Pennies for Puppies and Ponies founder, Carole Flynn White and active founding volunteer, Barbara Harvey presented SANDOR’s partner SGT. Jason Valentine with the “JJ Harvey Award” and probably SANDOR’s favorite “prize” – a box of dog biscuits. This award is named in honor of P4PP’s Barbara Harvey’s late husband, Jay Harvey, a former Snohomish County Sheriff and pioneer in modern law enforcement in our area.

“SGT Valentine and his K-9 partner SANDOR have served the Lynnwood Police Department ably and valiantly for the past eight years,” said Lynwood Police Chief Steve Jensen.  “SANDOR has captured numerous offenders who were responsible for criminal acts in Lynnwood,” noted Jensen.

SANDOR was an active K-9 officer since 2003.  In 2003 to the end of 2005 SANDOR was teamed with Lynnwood Police Officer, Dennis Molloy. SGT Valentine and SANDOR started together in January, 2006.

SANDOR made well over 100 arrests.  These include arrests of vehicle thieves, burglars, fugitives from justice, at least one child rapist, assault suspects, carjacking suspects, arsonists, and armed robbers.  All of these subjects had resisted arrest and/or otherwise eluded police.

(Article submitted by Shannon Sessions, LPD PIO)

(GRANITE FALLS) Drivers slowed down; people pointed. Dogs barked in surprise. Children yelled, excitedly. Even the Community Transit bus driver left his parked vehicle to cross the street for a closer look at the stately palomino horse and rider in downtown Granite Falls last week.

Megan Rose stopped her car in front of the Historical Museum and jumped out to take a photo. “Wow, who are you?” she asked in surprise.

The tall man in the saddle grinned and introduced himself and his horse. Both work for the Granite Falls Police Department. Police Officer Ken Shefveland and Police Horse Officer Slick, badge numbers 127 and 128 respectively, will be handling routine patrols in the downtown area on a part-time basis.

Twenty-two-year-old P.H. Slick joined Shefveland in 2003, as the first commissioned police horse for the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. “We trained with Seattle, and deployed with them a couple times, then we started out as the first unit in Snohomish County,” explained Shefveland, a reserve police officer, who previously served with the Sheriff’s office for twenty-five years.

Community Policing

“The horse able to do this job has to have a quiet temperament, but not too quiet. The horse must also have the courage to ignore his fears and trust his partner in very stressful situations. When everybody else is running away from danger, you’re asking the horse to go forward into that danger,” Shefveland said. “Also, in addition to his imposing size and brave heart, he’s got incredible hearing, incredible vision, and an amazing sense of smell,” adding with a chuckle, “oh yes, even a wet police horse smells better than a wet police K-9!”

P.H. Slick is also trained to handle potentially violent situations. “If you were arguing (with someone) right now, I could ask Slick to just step in between you and separate both parties.”

Shefveland knows people are attracted to his partner. “When I’m on my horse, even the bad guys want to talk to me!” He observed, “One thing we do notice in places where we put the horses out, crime drops. That’s the same experience Seattle has with their mounted patrol.”

What about the practical matters? Does Shefveland carry a scooper and baggies with him on patrol? “Believe it or not, Slick holds it until we get back to the trailer,” was the answer, referring to the horse trailer attached to the back of Shefveland’s truck. He and Slick travel to Granite Falls from their home base in Carnation.

How is P.H. Slick as a partner? Is he always in a good mood? Shefveland laughs, saying, “Some days Slick can put on his ugly face. He can be a little stinker. But overall, horses are a lot like people. You treat them with respect and kindness, and they will give you their best.”

Slick stands fifteen hands and one-half inch high, and is a registered palomino/quarter horse. He was born and raised on a cattle ranch in eastern Washington before Shefveland purchased him in 2001.

Asked why he chose Granite Falls to serve as a reserve officer, Shefveland responded with two words: “Chief Taylor.” He and Granite Falls Police Chief Dennis Taylor are old friends (the chief’s wife, a detective with the Sheriff’s Office, was Shefveland’s partner for several years in the Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit), and when Taylor asked Shefveland if he would be interested there was no hesitation.

“I have the greatest respect for Chief Taylor,” Shefveland said. “In fact, I am honored to serve with every one of the officers here in town. They are really, truly outstanding.”

The interview ended as another car slowed down, this time with young kids in the back seat waving and shouting out the window. Slick turned his head away after a quick look. After all, he was on duty.

By Catherine Anderson, Contributing Writer, Mountain Loop exPress

(GRANITE FALLS)The newest member of the Granite Falls Police Department was introduced at the January 4 City Council meeting. “Jackson” greeted the assembly with an enthusiastic wag of his tail, while his handler, Officer Michael Hingtgen looked on.

Jackson is a one-year-old yellow lab drug dog. He is trained to detect marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. He has been training hard for the past few months to prepare for certification through the Pacific Canine Association. Canine officers receive extensive training prior to being assigned to a handler. Once they are assigned a dog, they spend over 200 hours in training together to obtain their certification. Jackson lives with Hingtgen and currently rides with him on patrol getting used to the car. Hingtgen says Jackson has a 2/3 cage in the back seat and any prisoner they pick up gets the other 1/3.

Jackson recently took part in the Red Ribbon assemblies at Monte Cristo Elementary and Mountain Way Elementary. Monte Cristo Principal Kari Henderson-Burke said, “The kids loved having Jackson at our Red Ribbon assembly. Several classes wrote thank you notes and every single one mentioned Jackson– how smart he was, how cute he was, and how glad they were to have him as part of our Granite Falls Police Department.” The children applauded when Jackson was able to pick out the “drug” package on the stage. Henderson-Burke added, “We felt it was important to introduce Jackson during Red Ribbon Week because we want kids to know that the police department is here to help citizens stay safe. Assemblies like these build positive relationships among school kids, schools, and police and help develop our community’s understanding of the importance of avoiding illegal drug use.”

Mountain way Elementary Principal Cathie West said, “My kids were bowled over by Jackson’s star bright energy and enthusiasm. The children loved this eager and very talented dog. The best part of the demonstration, however, was that Jackson did not immediately identify the package containing a drug. It took persistence and a little trial and error before Jackson, who is still in the training stage, got it right. Jackson-—and his talented handler—were perfect models for my students!”

On an interesting note, the dog was named after Deputy Sheriff Anne Marie Jackson. When an officer dies in the line of duty their memory is honored by naming canine officers after them. Deputy Anne Jackson was shot and killed after responding to a disturbance at a residence in the small town of Alger in 2008. The suspect was located and led responding officers on a pursuit down I-5 during which he wounded a Washington State Patrol trooper and fatally shot another motorist. He was apprehended by members of the Washington State Patrol, Mount Vernon Police Department, and the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office. The ensuing investigation revealed that the suspect had also murdered three other people on two properties near the location where Deputy Jackson was shot. The shooter was later convicted of six counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

(by Vervia Gabriel, Mountain Loop exPress)

In 2006, the Tribes provided the funds to acquire K-9 Deputy LIDAR who was partnered with Deputy McCullar.  After successfully graduating K-9 school and being certified as a police K-9, deputy LIDAR was granted the Tulalip Tribal name ORCA.

Through its outstanding work-to-date this team (McCullar and LIDAR/ORCA) has again demonstrated the need for an ever-expanding K-9 Unit.  This K-9 team has been responsible for numerous felony captures ranging from robberies to endangered missing children, many of which have occurred in North County.  To date the team has 153 “arrests.”

Pennies for Puppies and Ponies, on behalf of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue K-9 teams, and the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office K-9 team, extend its sincere thanks to the Tribes for their continued generosity in making Snohomish County a safer place to live.

Carole Flynn White, President of Pennies for Puppies and Ponies accepted the grant and noted that she was “accepting the grant on behalf of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Patrol K-9 Unit, the Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue K-9 Unit, and the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office K-9 Unit. White, extended her sincere thanks to the “Mill Creek Rotary for their generosity in making our County a safer place to live.”

Barbara Harvey (left) presented the J.J. Harvey K-9 Service Award to Everett police officer Susan Eviston in memory of her police dog Axel.

In July 2007 Everett police officer Susan Eviston and her canine partner, Axel, were injured in a car crash while responding to a burglary call. A 19-year-old man, Alan Waterman, was high on methamphetamines when he and two others attempted to break into a fenced property to steal copper wire. In the attempted getaway, Waterman rammed a stolen Jeep Cherokee into Eviston’s patrol car, leaving both officers with severe injuries.

After months of recovery and years of surgeries, Eviston is back on the job with the Everett Police Department as a trainer for K9 handlers. Axel, who suffered a broken leg and hip problems from the crash, returned to service briefly in 2008 before retiring in June 2009. The German shepherd died just a few months ago after a bout of lymphatic cancer.
“We served together for 10 years,” said Eviston, “making us the longest working dog team in Snohomish County.”
On March 28, Barbara Harvey and friends from the Pennies for Puppies and Ponies organization presented Eviston with the J.J. Harvey K-9 Service Award in honor of Axel’s contributions to local law enforcement.
J.J. Harvey was a lawman most of his adult life, including a stint as chief of police in Marysville. A state patrolman for years, Harvey was appointed to fill the job of Snohomish County Sheriff in 1974 following the tragic murder of then-sheriff Don Jennings and his family in Mexico. When he left that job in 1977, he served as the U.S. Marshal for Western Washington. Harvey died in 2007.
Although he never worked with K-9 officers during his tenure, J.J. Harvey loved the animals, remembered his widow, Barbara Harvey. The woman is also an animal advocate and appreciates the work of police dogs.
At the 1998 memorial service for Recon, a K-9 officer with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department, the Harveys met Marysville’s Carole Flynn White, who had founded Pennies for Puppies and Ponies a few years earlier to support K-9 and mounted law enforcement units.
The two women are still working to support and recognize the efforts of the four-legged police partners who contribute to the work of law enforcement agencies, as well as search and rescue teams, in the area.
“The bond between handler and animal is incredible,” said Eviston. “We’re with our animal partners more than our significant others, and you’ll often see dogs take on their handlers’ personalities and traits.”
“I’m very honored by this recognition of Axel’s contributions,” Eviston said of the award. “He holds a special place in my heart, and this remembrance is very touching.”
There are approximately 17 active dog teams on city and county police departments in Snohomish County. The City of Marysville has two tracking K-9 teams- Officer Stacey Dreyer and Hawkeye, and Officer Derek Oates and Ranger-as well as the narcotics team of Sergeant Joby Johnson and Brody.

by Beckye Randall, North County Outlook

Shortly after he completed his second term as the Snohomish County Sheriff, Jay was appointed Western Washington United States Marshal by then President Jimmy Carter.  In his capacity as U.S. Marshal, Jay led the team that captured the infamous spy Christopher Boyce, whose story is told in the book and movie “The Falcon and the Snowman” (which starred Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn).

Upon learning of the establishment of the Pennies for Puppies and Ponies Foundation under then Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart, Jay and his wife, Barbara became immediate and staunch supporters of the program.  When in January, 2007 Jay passed away, Barbara wanted to establish a “Pennies” memorial in Jay’s name and thus created the J.J. Harvey Award.  The purpose of the award, according to Mrs. Harvey is to not only remember Jay as a solid law enforcement professional and support of “Pennies,” but to underscore his belief in and support of K-9 operations in law enforcement.  In addition, Barbara saw this as an excellent way to recognize our heroic K-9’s who have died in the line of duty, or retired after a long and dedicated career.

The award is also presented to eligible K-9’s in the Search and Rescue disciplines and the Arson investigation field.

Recipients to date include:

• K-9 Officer CHICO and his handler, Officer E. Jany (Monroe Police Department)
• K-9 Officer BISMARCK (“BIZ”) and his handler, Officer T. Osendorf (Monroe Police Department)
• K-9 Officer RADAR and his handler, Officer S. Dreyer (Marysville Police Department)
• K-9 Officer SHADOW and his handler, Officer J. Henderson (Marysville Police Department)
• K-9 Officer AXLE and his handler, Officer S. Eviston ((Everett Police Department)
• K-9 Officer SANDOR and his handler, Officer J. Valentine (Lynnwood Police Department)

Pennies for Puppies congratulates all of the award winners and thanks them for their bravery and service.

Deputy Shefveland and Deputy Slick were the founding members of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit and served in that capacity for 8 years. Deputies Shefveland and Slick, along with the other unit members have become the unofficial goodwill ambassadors for the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. Trained in every aspect of mounted police work, the unit quickly, found a place in the policing activities of the county. It is hoped that it will be reactivated as the economy recovers and the funding returns.

During his tenure Deputy Shefveland was instrumental in growing the team to a six member unit made up of a lieutenant, a sergeant, two detectives, and two reserve deputies. Along the way, Deputy Shefveland worked with members of the Seattle and Vancouver (WA) police departments to draft and pass legislation making it a felony to harm a police horse. In addition, Deputy Shefveland worked tirelessly to assist Pennies in raising money, establishing its tax-exempt status, and providing computer technical support.

The Pennies for Puppies and Ponies family wishes Deputy Shefveland and Deputy Slick long life, happiness, and green pastures. Thank you Deputies!!!