Keeping a Blue Light On by Stacey Sanner

Kevin: Our objective in foot patrol is to be out and be visible.  We get to feel a part of the community.  We talk to business owners.  We talk daily with all the homeless people.  We know them by name and check on them.

Matt: It allows us to provide a high quality of policing to people who live in this area.  Say someone shoplifts a pair of shoes from a store.  We might know who the person is and where they hang out based on a description.  Because we have the time, we can ask around.  People will give us info.  They trust us because they see us all the time.

What made you want to become a police officer?

Kevin: I had always wanted to do something in service.  When I was young, my parents were involved in all kinds of volunteer stuff in the city.  I grew up here in Seattle.  Went through Seattle public schools.  Working in Seattle was my number one choice.  It’s my home.  When I come out here and work, it has much more of a connection.  That’s a big motivator, to be here, to be a positive part of the place where I live.  I’m extremely lucky that I found something I love.

Matt: Kevin and I have that in common.  We both love this city.  I’ve lived in Seattle for 20 years and Seattle is the only department I applied for.  I always wanted to be a cop, but I only wanted to be a cop in Seattle.  I was lucky to grow up in this city.  The people who were working as police officers when I was growing up made it safe to live here, so it’s really important for me to do something so that kids now can have a safe place to grow up.