Congratulations to Officer Ryan Huteson and K9 Delta for earning Track of the Year and K9 Team of the Year for 2022!

These awards are exclusive to the Canine Unit and were presented during the Canine Unit dinner. Team of the Year is given to the Canine team whose overall work performance stood out amongst their peers. Track of the Year is for the most dynamic, challenging, and successful track.

Both honors were voted on by Canine handlers only, making the awards that much more meaningful, as Huteson was honored by his peers. Huteson’s Track of the Year also earned Chief’s Awards for Huteson and two other Canine handlers, because of the grueling nature of the call and its impact on public safety.

The track that earned Track of the Year took place in August of 2022 when a report came in about a man who had violated a No Contact Order (NCO). The man, known for being assaultive toward police officers, had a felony warrant from a previous NCO violation.

By the time SPD Canine arrived at the home, the suspect had driven away. He was soon located, but then fled on foot, into thick vegetation along the Black River. Huteson and K9 Delta worked for over an hour, methodically tracking through challenging terrain including dense blackberry brambles and steep inclines. He and Delta located evidence and eventually the suspect, who had made it from the Black River to the Green River and was hiding in the water.

“Without their actions, the suspect would have escaped and remained a danger to the victim and officers,” said Canine Unit Sergeant Kirk Waldorf.

K9 Delta has been with the Seattle Police Department since 2018. He is both a formidable tracker and a huge sweetheart who loves to meet community members.

“Delta is the best of both worlds,” Huteson said. “He knows exactly what is asked of him while at work and doesn’t hesitate to explore locations that are too dangerous to send human officers. I have also seen Delta be best friends with a class full of kindergarteners. These are amazing creatures that can switch mindsets in an instant based on the context, their training, and cues from their handlers. Working dogs go above and beyond to protect not only their handler and fellow officers, but the community as a whole.”

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we partnered with PR firm Strategies 360 to launch a short and sweet $10,000 fundraiser to purchase ballistic vests for SPD K9s Frodo, Lex, Delta, and Shadow.

Seattle community members were invited to “Show Some Love for the SPD K9s” and did they ever! We want to give a special shout out to the Local 528, Cement Masons & Plasters Union, which jump-started our efforts with a $2,500 donation to fund one entire vest. Then, thanks to our friends at Strategies 360, our Valentine’s Day fundraiser hit the evening news and from there it was a sprint to the finish line.

We’re so grateful to all our generous donors for their incredible support and want to welcome all the new supporters who helped us reach our $10,000 goal. Even if you weren’t able to donate, we appreciate everyone who liked and shared our posts on social media.

By Wednesday, February 15, we had raised a total of $11,265.30 to purchase the vests.

K9 ballistics vests are not funded by the City and are a great way to protect patrol K9s, which are regularly deployed on dangerous, high-risk incidents. These durable vests help protect the dogs against both gunfire and sharp, penetrating objects. Each ballistics vest will be custom made for the specific patrol dog wearing it, to ensure the best and safest fit possible.

The money raised beyond the $10,000 goal will fund other K9 Unit needs.

Stay tuned for adorable K9 pictures once the new vests arrive!

Last fall, we celebrated the new outdoor gathering space at the West Precinct, with a catered lunch and a greeting from Commander Steve Strand.

The event was held alongside an ambitious fitness combine, led by the SPD Wellness Unit, along with the unveiling of a new memorial dedicated to fallen Seattle Police Officer Alexandra “Lexi” Brenneman Harris. The memorial features Lexi’s bicycle mounted to the wall inside the lobby of the precinct (not an SPF project).

SPF’s improvement efforts at the West Precinct provided a gazebo positioned in the precinct’s previously underutilized courtyard space, an array of outdoor furniture with tons of comfy seating, durable weather-proof cushions, and a fire table. Indoor enhancements included a new TV stand, table, two recliners, a couch, microwave stand, and new silverware.

Another improvement at West included a 14-pair Cyclone Boot Dryer system, which plugs into a standard outlet and is powerful enough to dry up to 14 pairs of soggy boots and/or gloves within about an hour. The gear dryer has been a hit with West Precinct officers, whose boots and gloves tend to end up soaked in Seattle’s typical drizzly weather. Before the gear dryer, they’d sometimes start their shifts wearing wet boots or gloves, because it was still damp from the previous day.

“The gear dryer was an investment in our officers’ well-being, and we really appreciate it,” said Lt. Daniel Nelson. “It is very popular and we’re grateful for the SPF donors that made it possible.”

The improvements at West are thanks to HomeStreet Bank, Motorola Solutions Inc., Motorola Solutions Foundation, and other SPF donors.

Thank you to everyone who helped make our community dinner at Assaggio Ristorante a huge success.

The dinner with SPD experience was an auction item at the 2022 Celebrity Waiters Luncheon event, in which guests bid on the opportunity to enjoy delicious Italian food with the men and women of SPD. The dinner included a few words from Seattle Police Department Chief Adrian Z. Diaz, a wine and cocktail reception, and a lavish Italian spread served in the heart of Belltown.

The wine was donated by SPF board member Gary McLean, and the incredible meal was donated by Assaggio Chef Mauro Golmarvi. We were happy to welcome law enforcement professionals from all different precincts, specialty units, and ranks. If you were one of our guests, we hope you loved the opportunity to connect with the law enforcement professionals of SPD.

The Celebrity Waiters Luncheon (CWL) is an annual fundraiser that supports various charitable organizations. SPF was selected as the 2022 Luncheon beneficiary, and we are excited to share that we will again enjoy the spotlight at the 2023 CWL event, which takes place May 12, 2023.

All told, the Assaggio Dinner with SPD experience raised a total of $25,000 for SPF! We are grateful for everyone that participated.

Thanks to your support, the Seattle Police Foundation is able to provide meaningful grants to the men and women of SPD. These grant-funded programs and initiatives are helping create department-wide positive change and having profound impact on the Seattle community. Thank you for supporting this crucial work and standing by SPD's commitment to continual improvement.

Here is one of our recent grant highlights:

There is nothing we love more than watching funding from our generous donors come to life right before our very eyes. In February, we got to do just that, when we observed part of a K9 Casualty Care Training Course presented by Paravet K9 and funded by two dog-loving SPF donors.

The 16-hour course was taught by Paravet K9 Founder Evan Nolte, and open to all Seattle Police Department K9 handlers. It began with classroom instruction that covered a variety of topics including basic canine anatomy, point of injury care, bandaging, emergency planning, and more. Each attendee was then given the opportunity to practice their skills on a realistic, K9 medical simulation mannequin.

The furry red imitation pup breathes, bleeds, and whines, exactly like a real dog.

The first day also included a question-and-answer session, giving SPD handlers the chance to learn even more. The second day offered dynamic scenarios meant to emulate real-life incidents.

This was a fantastic opportunity for SPD’s K9 handlers to gain some practical experience providing medical aid to a dog. We are so grateful to SPF volunteer and donor NancyLee Davidson, along with another anonymous donor, for making this class possible.

NancyLee attended a portion of the training and enjoyed being able to bond with SPD Wellness K9 Otis and say hello to ABS K9 Jazzy-Juno while she was there. Her passion for the K9 Unit is infectious and we’re grateful for donors like NancyLee who help ensure the future of SPD’s K9 Unit.

“I was so happy to be invited and loved getting the chance to watch the Seattle’s K9 handlers learn these important skills,” said Davidson. “I want both the two-legged officers and the four-legged officers going on duty to be as well-prepared and protected as possible.”

We are already excited for our upcoming events! Here are the dates for 2023 so that you can mark your calendars now.

The Seattle Police Awards Ceremony is our chance to let the men and women of the Seattle Police Department know that we see them, we hear them, we value them, and we appreciate them.

In 2022, Seattle Police Foundation was added to the esteemed list of Celebrity Waiters Luncheon event beneficiaries. This quirky, vibrant event brings together community leaders, representatives from key businesses, and local philanthropists, for a fun-filled lunchtime auction that raises money for a local charitable organization. We are tremendously honored to have been named the beneficiary of the 2023 Celebrity Waiters Luncheon and we cannot wait!

The Blue Tie Ball is our largest fundraiser of the year and one of the most powerful, inspirational events that we host. This gala-style event includes speakers, displays, dinner, and a live auction featuring unique items and opportunities (sometimes even including the chance to name our newest K9s and Police Horses)!

There are sponsorship opportunities for all three of these events. Please reach out to us at: info@seattlepolicefoundation.org with questions.

Because of donors like you, SPF has provided more than $13 million in grants and program support to the Seattle Police Department since 2002. Please donate today to help make Seattle a safer community.