ANNUAL GRANT PROGRAMS
The Seattle Police Foundation provides grants for specific projects in three funding areas on a biannual basis. The supported projects fall outside of the City's ability to fund and are beyond the basic law enforcement services provided by the City. Seattle Police Department employees competitively apply for funding of innovative and cutting edge projects in three program areas.
By supporting innovative projects in Community Partnerships, Employee Development and Recognition, and Police Service Enhancements our public-private partnership allows the Seattle Police Department to launch experimental projects and further its ability to serve the citizens of Seattle.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ANNUAL GRANTS PROGRAM
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
The Foundation serves as a link and positive catalyst between the community and the Department by supporting the following programs:
West Side Story Project (2006)
Marking its 50th anniversary in 2007, West Side Story is the classic American musical of two rival youth gangs in New York City (Jets and Sharks) whose battle for turf and superiority provides the backdrop to an exploration of youth gangs, police relationships, prejudice and the romance of two young people caught in a violent cross-cultural struggle. The electrifying music of Leonard Bernstein and the prophetic lyrics of Stephen Sondheim hauntingly paint a picture as relevant today as it was fifty years ago. The themes of this quintessential story will serve as the catalyst for a series of community dialogues for youth and adult audiences. The dialogues will focus on Seattle’s youth--their hopes, dreams, and challenges as well as the relationships between youth, the SPD and the social /community-based systems that seek to intervene with them.
Translation Services for Informational Video Series (2006)
Cops, Culture & Conversation is a informational video series explaining Seattle Police Departments responsibilities in enforcing local, state and federal laws to the East African Community. This video then explains to Law Enforcement the cultural perspectives of the East African Community of how law enforcement was perceived in their native country. SPF funding is provided for translation services for this series.
Translation/Printing for Pedestrian Safety Brochure (2007)
SPF funded translation and printing of a Pedestrian Safety Brochure into 13 languages. In the last year the number of pedestrian related collisions resulting in serious injury or death has increased dramatically. In response, SPD created an educational brochure to provide information on laws regarding pedestrian responsibility and ways to reduce the risk of being a victim of a pedestrian collision. With the number of limited English speaking community members living and working in the City, having the information available in the most commonly spoken/written languages has made this educational campaign much more effective.
Domestic Violence Victim Taxicab Vouchers (2008)
SPF funds assisted domestic violence victims in times of crisis by providing taxicab vouchers to help get victims to safe locations both within and outside the city limits. With the support of SPF funding, domestic violence victims are able to include safe transportation in their safety plans. This is a need that is not being addressed by any other agency in the Seattle area.
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT
The Foundation supports and enhances the tranining, recognition and well-being of SPD Personnel.
Integrated Combat and Control Program (2006)
The Seattle Police Foundation has been instrumental in helping us establish the department’s Defensive Tactics program, which has developed to a point where we have instituted a formal instructor training and certification process, with levels from basic through full instructor. We are again seeking funding for quarterly training seminars to supplement training provided to officers during Street Skills. These seminars would cover elective topics in high demand, but cannot be fit in with yearly department wide training programs, e.g. ground fighting. The primary target group is our cadre of field instructors, but the seminars are also open to all sworn personnel and outside agencies as space permits.
CISM and Hospital Response Team (2007)
SPF supports the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and Hospital Response Team (HRT). The CISM Team assists Department personnel by providing education and emotional support following duty-related critical incidents. The HRT, staffed by CISM Team members, responds to Seattle area hospitals to assist when emergency service personnel require emergency care. SPF funds provide food and drinks for the family of injured or deceased personnel at a hospital, provide clearly marked vests for HRT members, as well as provides for training, including continuing education for current team members and initial training for new team members.
SPF Tuition Assistance Grants (2008)
Thirty employees received SPF Tuition Assistance Grants, ranging from $130 to $1,000 each, to pursue education and training to help increase effectiveness in their work and prepare them for career advancement within SPD. One appreciative employee wrote, “Like many employees, I have a family and it's hard to find money for my own schooling when family needs come first. And it is so expensive! I just signed up for 2 more classes last night for the Winter Quarter and this money will pay out the last 2/3 tuition for that. This program is great!”
ENHANCE LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES
The Foundation helps augment law enforcement services by supporting the following advanced technology and specialized equipment projects as well as projects that enhance the effectiveness of specialty units.
Police Dog (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008)
Historically, police dogs have been acquired through individuals in the community donating their animals to the K-9 Unit. This process is time consuming and often takes evaluating several prospective candidates before finding a suitable dog. The Foundation is fully funding the purchase of a bred dog that will meet the stringent medical standards required for police work and will drastically reduce the labor intensive process of searching for a suitable donor dog. The Foundation sees this purchase as the start up capital critical to creating the best approach for the K-9 Unit for securing animals in the future.
Crime Scene Photogrammetry & Virtual Tour Equipment (2005)
This highly specialized and advanced technology provides provide enhanced photo-documentation/evidence preservation at crime scenes, and virtual crime scene tour ability post-incident and during prosecution of serious crimes.
Silent Police Alarm Program (2006)
The silent police alarm program was originally established in 1974 by grant and provided wireless Varda alarm units to allow the police department to be directly alerted in the event of a robbery, burglary, or domestic violence emergency. The program historically had about 200 alarms but by 2006, had less than 50 serviceable alarms from failure due to age. This grant funded up to 25 new alarms to replace failed equipment to keep the silent police alarm program viable and reliable. The majority of silent police alarms are deployed at the homes and businesses of the citizens of Seattle. When these citizens have been the victims of a major or repeated crime, the silent police alarm program is the major technological tool to assist the department in apprehending the criminals victimizing the community.
Cell Phone Forensics Kit (2007)
SPF funds purchased a cell phone forensics kit for the SPD forensic lab. The equipment is used to process cellular telephones that were used in, or as a witness device to, crimes committed. Prior to this purchase, the forensic lab was not able to process cellular telephones. The lab has already processed phones involved with fraud, vice, rape of a child, domestic violence and organized money laundering, to name a few.
Electrostatic Dust Lifter Equipment (2007)
SPF funds purchased two electrostatic dust lifters for the SPD Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit. Dust prints at crime scenes previously posed a significant problem for investigators. This new equipment allows the CSI Unit to easily lift dust prints from floors, counters, tabletops, and papers at major crime scenes. This new equipment enhances the ability of the CSI Unit to properly document and collect evidence at major crime scenes.
Elder Abuse Unit - Video Equipment (2008)
A camcorder and video equipment were purchased for investigation of elder and vulnerable adult abuse. Detectives investigating elder and vulnerable crimes are now equipped to capture a complete visual and audio interview with the victims of elder abuse and financial exploitation. This will soon be a “Best Practice” for all investigations involving elder and vulnerable adults, and was made possible through SPF funding.
