SPD Blotter | Seattle Police News and Events» Harbor

2nd Annual Ethnic Community Police Appreciation Night

Detective Renee Witt — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 23:15:47 +0000

You are cordially invited to join Mayor McGinn, Chief John Diaz and 14 ethnic Chambers of Commerce and Community groups to thank the men and women in uniform. “This is a great opportunity to show your support to the men and women of this department who do amazing work in this city each and every day”, said Chief Diaz.

The evening will include honoring twenty Seattle Police officers for their work in the community, along with the dinner celebration.

Come meet the people behind the uniform and the badge.

Date: Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Time: Registration 5:30 p.m. program/dinner: 6:00 p.m.
Location: New Holly Gathering Hall – 7054 32nd Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98118

For more information contact

Lawrence Pang
The Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce
206-406-9886
chinesechamberseattlewa@gmail.com

Harbor officers rescue two people from middle of Lake Washington

Detective Mark Jamieson — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:42:12 +0000

Yesterday, just before 3:00 pm, Harbor Unit officers responded to a call in the middle of Lake Washington, near Sand Point, of a capasized 14 foot sailboat. The call indicated that there were two people in the water, clinging to the vessel. Officers on the patrol boat responded and located the sailboat and pulled the two young men from the lake. One of the victims appeared to be suffering from early signs of hypothermia, so he was treated on board the Harbor boat and then turned over to the Seattle Fire Department on shore so he could be checked out by medics as a precaution.

Woman’s Body Recovered From Lake Washington This Morning

Jonah Spangenthal-Lee — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 17:38:56 +0000

Harbor patrol units recovered a woman’s body from Lake Washington this morning.

Around 6:20 am, a group of water skiiers spotted the body floating in the lake, near Mount Baker Beach, and called 911.

Patrol and Harbor units, and Seattle Fire responded, retrieved the body—which appears to be a woman in her late teens or early twenties—and turned it over to the King County Medical Examiner’s office.

Assault Suspect Attempts to Swim to Freedom

Detective Jeff Kappel — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 23:53:08 +0000

Just another day at the office for the Seattle Police Harbor Patrol. At approximately 3:21 p.m. officers responded to a 911 call of two people being assaulted by an adult male suspect. Preliminary investigation indicates that an unknown adult male suspect came up behind two people in Green Lake Park, a 16 year old female and a 19 year old male, and knocked them to the ground. The suspect then continued on. When responding officers attempted to contact the suspect he threw his sleeping bag at them and ran away. The suspect then jumped into Green Lake and swam out to the center of the lake.

Both victims were transported to an area hospital by their father for treatment of their non-life-threatening injuries. The 19 year old male victim sustained a broken finger in the assault. It is unknown what injuries the female victim sustained.

SPD Harbor units have responded to the scene. Harbor officers contacted the suspect out near the middle of the lake and made numerous attempts to get the suspect to grab a life jacket they had thrown to him. The suspect refused to comply or cooperate with officers and swam over to a buoy and refused to let go of it.

After over two hours of obstructing officers’ attempts to get him into custody, at 5:48 p.m. the suspect was arrested without further incident.

This remains an active and on-going investigation.

Stay safe this summer in and around the water!

Detective Mark Jamieson — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:49:56 +0000

HARBOR Patrol – Summer safety tips

The weather will be hot this weekend, and there will be a lot of people on the water enjoying the hydros and Blue Angels. The Seattle Police Department would like to remind everyone to be safe while enjoying this Seafair weekend, and anytime you are around the water.

While Harbor Patrol is here to help when you need it, we hope you follow the safety tips on this site to avoid trouble.

GENERAL SAFETY TIPS FOR SUMMER

The Seattle Police Department Harbor Patrol Unit responds to approximately 6,000 calls for service per year, the majority of which occur during the summer months.

Especially during the summer months, it is important that the public is reminded of boating and swimming safety tips for water activities.

Seattle Police personnel want to ensure the time people spend in the water is safe and enjoyable. The Seattle Police Department Harbor Unit has developed the following list of important water safety tips and encourages people, even those who consider themselves experienced at water safety, to review safety information.

Insist properly fitted PFD’s (Personal Floatation Devices) be worn by everyone riding in a boat or being towed on an inner tube, skis or other device.
Never allow alcohol to be consumed when around the water.
Never swim in unsupervised areas, and never swim alone.
Do not dive or jump into unfamiliar or shallow water because of the risk of spinal cord or head injuries.
Go to shore when changing places in small tippy boats or canoes.
Limit boating to safe weather and water conditions.
Teach your child to swim or enroll them in swim classes.
Children should not jump into the pool on their own until they are able to climb out on their own.
If a river carries a stick faster than you can walk on shore, it’s moving too fast.
Don’t swim in or around lily pads because arms or legs may become entangled.

HARBOR PATROL SAFETY PUBLICATIONS

HARBOR PATROL

SPRING and SUMMER SEATTLE EVENTS

The following are seasonal events around Seattle that effects water recreation.

Opening Day Boating SeasonThe official opening of Seattle’s boating season is sponsored by the Seattle Yacht Club. Opening Day includes many kinds of water activities such as crew races, a sailboat regatta, and the Opening Day Boat parade. It is held on the first Saturday in May and takes place in the Montlake Cut.

SEAFAIR Hydroplane RacesThe annual Seafair Hydroplane Races are one of Seattle’s most popular events. It takes place on southwest Lake Washington and the Stan Sayres Pit area near Genesee Park, and occurs on the first weekend in August. The gates open at 8 a.m. and racing starts at 10 a.m.

SEAFAIR is one of the busiest boating events of the season. Drinking and operating a boat is subject to the same DUI laws as operating a motor vehicle and Harbor Patrol actively enforces these laws.

15 year old boy pulled from Lake Washington, civilian and officers perform CPR

Detective Mark Jamieson — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:16:10 +0000

Officers were dispatched to a report of a child in the water in the 100 Block of Lakeside Avenue South at approximately 3:30 pm on May 15th. The first arriving Seattle Police officers got to the scene just as a civilian witness was bringing the boy up out of the water. The boy, 15, had no pulse and did not appear to be breathing. According to witnesses, they believed that the boy had been underwater for as long as 10 minutes. CPR was initiated by the first arriving officers and the witness. Three East Precinct officers performed CPR on the victim until the Seattle Fire Department arrived and took over. The victim was revived. Medics then transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center. At last report, the victim was in stable condition. The actions of the civilian witness who pulled the boy from the water and CPR performed by the officers most likely saved this young man’s life.

Seattle Police Harbor Unit to host open house this Saturday, show off new boat

Detective Mark Jamieson — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:56:53 +0000

The Seattle Police Department Harbor Unit and Kvichak Marine Industries invites the public to an open house to welcome their new 45′ Response Boat Medium, Patrol 9, to the harbor fleet. Join the officers for a vessel tour and enjoy a barbeque at the Harbor Station this Saturday, May 19th, from 11:00 am-3 pm, at Seattle Police Harbor Patrol Station 1717 North Northlake Place on Lake Union. See the attached flyer for additional information and a photo.

FLYER

Harbor Patrol Rescues Two Kayakers in Distress

Detective Jeff Kappel — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:17:27 +0000

On April 30th at approximately 2:53 p.m. a citizen called 911 to report two people in the water screaming for assistance approximately 30 feet from Gas Works Park. Their kayak had capsized and they were struggling to make it to shore. Seattle Police Harbor Patrol units responded to the area.

Harbor Officers located both individuals struggling in the water and appearing exhausted (both subjects were wearing personal floatation devices and appeared to be suffering from the early stages of hypothermia). The waves bouncing off of the concrete park wall prevented the kayakers from reaching shore.

Harbor Officers recovered both individuals from the water and conducted a high-speed run back to the Harbor Station where SFD medics were waiting to provide further treatment.

Harbor Officers also recovered the kayak and returned it to the rental center.

Harbor Unit rescues 12 people from frigid waters

Detective Jeff Kappel — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:00:50 +0000

On March 12th at approximately 6:30 a.m. a frantic call was placed to the Seattle Police Harbor Patrol Unit by a Lake Union Crew coach. The caller stated that a sudden wind storm had come up and eight people had been thrown from their boat into the 44 degree water of Lake Union just west of the Harbor Station. SPD Harbor Unit officers sprang into action immediately and launched two boats to speed to the scene.

When officers arrived it was very dark with significant wave action making the approach to the eight victims in the frigid water very difficult. To make matters worse, most of the people in the water were wearing dark clothing, making it very difficult for the officers to spot them.

Once located, officers immediately began extracting the people from the water. At about the same time a boat with four people on board had rowed into the relatively calm waters in front of the Harbor Patrol Station and was in the process of being assisted by officers when they capsized the vessel throwing all four into the water near the patrol boat docks. Officers were able to recover all four people from the water and bring them to safety.

Officers brought the victims to the Harbor Patrol Station to warm them up. After a short time they were all transported back to The Lake Union Crew House.

Due to the Harbor Unit officers’ ultra-quick response, professional training and dedication, there were no injuries to anyone involved in the incident, no damage to the crew vessels, and all 12 people were saved.

Recovery effort launched for missing diver off Seacrest Park

Detective Mark Jamieson — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:25:12 +0000

On February 19th, at approximately 11:00 am, Seattle Police and Seattle Fire Departments responded to a report of a missing diver off Seacrest Park in West Seattle. The diver failed to surface after participating in a training dive.

Divers from the Seattle Harbor Patrol Unit and the Seattle Fire Department, as well as the Coast Guard participated in a search for the missing diver. After several hours, the operation turned from a rescue to a recovery operation. Divers from the Harbor Unit remained in the area for hours, continuing to search. The search was suspended when it became dark.

After the Harbor Unit boats left, volunteers called 911 at about 6:00 pm stating that they had located the diver’s body. The Harbor Unit returned to the scene where they recovered the diver’s body. The body was then turned over to the Medical Examiner’s Office. Here is additional information from the Seattle Fire Department’s blog, the Fire Line.