Thanks to all who came out to celebrate Chief Adrian Z. Diaz’s official confirmation as the Chief of the Seattle Police Department.

The event, held in downtown Seattle at the King Street Ballroom and Perch on Thursday, January 19, included an address by Senior Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell, a cocktail reception, live performances by Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana, professional photos, and much more. Officers from the Mounted Patrol Unit greeted attendees outside the venue, and the SPD Honor Guard presented and retired the colors.

Guests were invited to bring coats and other cold weather items, which were collected by Community Service Officers (CSOs) for distribution to our friends and neighbors in need.

Officially sworn in by Mayor Bruce Harrell on Thursday, January 12, Chief Diaz had served as interim Chief of Police since the summer of 2020. Event speakers included Seattle Police Foundation President and CEO Cherie Skager, SPF Board President Lynne Houserman, Senior Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell, Executive Assistant Monica Jackson, and finally, Chief Diaz himself.

“It's an honor to be here,” Diaz said. “It's an honor to serve the city, and I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Thanks to everyone who came out to share the evening with us! Please enjoy this congratulations video (linked here and above), presented during the event, made by the SPD Video Unit.

We want to thank you all for your support of the Seattle Police Department Harbor Patrol Unit in 2022!

Thanks to the generosity of the Norcliffe Foundation and our loyal donors, we were able to fund vital repairs to Patrol Boat 4 and refresh the department’s supply of water rescue throw bags and life rings. These new throw bags are such a great way to increase the efficiency of police response during a water-related emergency, and can be deployed from the shore or a boat. We’re excited to share these words of gratitude from Harbor Patrol Unit Commander Lt. Marc Garth Green:

“I wanted to take a moment and thank all your donors. In 2022, we purchased 57 throw bags and six life rings. These lifesaving devices will replace outdated equipment here at the Harbor station and on board our boats. Additionally, each precinct will receive 10 throw bags to be disseminated at the discretion of the precinct commanders. These devices will enable patrol officers to immediately intervene, keep themselves safe, and throw a lifeline to a drowning victim. We appreciate your commitment to the safety of our officers and the community we serve. Thank you all.”

Lt. Marc Garth Green

Seattle Police Harbor Commander

Interested in learning more about Seattle’s iconic Harbor Patrol Unit? Please visit our brand new Harbor Patrol Unit webpage.

We want to congratulate Officer Kame Spencer and K9 Frodo, the Seattle Police Department’s newest K9 team!

K9 Frodo is a charming and social 2-year-old German shepherd from Hungary. His birthday is June 10, 2020, and he began his official service as a certified SPD K9 on December 7, 2022. K9 Frodo is one of five generalist (patrol) K9s, whose primary responsibilities include tracking suspects, area searches, building searches, pursuit, evidence search and recovery, handler protection, and community safety.

Already in his brief tenure K9 Frodo has been deployed four times, earning his first capture on January 10, 2023, after just over one month on the Unit.

When he’s not engaged in a track, Frodo is a goofy, happy, friendly guy who enjoys meeting and making friends with humans. He weighs around 70 pounds, stands roughly 2-1/2 feet tall, and will instantly win you over with his sweet, outgoing disposition. He has a curious, intelligent face and is immediately recognizable due to his distinguishably tall ears.

He loves snacks, balls, and shredding the occasional stuffie (or car seat), but what dog doesn’t?

Thank you all for your support, and please join us in congratulating Officer Spencer and K9 Frodo!

To learn more about Officer Spender and K9 Frodo, visit our website.

The Seattle Police Foundation is excited to share its newly renovated website, featuring a vibrant, modern look, along with new and updated content that more accurately reflects the Foundation’s priorities.

The previous website had reached the end of its useful life and was due for a refresh. The new site is meant to showcase SPF efforts to meet the needs of the Seattle Police Department with compelling, frequently-updated content, dynamic video, and new imagery.

“We are thrilled with how the website turned out and invite everyone to spend some time browsing our content,” said Seattle Police Foundation President and CEO Cherie Skager. “The site is easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and much easier to maintain and update.”

The new site features fun, informative content that is not found elsewhere, including details about the Seattle Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit, the Harbor Patrol Unit, the EMT Unit, K9, Safe Place, and more. There is an active newsroom that collects and highlights Seattle Police Foundation news, media advisories, and giving campaigns, plus earned media stories, and other updates.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

The Seattle Police Foundation is excited to offer the 2023 Seattle Police Department’s Finest and Furriest calendar at the discounted rate of $20.

Hand-crafted by SPD and SPF staff, this custom, professionally shot calendar offers a showcase of SPD’s four-legged law enforcement professionals, plus a few Seattle Police Foundation friends. The images are compelling, shot in a dusky, film noir style that clearly positions the animals as the stars of the show. Best of all, it features both the K9 Unit and the Mounted Patrol Unit.

This calendar is now available for a $20 donation to the Seattle Police Foundation.

Not only does Finest and Furriest raise money for SPF through the sale of the calendar, the opportunity to have a beloved family pet featured in the calendar was an auction item during the 2022 Celebrity Waiters Luncheon. The generous donations that earned the pups of May 2023 their esteemed position in the calendar’s lineup have already been invested in programs and initiatives to support the men and women of the Seattle Police Department and enhance public safety in Seattle.

Order your copies before they’re all gone! Calendars are available at: Finest and Furriest 2023.

If you’ve not met Seattle business owner and SPF board member Zach Laster-Hazzard, you really should.

In 2018, Zach was gunned down in a random drive-by shooting in a Seattle parking lot. Shot in the abdomen, Zach clearly remembers falling to the pavement, and using one hand to staunch the bleeding while using the other to grab his phone and call his mother. He thought he was about to die, and he needed to tell her he loved her one last time.

He also clearly remembers the two Seattle Police Officer EMTs, who arrived on scene and saved his life.

Zach didn’t just get out of the hospital and return to his life. The first thing he wanted to do, was figure out how to prevent what happened to him from happening to anyone else. The next thing he wanted to do was find a way to give back. He sought out the Seattle Police Department detective assigned to his case, who led him to the EMT Unit’s primary source of funding, which is the Seattle Police Foundation.

He became a board member.

During his time on the SPF board, Zach has been a tremendous advocate, serving on the Communications Committee and honing his public speaking skills to help raise money and awareness for SPD’s lifesaving EMT Unit. Last year, when presented with the opportunity to help with our efforts to perform improvements at all five precincts, he was all in.

The project was a tricky one… We were faced with the prospect of reimagining the “mud hole” behind the North Precinct, a humble space wrought with fierce challenges. But Zach didn’t balk. He called upon family and resources established through his business, Rainier Valley Partners (RVP), a Seattle-based company that acquires, develops, and manages multifamily properties. Faced with the notorious size limitations that exist at North, he had to work within a tightly-packed footprint and find ways to maximize what was available and transform it as best he could.

He recruited a landscaping professional to come in and clear, level, and pack the space. Because the ground was so prone to mud in our commonly wet weather, the landscaper covered the newly-smooth base with attractive concrete pavers. Once this foundational layer was complete, Zach, along with a team of family members and business colleagues, built and installed the gazebo, added lighting, and enhanced the outer perimeter with container gardens and other plantings.

Thanks to RVP and friends, the North Precinct “mud hole” is now a useful, welcoming space!

Other improvements at North, funded largely with HomeStreet Bank’s gift to officer wellness and morale, included an indoor coffee station, an ice maker, two refrigerators, storage compartments, a barbecue, repairs to the outdoor fire table, and most recently, new indoor plants to liven up the precinct’s interior areas.

We are grateful for Zach, his family, HomeStreet Bank, and our donors, whose generosity has helped ensure the continued success of our precinct improvement project. Stay tuned for our next project highlight, which will showcase the work done at the West Precinct.

Thanks to everyone who donated during our 2022 year-end fundraising campaign to support our Grant Program!

Thanks to your generosity, we raised over $20,000 that will provide meaningful grants to the men and women of the Seattle Police Department. During our most recent grant application process, opened in early November and closed in December, we received a broad spectrum of viable grant proposals requesting funding to pay for things like training, community programs, outreach supplies, and much more.

In February, SPF and SPD will cohost a grant application review meeting, in which applicants will give a brief overview of their grant proposal, including how their idea, program, initiative, or equipment investment will help build community relationships and/or improve community safety in Seattle. Grants will then be scored in alignment with an existing set of criteria and awarded based on the availability of funds.

It is not too late to make an impact on our Grant Fund! If you would like to donate to our Grant Program, please visit our donation page.

Thanks to our generous donors, the Seattle Police Foundation is able to support a variety of community engagement events and activities! Here is highlight from January:

This event was sponsored by Cathay Bank, Cathay Post 186, and the Chinese American Citizens Alliance. Huge thanks to the Northwest Asian Weekly for this great bit of media coverage!

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: [email protected] 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.