CARNATION — Any television series that portrays the
day-to-day happenings of a police officer is usually filled with guns, violence,
drugs and crime. Though Snoqualmie Valley communities are relatively void
of high-profile cases and big-city crimes, it does have its share of tussles
with law-un-abiding citizens.
As part of the King County Sheriff’s Office Citizen’s
Academy, recruits were able to participate in a police ride along with deputies
from various departments. Last Friday, this reporter spent about four hours
patrolling the streets of Carnation with Deputy Bill Brown of the
Carnation Police Department.
Brown has been with Carnation since 1992. He started as a
reserve officer and eventually worked his way up to a full-time position with
the force. Then, earlier this year when the city decided to contract with
the Sheriff’s Office for police services, Brown and officer Scott Allen
were selected to remain in Carnation.
“I love this job and I look forward to it every day,” he said. “It’s hard
to pinpoint something on why I love this job … I get to make contact with a
lot of people and I got to see a lot of kids grow up.”
The following are excerpts from the evening patrol with
Deputy Brown:
6:20 p.m. — Left Carnation Police Department.
6:23 p.m. — Patrolled the Remlinger Farm parking lot;
found nothing unusual.
6:35 p.m. — Conducted Swiftwater area check at the
request of the Homeowner’s Association.
6:47 p.m. — Spotted deer on Entwhistle Street near Rivers
Edge subdivision.
6:50 p.m. — Briefly spoke with a person outside of a bed and
breakfast on Tolt River Road Northeast.
6:59 p.m. — Monitored car speeds on Entwhistle Street. Police have
received several complaints about people driving over the 25-mph
speed limit. In response, officers have taken a proactive approach to the
problem, including giving warnings and issuing citations.
7:09 p.m. — A blue truck honked at the deputy who was monitoring
the speed limit from Nick Loutsis Park.
7:20 p.m. — Officer pulled over a silver Dodge Omni on State Route
203 north of Carnation Elementary. The car’s license plate light was burnt
out and the 26-year-old driver did not have car insurance.
7:34 p.m. — On the road again.
8:03 p.m. — Stopped by the Cedarcrest High football game at
the Howard Miller Field. Two off-duty deputies were assigned to the game.
8:17 p.m. — Spotted two teenagers sitting in the dark in
Memorial Park. Signs indicated the park was closed. Deputy asked the teens to
return to the football game.
8:25 p.m. — Traffic stop in the 4800 block of State Route 203.
Officer pulled over a Mazda Protégé
with no taillight or front license plate.
8:45 p.m. _ The Deputy recorded information in police log.
8:52 p.m. — Followed an ambulance along Entwhistle Street
near 332nd Avenue. It was determined that the ambulance was on a medical
call and didn’t need police assistance.
8:56 p.m. — Monitored speed limit from Nick Loutsis Park.
8:58 p.m. — Stopped a Chevrolet station wagon in the 32800 block
of Entwhistle Street for two broken taillights. Officer gave the
16-year-old driver a verbal warning.
9:08 p.m. — Monitored speed limit from Nick Loutsis Park.
9:26 p.m. — Requested information on a blue truck and its owner,
who had had problems with the law in the past. The truck and owner were clear.
9:47 p.m. — Monitored speed limit from the fire station.
10:14 p.m. _ Drove through Tolt MacDonald park and monitored
the traffic from the football game.
10:21 p.m. — Returned to the police station.
NOTE: This is part of a continuing series by Valley Record
reporter Michelle Liu on the citizen’s academy.
