The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office held its 2014 awards ceremony last month. The event, held annually, is meant to honor deputies, officers, administrative staff and volunteers who go above and beyond.
The ceremony took place on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Everett Performing Arts Center. Sheriff Ty Trenary presented to attendees, both acknowledging some of the year's successes and recalling some of the tragedy.
"In March last year, the Oso landslide killed 43 people and, in a matter of seconds, wiped out an entire neighborhood,GÇ¥ Trenary said. "Many of you are here tonight because of that event, and my deep heartfelt thank you for all the tireless work and effort that you put into bringing those 43 people home.GÇ¥
He spoke of the Marysville Pilchuck High School incident, in which a student shot five classmates, fatally wounding four of them before shooting himself. Trenary said that many of the deputies who responded at Marysville were the same officers who responded in Oso.
In 2014, Snohomish County patrol deputies responded to 257,229 calls for service, while corrections staff processed more than 26,000 inmates at the Snohomish County Jail. The jail saw major reforms, including a transition to electronic medical records and modifications to the way individuals are booked.
Honoring Police Chief Beaton
A total of more than 40 volunteers and employees were recognized at the ceremony, including Sultan Police Chief Monte Beaton, who was awarded a Certificate of Merit for creating and organizing the Sky Valley Citizens Academy. His 17-year-old daughter Emily was also recognized and given a Letter of Commendation for her own contributions to the academy.
"Lt. Monte Beaton undertook a project last year that was community-minded, progressive and professional,GÇ¥ said Communications Director Shari Ireton. "He organized, staffed, facilitated and recruited for the largest citizens' academy ever held by the sheriff's office.GÇ¥
The Sky Valley Citizens Academy started on Feb. 6, 2014, and concluded on May 1. The 13-week series was held at Sultan Middle School and included one Saturday field trip to Taylor's Landing in Snohomish. The academy, which was free to attend, included presentations on topics including patrol procedures, traffic operations, K9 enforcement, major crime investigations, jail operations and crime scene technology. It also included a live SWAT demonstration.
The series was co-facilitated by Snohomish County Sheriff's Office Det. Danny Pitocco, who recently retired after 16 years with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office.
Ireton explained that Beaton's accomplishment was impressive because he had only been recently promoted to the chief of police for the City of Sultan and East County commander.
"Several of his colleagues suggested he wait a year or two to hold the academy, being so new to the job,GÇ¥ Ireton said. "They didn't know Monte very well, because when Monte hears "can't do,' he actually hears "must do.'GÇ¥
Beaton was sworn in as Sultan's police chief in August 2013, after Undersheriff Rob Beidler left to join Trenary's command staff. Beaton, who lives in Arlington with his wife, Pamela, has been in law enforcement for approximately 24 years, and with the sheriff's office for more than 10. The father of six has served as a volunteer coach for Arlington's Youth Football Association, is a member of the Arlington Rotary Club and the Knights of Columbus.
Prior to coming to work in Sultan, he served at the chief of police in Darrington.
In addition to coordinating the Sky Valley Citizen's Academy, Beaton has been involved in Sultan's community-wide effort to address drug abuse, property crimes and homelessness by working with the Sultan Block Watch and attending Sultan Community Task Force meetings.
Last summer, he helped spearhead a massive cleanup project south of U.S. 2, in Sultan. By enlisting the aid of Snohomish County Public Works, Parks, Solid Waste and the Sheriff's Office, Beaton helped facilitate the removal of more than 12 tons of refuse from the area known as Steelhead County Park.
His goal in organizing the academy was to be able to solidify relationships between the citizens and members of law enforcement. He wanted to give people the opportunity to get to know the officers on a personal level and experience a positive interaction with them.
"Because of his success, his model was duplicated with citizens' academies this year at both the north and south precincts,GÇ¥ Ireton said. "For his hard work, dedication, "where there's will, there's a way' attitude that exemplifies the values of the sheriff's office, this Certificate of Merit is awarded to Lt. Monte Beaton.GÇ¥
Other honorees
Beaton's daughter Emily was awarded a Letter of Commendation for her contributions to the academy, which included baking fresh cookies and treats every week.
"Every night, the participants of the citizens' academy would be welcomed to the Sultan Middle School by the smell of homemade cookies, because Lt. Beaton's daughter Emily would make the hour-drive with her dad each week and treat the academy to her baking,GÇ¥ Ireton said.
She brought a tip jar to help offset the cost of the ingredients but, after the Oso landslide occurred, decided the funds could be put to a better use. So she donated the money to the victims of the tragedy, as well as the first-responders.
"She kept none of the money for herself,GÇ¥ Beaton said. "Emily made it possible for the members of the Sky Valley Citizens Academy to help the victims and those in the recovery effort in their time of need.GÇ¥
Emily raised approximately $750 for the slide victims and the Oso first-responders. Roughly $450 was taken to the Darrington Family Resource Center, and the rest went to the Oso Fire Department. On the weekends, Emily made cookies, pies and other food items that they would deliver to the Oso Fire Department for the volunteers working at the scene of the slide.
"For her creative and generous spirit in sharing her culinary skills with the residents of the Sky Valley and for raising funds for those affected by the county's greatest tragedy, this Letter of Commendation is awarded to Emily Beaton,GÇ¥ Ireton said.
A senior at Arlington High School, Emily is a 4.0 student who is on her way to becoming school valedictorian, along with five other students. A member of the National Honor Society (NHS), Emily fulfils the community service obligations that come with NHS membership through things like food drives and volunteer shifts at the local animal shelter. She works one day each week at the Rhodes River Ranch in Oso, where she is a dishwasher.
Already accepted into two colleges, Emily looks forward to furthering her education this fall.
"I want to double-major in political science and journalism,GÇ¥ she said.
Emily said that baking for the academy afforded her the opportunity to bake for a large group of people, something that she enjoyed. Approximately 60 Sky Valley residents signed up for the academy, with attendance fluctuating slightly from week to week.
"People like to eat my cookies and stuff and I like to make people happy,GÇ¥ Emily said.
All of her baked goods were prepared using fresh eggs from her own chickens GÇô eggs that she sells for her college fund. She has also published her own cookbook,-á "Beaton's Baked Goods.GÇ¥ The book includes recipes for sweet treats like chocolate cheesecake brownies, Oreo cupcakes, lemon cookies and more.
To Emily, having a father in law enforcement is just the way it is GÇô Beaton's been a police officer all her life. He does, however, tend to make her friends a little nervous.
"They say that he's very intimidating,GÇ¥ Emily said, quickly asserting that actually, her dad isn't intimidating at all. To her, he's just dad.
Beaton is thankful to all the instructors he recruited to participate at the Sky Valley Citizens Academy, and attributes the success of the academy to their efforts.
"Those instructors GÇô they made that academy what it was. I just gave them the venue to come in there and teach what they know,GÇ¥ Beaton said. "It was just a great opportunity to show the public a side of us that they don't normally see.GÇ¥
He is also thankful to Trenary for allowing him to take his idea and bring it to life.
"We wouldn't be able to do it without the support of the sheriff,GÇ¥ Beaton said.
Most of all, Beaton said he is hopeful that the citizens' academy model can serve to diminish the negative perception of law enforcement that he finds to be so prevalent throughout the nation. He wanted to invite the community to interact candidly with the men and women who dress for work every day in 40 pounds worth of uniform and bulletproof vest.
Law enforcement officers are normal people, Beaton said. They are fathers, sons, daughters, husbands and wives GÇô regular people who just happen to have an extraordinary job.
"We're there to serve,GÇ¥ Beaton said. "We're there to catch bad guys and help the good folks.GÇ¥
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