Ep. 32 Joining me is Officer Stacy Roark who has been in law enforcement for 30 years. He is currently with the Spokane Police Dept. in the Behavioral Health Unit which uses a co-deployed model for responding to persons in mental crisis. Officer Roark rides with a mental health professional (MHP), Jenny Mandin from Frontier Behavioral Health. We talk about the calls they respond to and how they get people the help they need with the goal of keeping them out of jail or the hospital.

I’ve previously discussed the co-responder model on the podcast in which officers call for a clinician to come to the scene, but this is the first time I’ve discussed the co-deployed approach in which the officer and clinician ride together. I have made it a point to cover these response models to show the lengths to which law enforcement goes to help persons in mental crisis.

Ep. 33 I continue my conversation with Spokane PD Officer Stacy Roark. In Ep. 32, we started with an overview of Officer Roark’s 30-year career in law enforcement. We also talked about his current role on the Behavioral Health Unit and as a negotiator. Joining us is Jenny Mandin, a mental health professional with Frontier Behavioral Health. Officer Roark and Jenny are co-deployed to respond to persons in crisis. We discuss how this pairing works, the calls they respond to and the role each of them plays in assessing each person’s needs. Their goal is to connect people with services and keep those who do not need to be in jail or in the hospital out of both. I also discuss with Jenny what she’s learned about law enforcement, the challenges officers face and why it is important for the safety and protection of everyone involved that she respond with law enforcement to these calls.

I have talked about the co-responder model in the podcast, but in these two interviews, it is the first time I have covered the co-deployed approach. And it is the first opportunity I’ve had to speak with a mental health professional to get insight on training and approach.

The Crime In Washington 2021 annual report was compiled from data submitted to the Washington State Uniform Crime Reporting Program of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs by Washington State law enforcement agencies.

This is the forty-second (42nd) annual publication of the Washington Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program report of criminal offenses, arrests, law enforcement officers killed or assaulted, and full-time law enforcement employees. Funding for the Washington State UCR Program is provided through contract with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) and administration of the program is the responsibility of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) Criminal Justice Information Support (CJIS) Department. The Washington State UCR Program is unique in that it is sponsored, administered, and supported by an organization of contributing agency administrators rather than a bureau or department of state government.

CIW 2021 Annual Report

Amendments to CIW 2021 Annual Report as of 7/21/2022

Find the AG's Use of Force Model Police HERE

Presented by the Behind the Badge Foundation GRIN (GRroup and INdividual) CISM gives the advantage of being able to provide both Peer Support and of all of the Group interventions (Three days of training instead of four). Each person will receive a certificate in both Group and Peer. Attendees must be present for all 3 days to receive certification.

Behind the Badge Foundation invited you to a one-day training addressing the epidemic of suicide within the Law Enforcement profession. Learn how to detect and respond to warning signs to prevent unimaginable tragedy within your agency. Register HERE.

On the day he passed, @EverettPolice Officer Dan Rocha was doing the job he loved – serving & protecting his community.

Tonight, I honored Officer Rocha's service & sacrifice on the House floor. pic.twitter.com/psmgjGLFik

— Rep. Rick Larsen (@RepRickLarsen) April 5, 2022

It is with tremendous sorrow we inform you of the line of duty death of WACOPS member, Everett Police Officer Dan Rocha. Officer Rocha was killed in the line of duty in service to the community on March 25th. The words are hard to find. Please pray with us for Dan's family, his brothers and sisters in the Everett Police Department, and all our WACOPS members. Gone but not forgotten. RIP.

From the Everett Police Department...

It is with a sorrow so great that words simply cannot express it that we inform our members and friends of the line of duty death of Pierce County Deputy Dominique "Dom" Calata on 3/15/22. Please pray for Deputy Calata and his family, friends, and fellow brothers and sisters at the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. Gone but not forgotten. Rest in peace.

From the Pierce County Sheriff's Department...

March 4, 2022

LEOFF 2 – Benefit Improvement – PASSED

Dear WACOPS members,
 
It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the tragic death of Vancouver Officer Sahota.  Officer Sahota was off duty when a person fleeing arrest tried to make entry into his home.  The events that occurred are under investigation.  What we know is that this is a tragedy for all involved.  Our hearts are with everyone impacted.  We send our deepest sympathy to Officer Sahota’s family, friends, and his brothers and sisters of the Vancouver Police Officer’s Guild.  Likewise, we are holding our members with the Clark County Deputy Sheriff’s Guild in our prayers as well.  
 
RIP Officer Sahota.  Gone but not forgotten.
 
Be well and be safe, 
 
Teresa Taylor 
Executive Director

January 26, 2022

Dear Chairman Goodman:

On Friday, January 20th, the Washington State Attorney General published an opinion in response the use of force questions asked by Representatives Roger Goodman and Jesse Johnson.

AGO Highlights 1-20-22:
(This is an edited (words removed) summary and is not provided as an exact quote. Please read the AGO to draw your own conclusions).
 
The most natural reading of the statute’s plain language is that physical force includes all acts by officers that involve violence, compulsion, or constraint used against another person’s body, even if it is unlikely to cause pain or injury.

It is with heavy hearts that we extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and brothers & sisters in law enforcement for the loss of Sergeant Joseph Deccio, a 15-year veteran of the Yakima Police Department. Joe died in the line of duty on August 3rd after experiencing a significant medical episode. A Yakima native, Deccio worked for the department for 15 years, serving as a patrol officer, leader of Yakima SWAT’s sniper team, coordinator for the K-9 units and school resource officers, as well as a field training officer. He was a corporal in the Army National Guard and deployed to Iraq as a cavalry scout with the 81st Brigade.

As the effective date is upon us and the State's public safety reform bills are about to take effect, please read the statement made by Legislators Goodman and Johnson. There will be more to come. We continue to work for you. Remember, we proudly stand with our members. Be sure to check in with each other, and don't take any unnecessary risks.

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July 23, 2021

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we send our prayers to the family, friends, and brothers and sisters in law enforcement after the murder of another WACOPS member at the hands of violent criminals in our state.  As said by Tacoma Local Union #6, “Deputy Jeremy Brown gave the ultimate sacrifice protecting and serving his community and died a hero.”   

The WACOPS Benevolent Fund, an account funded through member contributions, will be sending a check to support funeral related expenses.  Our national partner, the International Union of Police Associations (IUPA), will also be sending a check of support. 

Please Welcome Puget Sound Police Managers Association to WACOPS

We are so pleased to announce the membership of PSPMA.  PSPMA is made up of Lts., Cpts. and contract city Chiefs for King County.  We enjoyed getting to know the leadership of PSPMA this past session as we worked cooperatively in our Law Enforcement Labor Coalition effecting the trajectory of the law enforcement reform bills.  We look forward to continuing those efforts and more challenges to come. 

It is with deep sadness and grief that we are informing you of the passing of our Vice President, GRC Chair, and friend, Lynnwood Guild President Mark Brinkman.  We first announced this in the Legislative Update and on our Facebook page last Monday, April 12.  

Mark had almost 35 years on the job, was active in his community and church.  Mark suffered a medical emergency at his home on Sunday night, April 11 and later died at an area hospital.  Anyone that had the opportunity to know Mark was lucky.  He was a good man and represented all that is good in humanity and the profession of law enforcement.  He will be missed.