police Chiefs Association (KCPCA), “People have a right to make their own decisions on how to vote. But they need to be informed….

“We are encouraging citizens to ask their city governments what effect I-1033 would have on their ability to provide services if it is successful.”

Kimerer and Des Moines Police Chief Roger Baker represented Highline cities at the press conference.

I-1033 would limit future growth in the revenue cities, counties and the state could take in, based on annual growth in inflation and population. Revenues above the limit would be used to reduce property taxes.

“Already reeling from tough economic times that have seen 15 to 20 percent reductions in revenues, the financial analysis indicates that police services, many of which have already experienced budget cuts this year, could be further restricted to the point of struggling to meet the needs of their citizens’ public safety concerns,” Kimerer said.

“Police budgets generally represent half or more of cities’ general fund expenditures,” he added. And there has been “a 30 percent drop in cities’ anticipated enrollment of new hires in the (state) police academy” in Burien.

The impact of I-1033, if approved in the November election, Kimerer said in response to a question, also could delay North Highline annexation by Burien, which now is expected to take place in late March. Residents of the southern part of the unincorporated area voted 56 percent to 44 percent in August to become part of the city.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin, who attended the press conference, concurred with Kimerer’s assessment.

“If people want less government, they will get less government,” Martin said. “There will be fewer departments and less people (police officers) on the street.”

Kimmerer said “the easily discernable impacts of I-1033 can be found by examining the general funds and budgets of the 82 percent of suburban cities in King County having a population of fewer than 50,000. These cities function with a small margin to provide all the needed services and are very transparent in their budget process and revenues.”

Statewide, 94 percent of all cities have populations less than 50,000.

Marysville Police Chief Rick Smith, chairman of the Snohomish County Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Association, said his department experienced sharp cuts due to the recession this year. Further cuts, should I-1033 pass, “could impair our ability to provide services to our city….

“The whole criminal justice system (including prosecutors, courts and jails) would be impacted, maybe significantly,” Smith said. “We just don’t know. The bottom line is for citizens to ask officials what impact 1033 would have on their city.”

Any cuts in the budgets of local law enforcement agencies “minimizes our response,” he added.

One problem with I-1033, said one police chief who spoke on condition of anonymity, is that it “targets state government, large counties and large cities” without taking into account the different circumstances of smaller cities and counties.

According to representatives from Highline Community College, scam artists are apparently posing around the area as Highline art students and soliciting donations.

The scam artists claim they are painting addresses on street curbs for donations that will benefit the college and HCC’s Art department.

Highline received information about the scam from residents in Seattle, Burien and Renton. None have been reported in Des Moines, but authorities think residents should be on the lookout.

“The college is unable to prevent people from misrepresenting themselves as college solicitors,” said Larry Yok, Vice President for Administration. “If people are suspicious, they should ask for the contact information of the person who sponsors the solicitation and obtain confirmation of the legitimacy of the request.”

He added, “If people want to donate to the college, they can safely do so through the HCC Foundation.”

Residents who want confirm the legitimacy of a fundraiser should call (206) 870-3705.

For more information about protection against scams, visit the Washington state Office of Attorney General’s Website at www.atg.wa.gov.

If you’d like to make a real donation through the HCC Foundation, call (206) 870-3774 or visit www.funds4highline.org.

The Port of Seattle Police Department announced Thursday (Oct. 8th) that they arrested three and seized 11 kilograms of cocaine as part of the largest drug bust ever at Sea-Tac Airport.

Port Police worked with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the operation last week, and the three suspects were indicted today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Last week’s seizure and arrests represent good police work, and I’m very proud of the officers and detectives who participated,” said Port Police Chief Colleen Wilson. “I’m also grateful for the ongoing partnership with our colleagues at the TSA.”

On September 30, the suspects checked-in bags prior to boarding a flight to Alaska. TSA officers discovered five kilograms of cocaine in one bag during routine X-ray procedures for all checked baggage and notified port police. The bag owner was located at the departure gate and, with the help of airline personnel, was determined to be traveling with other companions. Further investigation by police – including assistance from Officer Lilly, a member of the port’s K-9 unit – led to the search of two more bags where an additional six kilograms were discovered.

The suspects have been indicted for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The penalty is a mandatory maximum 10 years to life in prison and up to a $4 million fine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office notes the 11 kilos of cocaine is one of the largest seizures of its kind in the region.

So remember folks, next time you travel – not only can you not bring aboard more than 3 ounces of toothpaste, but 11 kilos of cocaine is illegal as well.