This free course will cover home defense, personal safety and firearms safety. In light of recent events involving firearms, children killed or injured by accidental shootings and homeowners confronting intruders, our goal is to offer knowledge, resources and training.

Sgt. Pat Lowe, a 15-year law enforcement officer and certified firearms instructor with the Mountlake Terrace Police Department, will instruct the seminar. Seating is limited. Reserve your spot by emailing Officer Kim Berg at kberg@ci.mlt.wa.us or by calling 425- 670-8260.

Officers stand at attention.

Story and photos by Doug Petrowski

The Mountlake Terrace Police Department opened the doors to their station Tuesday evening, giving residents the chance to tour the building, learn about the history of the department, meet officers and staff, watch crime investigation techniques, and get a close look at department vehicles and equipment.

Commander Craig McCaul leads the outdoor ceremony.

The event started with Commander Craig McCaul and a police color guard leading visitors in a flag salute and the Pledge of Allegence. Then after some opening words, McCaul asked for a moment of silence in honor of law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty. He then read a Mayor’s pronouncement declaring Tuesday Peace Officers Memorial Day in Mountlake Terrace.

Following the ceremony, visitors were invited into the station for tours and refreshments.

Animal Conrol Officer Elena McKee with Albert.

Officer Erin Kelly led demonstrations of how the department is able to retrieve fingerprints from pop cans. Officer Eric Jones showed off the department’s only motorcycle in its fleet. Animal Control Officer Elena McKee sought a home for a stray rat terrier the department has named “Albert,” who was recently found running loose on the 228th Street overpass. Other officers and staff mingled with visitors and answered questions.

Officer Eric Jones shows off the motorcycle to Brady Myers-Little, age 5.

The garage was opened to give tours of the department’s fleet of vehicles. South Snohomish County had their SWAT bus on hand for visitors to walk through.

Among attendees of the event were Mayor Jerry Smith, Mayor Pro Temp Laura Sonmore, Councilmembers Kyoko Matsumoto Wright and Seaun Richards, members of the Community Policing Advisory Board, and dozens of area families and individuals.

May 3

COLLISION:  At 1:25 p.m., a van collided with a car in the 300 block of 164^th Street Southwest north of Lynnwood. Firefighters transported one patient to Evergreen Hospital.

May 5

COLLISION:  At 2:15 p.m., a bicyclist was struck by a car at 128^th Street Southwest and I-5 south of Everett.  The bicyclist sustained minor injuries and was transported by firefighters to Swedish/Mill Creek Emergency Room.

DRYER FIRE:  At 3:39 p.m., firefighters extinguished a fire in a clothes dryer at a home in the 3000 block of 123^rd Avenue Southeast south of Everett. The smoke alarm sounded and alerted the resident, who was able to exit the house safely after turning off the power to the laundry room. The fire was contained to the dryer and laundry area and did not extend to the structure. Most of the damage was caused by water from the firefight.

RESCUE:  At 9:06 p.m., two juveniles climbed to the roof of the Grace Baptist Church in the 17000 block of 13^th Avenue W east of Lynnwood, but were unable to get down on their own. Firefighters used a ladder to rescue them.

May 6

COLLISION:  At 1:30 a.m., a car struck a tree in the 6100 block of 219^th Street Southwest in Mountlake Terrace. Firefighters used tools to free the driver from the wreckage. The driver sustained serious injuries from the collision and was transported by paramedics to Harborview Medical Center.

COLLISION:  At 2:37 p.m., firefighters transported one patient to Swedish/Mill Creek Emergency Room after responding to a two-car collision in the 1400 block of 164^th Street Southwest north of Lynnwood.

May 8

COLLISION:  At 1:59 p.m., firefighters transported one patient to Swedish/Edmonds Hospital after responding to a collision on southbound I-5 just south of the 220^th Street Southwest exit in Mountlake Terrace.

COLLISION:  At 6:24 p.m., firefighters transported one patient to Swedish/Edmonds Hospital after responding to a two-car collision at 169^th Place West and North Road east of Lynnwood.

Mountlake Terrace police hope the arrest of a 15-year-old Mountlake Terrace resident will begin to stem the tide of recent home burglaries throughout the city.

The juvenile male was arrested on May 3 after police responded to a residential alarm near Cedar Way in Mountlake Terrace. The suspected was observed in the area by police and arrested after matching descriptions given by witnesses. He was released on $1500 bail on May 7 and instructed by Snohomish County Juvenile Superior Court Judge Ellen Fair to stay under house arrest with the exception of attending school classes. No arraignment hearing for the suspect has been scheduled as of yet.

Police Chief Greg Wilson credits the arrest “to just good police work.” Police reports explain that the officer saw the suspect while enroute to the scene. The juvenile had been seen on surveillance tape taken earlier in the day at Rogers’ Market, 23120-56th Ave. W., with a backpack that matched one found near the burglary. Items with his name on them were found in the backpack, along with items stolen in the burglary. The suspect also was identified by a witness of another burglary a week prior in the area.

A second suspect fled on foot. The police department K-9 unit followed a hot trail to a neighboring apartment complex parking lot, but the trail ended there. Police believe the suspect may have had a car waiting for him.

Police report that many home burglaries in Mountlake Terrace seem connected. They have happened during daytime hours, with suspects observed walking down residential streets looking for homes that are unoccupied, even knocking on front doors to see if anyone answers. If no one is home, the suspects will enter through a back door or window. Items stolen in recent burglaries include laptop computers, iPods and video gaming systems.

Cedar Way Elementary School, 22222-39th Ave. W., was placed on lockdown for a short time on April 30 due to a home burglary close by.

Home burglaries in Mountlake Terrace are on pace to total more than 150 this year. “We will surpass the 2011 burglary total,” said Commander Doug Hansen. There were 135 reported burglaries in the city in 2011, 114 in 2010, and just 99 in 2009. “Two or three people can screw up your statistics,” Commander Hansen added.

Mountlake Terrace Police Department detectives regularly meet with detectives from neighboring jurisdictions and exchange information on active cases, Hansen said. There has been an increase in home burglaries throughout the area, especially in Seattle and north King County.

The Mountlake Terrace Police Department is scheduled to report to the City Council on Thursday, May 17, and will likely release crime statistics for the first three months of 2012 at that meeting.

MLT Police Chief Greg Wilson swears in new officer Jeremy Perry.

City of Mountlake Terrace Police Chief Greg Wilson administered the oath of office to new Police Officer Jeremy Perry during the May 14 City Council meeting.

Perry, a graduate of Mountlake Terrace High School, earned an AA Degree in General Studies from Edmonds Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Justice from Central Washington University. He received his Basic Law Enforcement Certification from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission in August 2011.

Perry has one-and-a-half years of previous law enforcement experience with the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation Police Department in Pacific County. He also served four years as an Emergency Medical Technician.

“Officer Perry brings a solid foundation of experience and a reputation for dedication and service,” said Wilson. “We look forward to his contributions to the department and community.”

This family event begins at 6 p.m. with a color guard ceremony and the placing of a wreath at the base of the flagpole in front of the station in honor of fallen police officers. The open house will follow and goes until 8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Police Department personnel will include detectives, K-9, traffic, code enforcement and crime prevention. There will be tours and photo opportunities with patrol cars and in the jail cell. Police chief Greg Wilson and others will also be available to answer questions and give some insight into what goes on at a police department.

Pet licenses will be available for purchase by anyone unable to do so during regular lobby hours. Come by and visit the adoptable pets, perhaps even take one home.

The memorial ceremony and open house coincides with the federally-designated Peace Officers’ Memorial Day on May 15 and National Law Enforcement Appreciation Week May 13-19.

Berg was awarded the Police Chief’s Commendation, recognizing high professional conduct in the performance of job responsibilities, for her work in pushing through the department’s accreditation in 2011. The City of Mountlake Terrace Police Department was the only police agency in the state to go through the accreditation process without any negative reviews in the 140 areas scrutinized.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes employees who act and endure a significant risk to their life in the performance of their duties. Lowe, Haynes and Ross received Distinguished Service Awards for their response to an apparent suicide attempt, by a male with a firearm. They worked to negotiate with him, but when that failed, they used a less lethal means to control the situation and take the person into custody without significant injury or loss of life to anyone.

Duncan was awarded the Police Chief’s Commendation for his participation as the Patrol Sergeant responsible for managing an active shooter event. “As officers arrived, he quickly assembled an immediate action team of officers and cover officers to approach the area,” said Assistant Police Chief Pete Caw. “Within a short time, one of the officers noticed the subject aiming a weapon in the direction of officers and fired, mortally wounding the subject. Sergeant Duncan’s calm professional management throughout the incident was exemplary.”

The Life Saving Award recognizes an employee or citizen who by their immediate action saves a life under unusual or extraordinary circumstances. Osborn received the Life Saving Award for his actions during the active shooter event. “As Officers approached the area with the active shooter, Officer Osborn, a trained SWAT/sniper assigned to provide cover, observed the shooter in an upstairs window aiming his weapon in the direction of officers. Due to the immediate threat posed to the approaching team, Officer Osborn fired and mortally wounded the subject, eliminating the threat,” said Assistant Chief Caw.

Police Chief Greg Wilson explained that when he came on board in 2008 one of the goals requested by the department was recognition of employees for the jobs they do in the field. An Employee Recognition Review Board was formed from a cross section of the department selected by their peers.

Police Chief Wilson closed the awards by reading a caption from the Police Department’s policy. “The Mountlake Terrace Police Department expects a high level of professional conduct from all of its members. When members perform their duties in a manner exceeding the highest standards of the department, it is fitting to officially commend that performance and arrange for appropriate publicity to be provided. This gives full public recognition to those who brought honor to themselves and the department.”

April 28
COLLISION: At 3:44 p.m., firefighters transported one patient to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett after responding to a three-vehicle collision at 164th St. SW and Alderwood Mall Parkway north of Lynnwood.

BATHROOM FIRE: At 6:04 p.m., firefighters extinguished a small fire in the bathroom of an apartment in the 14500 block of Admiralty Way south of Everett. The fire caused about $2,500 damage to the flooring, cabinet and wall. Investigators believe the fire was started by cigarettes discarded in a trash can.

April 29
CAR FIRE: At 2:15 a.m., firefighters extinguished a car fire on the 220th St. SW off-ramp from northbound I-5.

May 1
COLLISION: At 4:58 p.m., firefighters transported one patient to Swedish/Edmonds Hospital after responding to a two-car collision at Filbert Road and Magnolia Road east of Lynnwood.