Written by Those of us in elected office in Renton are very aware of the extra effort Renton’s police are making to add officers and patrol districts for Benson Hill, and to knock down some chronic problems we have had in our city.
Denis Law summarized our collective feeling in this letter today:
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Dear Renton Police Personnel,
I want to take a moment to welcome all of our new officers and
non-commissioned personnel to our City. As you know, Renton grew in
population by nearly 25% on March 1, which resulted in the need to hire
91 additional city employees, with about 30 of these positions in the
police department.
This growth also created the challenge of space at City Hall. The
Police Department is undergoing a major restructuring of office space to
accommodate our new staff. While we know this is disruptive, it will
greatly improve the overall facilities for you and should be completed
within a couple months.
In addition to adding new patrol districts, command staff and the
splitting of the Patrol Division into two sectors, as well as many other
organizational adjustments, the police department has been very busy
with day-to-day calls for service. And to add to this heavy workload, I
have requested your administration to increase police presence to deal
with ongoing issues at the Transit Center, vandalism in our parks and
extra emphasis at Coulon Park on nice days, in hopes to dissuade
undesirables from establishing roots. This was after your Chief agreed
to oversee our Code Enforcement efforts, which is another significant
priority for the city that requires a lot of attention.
While the police administration and our Human Resources staff have done
a remarkable job of filling many positions, it will still be a few
months before we have a full complement of officers and detectives to
effectively handle the large workload.
I want to thank all of you for your hard work and patience during all
of these major changes. The entire department has done an outstanding
job of providing service to our citizens, including our new residents
and businesses in the Cascade/Benson communities. And I’m especially
pleased with the commitment and quality leadership of Chief Milosevich
and the entire command staff.
There will never be a shortage of work to keep you busy, but you
continue to provide our citizens with quality police services despite
some of the challenges. It’s our goal to create an environment where
Renton families feel safe, whether it’s in their neighborhood,
enjoying our parks or walking through our downtown and Transit Center.
It’s important to know that you have the full support and sincere
appreciation of the mayor’s office and the City Council for your
dedication and professionalism.
Thanks!
Denis Law
Thanks!!
I’ll add what I sent to the members of RPD as a follow up to Denis’ e-mail:
I wholeheartedly agree with everything Denis said. On a personal note, having lived in Renton all my life, I’ve come to understand the difficult tasks that face our wonderful City and what a major part our Police Department plays in our quality of life. My father Don, mother Bette and sister Cheri (Taylor) have all volunteered for RPD.
I use the transit center every day and while it’s not nearly as bad as people perceive, it’s great seeing you there. Your support of my North Renton neighborhood also deserves praise.
When I see you in action, I always give you a nod or a wave, but I hesitate to bother you while you are doing your job. But please understand that you have my full support.
Keep up the great work. I truly appreciate it.
– Rich Zwicker
Good things will continue to happen. Kevin Milosevich is a great leader for the PD. He now has a mayor that supports him. It is amazing how quick things change for the better with the proper leadership in place. The police chief and mayor are gentlemen that don’t have big egos. They are about doing the right thing all of the time. Take a look at the past, and compare it to now. Renton citizens are blessed to have the finest police dept protecting them. Kevin, Denis, I am very proud of you guys and the rest. See you soon and keep up the good work. Maybe I’ll give up my serial # some day. KJK553, no response. There’s a hint for you.
YES!!! THANK YOU FROM COUNCIL!!
Thank you to all our Public Safety Staff for the ongoing, dedicated, wonderful job you do. I also wave (& many of you look perplexed why that woman in the white Windstar is waving) and appreciate your committment to the people that work, live, play and learn in Renton. You are our HEREOS! We as Renton City Council want you to know you are valued and admired and we’re all glad you are willing to put YOUR life on the line for us, as Larry Strauss did when he was shot for the 2nd time in 20 years as a Renton Police Officer on duty. There have been so many heartwarming comments from the Cascade/Benson Hill residents since they became Renton Residents Mar. 1—I’ve heard nothing but good, altho they are pretty amazed at the service level the City provides. You make us proud. Thank you isn’t enough. But please know — you are appreciated so much!
Marcie Palmer
Renton City Council President