““Leading through shock and sorrow”Leading through shock and sorrow”the Lakewood Police tragedythe Lakewood Police tragedy

OutlineOutline About LakewoodAbout Lakewood 11/29/200911/29/2009 Our fallen officersOur fallen officers The first weekThe first week Memorial ServiceMemorial Service Survivor BenefitsSurvivor Benefits 8 months later8 months later Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

About Lakewood About Lakewood (1 of 2)(1 of 2) ““Host City” to Joint Base Host City” to Joint Base

Lewis-McChord Lewis-McChord Incorporated 1996Incorporated 1996

60,000 residents60,000 residents 22ndnd largest city in Pierce largest city in Pierce

CountyCounty Diverse demographicsDiverse demographics

New City Hall 2001New City Hall 2001 Major progress since Major progress since

cityhood:cityhood: econ. dev.econ. dev. public workspublic works public safetypublic safety parksparks

About Lakewood About Lakewood (2 of 2)(2 of 2) LPD launched 2004LPD launched 2004

After 7-year contract with After 7-year contract with Pierce County Sheriff’s Dept. Pierce County Sheriff’s Dept.

100 commissioned officers at 100 commissioned officers at time of shootingstime of shootings

A busy PD! A busy PD! Two police chiefs in last 12 Two police chiefs in last 12

yearsyears $12M police facility opened $12M police facility opened

April 2009April 2009 Built-in firearms rangeBuilt-in firearms range

Accredited by CALEA in Accredited by CALEA in March 2010March 2010

Major focus on trainingMajor focus on training

11/29/2009 11/29/2009 (1 of 2)(1 of 2)

Sunday after ThanksgivingSunday after Thanksgiving Shift started at 0630Shift started at 0630 Sergeant Renninger was Sergeant Renninger was

shift supervisorshift supervisor Officers had altercation with Officers had altercation with

another person earlieranother person earlier 0816 dispatch regarding 0816 dispatch regarding

shots at coffee shopshots at coffee shop Off-duty Lakewood Off-duty Lakewood

sergeant and PCSD sergeant and PCSD respond. respond.

Officers found dead on Officers found dead on arrivalarrival

11/29/2009 11/29/2009 (2 of 2)(2 of 2) Pierce County jurisdictionPierce County jurisdiction Family notification beginsFamily notification begins

Media and grapevineMedia and grapevine Assigned LPD liaisonsAssigned LPD liaisons

City Manager and City Manager and Councilmembers assembleCouncilmembers assemble

Near quorumNear quorum

First press releasesFirst press releases Other agencies quick to publishOther agencies quick to publish City of Lakewood:City of Lakewood:

• PR drafted by committeePR drafted by committee• Interaction with LPDInteraction with LPD• After notificationAfter notification• Employee photosEmployee photos

Sergeant Mark RenningerSergeant Mark Renninger Recruited for college football out of Recruited for college football out of

high school – joined Army insteadhigh school – joined Army instead Served with Army Rangers 7 years Served with Army Rangers 7 years

(sergeant first class)(sergeant first class) Served previously with Tukwila PDServed previously with Tukwila PD SWAT team leader and state SWAT team leader and state

instructorinstructor Executive board member: Executive board member:

Washington Tactical officers Washington Tactical officers AssociationAssociation

13 years law enforcement 13 years law enforcement experienceexperience

Married with 3 childrenMarried with 3 children

Officer Tina GriswoldOfficer Tina Griswold

12 years law 12 years law enforcementenforcement

Served previously with Served previously with Shelton and Lacey Shelton and Lacey PolicePolice

Trained in entries and Trained in entries and previous member of previous member of Lakewood Special Lakewood Special OperationsOperations

Married with 2 Married with 2 childrenchildren

Officer Ronnie OwensOfficer Ronnie Owens

13 years law 13 years law enforcement enforcement experienceexperience

Prior service with Prior service with Washington State Washington State Patrol Patrol

6’ 5” tall, very strong 6’ 5” tall, very strong and athleticand athletic

Divorced, 1 daughterDivorced, 1 daughter

Officer Greg RichardsOfficer Greg Richards

9 years law 9 years law enforcement enforcement experienceexperience

Served previously Served previously with Kent Policewith Kent Police

Served at Fort Lewis Served at Fort Lewis with the Armywith the Army

Married with 3 Married with 3 childrenchildren

The first week The first week (1 of 3)(1 of 3)

The Lakewood FamilyThe Lakewood Family ““The Families”The Families” Lakewood PoliceLakewood Police

• LeadersLeaders• Rank and fileRank and file

City Hall employees City Hall employees City CouncilCity Council CommunityCommunity

Media relationsMedia relations Press ConferencePress Conference Media overloadMedia overload

The first week The first week (2 of 3)(2 of 3)

Killer at largeKiller at large Law Enforcement support Law Enforcement support

Patrolling LakewoodPatrolling Lakewood Planning the memorial Planning the memorial

service service Emergency Management Emergency Management

eventevent Other agenciesOther agencies Behind the BadgeBehind the Badge Volunteer “helpers”Volunteer “helpers” Donations Donations

Community Support Community Support Enclosed you will find a check for Enclosed you will find a check for $500 I trust you to see that $400 Of $500 I trust you to see that $400 Of this goes to each of the families of this goes to each of the families of those 4 murdered officers. The other those 4 murdered officers. The other $100 is to be given to the officer who $100 is to be given to the officer who shot that %&*#! who murdered the 4 shot that %&*#! who murdered the 4 officers. Bless his heart- he sure did a officers. Bless his heart- he sure did a great job and saved a lot of money for great job and saved a lot of money for the state, too! the state, too! My writing isn’t so good as, at almost My writing isn’t so good as, at almost 88 years of age, I have macular 88 years of age, I have macular degeneration of my eyes and arthritis degeneration of my eyes and arthritis in my hands- but my check is good! in my hands- but my check is good! Bless all of you for the work you do Bless all of you for the work you do every day- my love to all.every day- my love to all. Gloria F. Johnson- 1820 Hassler Ln., Gloria F. Johnson- 1820 Hassler Ln., Burlington WABurlington WA

““The story of a little boy named AJ and his The story of a little boy named AJ and his encounter with a police officer outside Lakewood encounter with a police officer outside Lakewood police headquarters on Sunday has lifted the police headquarters on Sunday has lifted the spirits of a department still reeling from the loss spirits of a department still reeling from the loss of four colleagues on a single, violent day.”of four colleagues on a single, violent day.”

““AJ wanted to give his plush toy named AJ wanted to give his plush toy named “Bruno” [his toy dinosaur] and the contents of his “Bruno” [his toy dinosaur] and the contents of his piggybank to the children of Sgt. Mark Renninger piggybank to the children of Sgt. Mark Renninger and officers Tina Griswold, Greg Richards and and officers Tina Griswold, Greg Richards and Ronald Owens….”Ronald Owens….”

““AJ and his mom traveled from Kingston – a AJ and his mom traveled from Kingston – a one-way trip of more than 40 miles – so the boy one-way trip of more than 40 miles – so the boy could make his offering.” could make his offering.”

Read more: Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2009/12/17/997194/child-offers-up-toy-http://www.thenewstribune.com/2009/12/17/997194/child-offers-up-toy-dinosaur-piggy.html#ixzz0w89zopb4dinosaur-piggy.html#ixzz0w89zopb4

Community Support Community Support

Memorial Service Memorial Service Unified service for four Unified service for four

officersofficers Mayor presidedMayor presided About 20,000 mourners About 20,000 mourners

at Tacoma Domeat Tacoma Dome Procession lasted Procession lasted

several hoursseveral hours Mostly law enforcement Mostly law enforcement

in attendancein attendance Major media eventMajor media event Coordinated in a weekCoordinated in a week

respectfulrespectful safesafe securesecure coordinatedcoordinated financedfinanced

Taking care of city hall Taking care of city hall Councilmembers and Councilmembers and

employeesemployees Family and friendsFamily and friends

Survivor Benefits Survivor Benefits Public Safety Officers Public Safety Officers

Benefit Program (federal)Benefit Program (federal) Killed or catastrophically Killed or catastrophically

injured in the line of dutyinjured in the line of duty $311,810; www.psob.gov$311,810; www.psob.gov

Washington State DRS Washington State DRS www.drs.wa.gov www.drs.wa.gov

$214,000 + monthly $214,000 + monthly stipend or lump sum % of stipend or lump sum % of vested amountvested amount

Washington State L&I Washington State L&I (www.lni.wa.gov) (www.lni.wa.gov)

monthly stipend up to $4,625monthly stipend up to $4,625 medical benefitsmedical benefits immediate benefit of $3,855immediate benefit of $3,855 burial expenses benefit of burial expenses benefit of

$7,709$7,709

Survivor Benefits Survivor Benefits (Continued)(Continued)

Taser FoundationTaser Foundation $2,500 lump sum$2,500 lump sum www.taserfoundation.org www.taserfoundation.org

American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens (AFPCC) American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens (AFPCC) miscellaneous benefitsmiscellaneous benefits www.policeinfor@aphf.orgwww.policeinfor@aphf.org

COPS FoundationCOPS Foundation college/educational benefitscollege/educational benefits www.COPS.org www.COPS.org

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8 Months Later8 Months Later

The new normal The new normal Keeping busy is easy in LakewoodKeeping busy is easy in Lakewood PTSD concerns PTSD concerns Focus returning to economic developmentFocus returning to economic development

CALEACALEA Police Chief’s healthPolice Chief’s health Record growth and redeployments at Joint Base Record growth and redeployments at Joint Base

Lewis-McChordLewis-McChord police-military partnershipspolice-military partnerships garrison-city relationshipgarrison-city relationship

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned Civilian control of police – when and how Civilian control of police – when and how

to assert during a crisisto assert during a crisis Managing the mediaManaging the media

It’s sometimes ok to say “no”It’s sometimes ok to say “no” social media – the way of the futuresocial media – the way of the future

Employee wellnessEmployee wellness Looking out for leaders and subordinates Looking out for leaders and subordinates

alikealike Peer supportPeer support Managing volunteersManaging volunteers Continuously assess workloadContinuously assess workload

Maintaining communications with Maintaining communications with department in crisis department in crisis Assign liaison earlyAssign liaison early More is betterMore is better

With Officer Benjamin Kelly, Seattle PD

Q & AQ & A