Police Department

2023 Commendations

We are fortunate to have tremendous community support for our police department. We don't take your appreciation lightly. Every month many of you take the time to write, phone, email or deliver to SPD a thank you for various encounters with our police officers. We know it takes time and effort to submit a commendation. They are shared with the SPD family and on this page you will find them shared with the public as well. Some commendations may have been edited for a number of reasons including: to protect victim information, to ensure citizen privacy, and/or to shorten content or remove non-pertinent content.

The number of commendations SPD receives consistently outnumbers the number of complaints we receive. In 2023, SPD received three times more commendations from the community than complaints. SPD received 262 commendations and 66 complaints generated from community members. (Of the 78 total complaints, 12 were Internal complaints.)

Messages from the Community

I wanted to reach out and let you know how impressed I was with two of your officers last night. We had an unfortunate death with some delicate circumstances surrounding it yesterday afternoon at the M apartments.  The two officers responding, [Detective Tiffany Austin and Officer Tyler Heiman] were top notch. They were professional, yet very kind and “human” in dealing with what we were facing. Thank you for employing such great people. —B.W.

Dear officers, On Christmas Day, I passed by my dear rental property. I wanted to make sure the squatters were out after my property manager sent them to jail. I have been trying to evict these illegal strangers out since August! I called the police because curtains were up, lights on, and back door unlocked. You came so fast and got rid of the woman who hid from us. They cut my water line and flooded my basement! Your dear officer gripped the spigot and finally shut off my water. I had tried several times unsuccessfully! Here’s to a wonderful Christmas gift you gave me. [Officers Baughn, Barker, Braten, Vilchiz, Olson, and Cpl. Widhalm] —S.M.

I would like to write to you and express my sincere thanks to you, your department, and your officers. On December 30, I had the great opportunity to go on a ride-along with Sergeant Kyle Yrigollen after receiving an invitation from him to ride during a bar patrol shift. We spent about 6.5 hours together and I found him and his entire shift to be courteous, professional, and competent in their work. Sergeant Yrigollen had significant time together as there were no real issues which required police intervention in the bars that evening. Sgt Yrigollen spent a lot of time modeling empowering officers on this shift, and it began as a junior supervisor gave the pre-shift briefing plan and went over contingencies. The officers worked well together, and it gave me insight into how the department utilizes Reserve Officers to complement a shift in their duties. Sergeant Yrigollen and I were able to talk about a wide variety of topics including leadership and expectations, police culture, internal affairs process, the promotion process, as well as many others. Sergeant Yrigollen was a lateral officer, so he was able to give some distinctions between the two agencies that he had worked for. It was clear to see his pride in working for the Spokane Police Department and his desire to do everything in his power to positively influence those in his circle. His emphasis on personal leadership growth is clear, but it is his emphasis on raising others up that is laudatory. I appreciated the opportunity to engage with Sergeant Yrigollen in a less than frantic pace which often occurs on ride-alongs. He represented himself and your department very well and I can only hope to have done the same. —Office of Police Ombuds

Today is National Law Enforcement Day. Thank you to Reserve Officer Big Ed Richardson and the Spokane Police Department for supporting Northeast Youth Center. It's good to know there is always a friendly face to talk to if we are in need. —S.G.

Captain [Tom] Hendren came to our River Run HOA safety meeting tonight and gave a great presentation to our owners. He is high energy, knowledgeable and conveys a passion for Spokane. —C.B.

Good morning! My husband Chris received a phone call last Saturday morning at 2:15 AM stating that our truck had been found. My husband was given the location of our truck and the condition it was in. We headed that way and were pleased to see that both officers were there waiting when we got there. It meant a lot to us that they stayed at the scene until we got there to retrieve our vehicle. We want to thank the two officers [Officers Shawn Tylock and Keith McBeth] for tracking our vehicle down and staying there until we got there. We also want to thank the Spokane Police Department for all their hard work and communication last week from the time it was stolen to the time it was located. We know that the police department has a lot going on and it just shows how much you care. Thank you again! —P.Z.

Hi, Chief,
[In reference to Martin Luther King Jr. March] Your officers did an amazing job yesterday. [Sergeant] Kevin Keller is amazing to work with… he's a keeper. Thank you for everything. —F.G.

Officer [Neil] Higgins,
Girl Scouts appreciates the support. I have felt we have been on almost daily assault since last summer here at Girl Scouts.  Someone passed away on our property in the summer, an RV backed into our building, our trash was set on fire, and the trash, the trash and defecations plus drug tinfoil and needles. I had my biggest confrontation a week ago when I asked someone to move, and they started to threaten me—we got pretty animated, but he never charged me.  I called Crime Check and he left rapidly. It has been mentally draining to patrol in evening to protect our property and we have theft from vehicles. So, thanks for stopping by—any presence or pushback you can give is helpful. —B.N.

Saturday, the Special Olympics Washington team, the Spokane PACERS, had a fantastic opportunity to play basketball with members of the City of Spokane Police Department. The team learned a few tricks and is even more prepared to face their competition in the upcoming regional tournament. Thank you to the Spokane Police officers who took time out of their weekend to spend it with these amazing athletes. [Officers Jen Kerns, Micah Prim, Chris Lesser, Sergeant Greg Rogan] —M.E.

[Sent 84 cards with messages such as] Thank you for all that you do in our community. We will forever keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your service. You are protecting Spokane and looking cool doing it. Thank you for protecting our community and risking your life for us. Thank you for keeping our neighborhoods safe. —Trinity Catholic School

Our 12-year-old grandson ran away. Our daughter-in-law reported it and you responded quickly. When our grandson was located and brought home, we did not have a chance to properly thank the officers involved [Officer Nate Thompson]. Because of your prompt response, our grandson did not end up another statistic but is instead at home and we are working to get him the help he needs. When we finally crawled into bed that evening, we thanked our Lord for the fine men and women who brought our boy home. Thank you for a job well done. You made a difference that night. Please know that you are appreciated, and we pray for your safety during these turbulent times. —H.A.

Many thanks to Detective Kelsey Walker for helping my wife and I and dog. We were hit by the tow truck that took out 4 cars on the freeway. It was a flash of your life moment. Detective Walker was first on scene and helped the car most destroyed. Your finest. We appreciate SPD! —B.N.

I'm the principal of X Elementary and I wanted to record my thanks for how Officer Justin Druitt handled a situation last week. He helped respond to a CPS child abuse case we had. He was calm, patient, and helped my student feel safe, even in uniform and that can be hard for some kids. He answered all my questions, stuck around for a couple hours, and make sure CPS did come and get the kid transported. I know you guys probably don't get a lot of thank you calls but I wanted to make sure he was thanked, and I appreciated the work that he did. I really appreciated him and the way he handled the situation. —Name Withheld

Dear Chief Meidl,
I just wanted to let you know that I heard from Officer Neil Higgins this morning who is taking the fraud/forgery/ wallet theft case of our 80-year-old neighbor. I just wanted to say, "Thank you" and I hope no matter how long it may take for the case to close, it seems to be a "slam dunk" and I hope the people involved will be held responsible and get nailed. My sincere thanks. —H.H.

Just a quick email to tell you how much we appreciate the work of Detective Craig Wendt from your department. He was very professional and kept us updated as the investigation proceed. He was swift to react to our requests and my staff and I are very pleased to have his assistance. —T.K.

Community Outreach Officers,
We appreciate you! Thank you for all your support! —Wishing Star Foundation

Dear Spokane Police Department,
Thank you so much for your donation to Beyond Pink! We are so grateful for your continued support! We know the ride-along will be a huge hit like last year! We couldn't do what we do without You! —Beyond Pink

I wanted to leave some feedback for Miss [Public Records Specialist] Jenetta Alford. I've been in the Army for 18 years and have been all over the country. She is by far the best public records technician that I've encountered in 18 years. If she is going to put in for retirement any time soon, she is going to leave some pretty big shoes to fill at the Police Department. —C.G.

Officer Tyler Heiman,
I was at a recovery walk on Saturday and ran into a gentleman. He stated he has been sober and in recovery for many months now. He credited the start of his recovery with you arresting him for shoplifting and trespassing earlier this year. He wanted to pass on his thanks to you for interrupting his addiction cycle, and for treating him kindly while holding him accountable. Thank you for doing your job well, and you never know how people may change their lives when given an opportunity. —J.N.

I am writing a letter of commendation for Officer Ethan Wilke and Chaplain Amy Ballard. My nephew decided to take fentanyl, which ended his life that day. Officer Wilke and Chaplain Amy were on the scene when I arrived at my sister and nephew's apartment. While nothing can really prepare us for this tragedy - I was so impressed by how Officer Wilke and Chaplain Amy handled this situation with my sister and others being so distraught. Amy held my sister's hand and told her to breathe and "take one minute at a time." She made sure my sister was drinking water and Amy sat with us for almost two hours making sure we were all okay. Officer Wilke professionally and kindly asked my sister questions about my nephew and kept my sister and the rest of us informed of what was going on with the investigation. He answered questions without hesitation and was just there for us. This is something I will never forget. After the investigation was complete - both Officer Wilke and Chaplain Ballard made sure we had information that we needed. Officer Wilke informed us of the next steps - the Medical Examiner would be calling us in a day or two with information on how my nephew died. Chaplain Ballard gave us her card and suggestions on where his body could go to be cremated. She, like Officer Wilke, basically told us the next steps which was so helpful beyond words. While I hope and pray this scenario does not happen to other families - I am so grateful for police officers like Ethan Wilke and amazing chaplains like Amy Ballard (who I know volunteers for this position). Thank you! —J.R.

I did a police ride along with Officer [Will] Mitchell, who has been with SPD for two years. I was impressed by how this team worked to intervene and prevent fatal injury in a chaotic situation. He graciously explained everything he did, including what equipment would have been helpful in different scenarios. It was helpful to have a fresh perspective from someone relatively new to the SPD. I was encouraged by his ability to make sense of and navigate different scenarios. His dedication to his work was apparent. —K.K.

Thanks to our incredible volunteers, Spokane Police, and City of Spokane for putting their heart and soul into this race. —The Boulevard Race

[To Chief Meidl]
Hello and good morning, sir. Sorry to hear about your resignation. But as you know God has the final say. You are a man of integrity, and a lot of people respect you for that. I just want you to know that my respect for you is tremendous and I know God will take care of you what’s important is that you believe that and keep trusting in him and HE will guide you. Spokane will definitely be less effective without your leadership. I know this for a fact. I still remember to this day at that townhouse meeting when I knew I had to step up and tell the people that you were the best man for the job, and I believed it then and still do. May God continue to bless you and your family my friend and wherever God lead’s you I promise you it will be what He wants and He knows best your job is to do 3 major things and all in this order 1. Listen to Him. 2.Trust Him. 3. Most Important Obey Him. This is what I live by. Love you Chief. —M.B.

Chief Meidl,
It’s been a pleasure having you on the board and working with you. I hope retirement is good to you – the community will certainly miss you and your leadership. —B.L.

Sergeant Beau Brannon,
Just wanted to say that you guys did a great job …. and your team's reports / warrants are on point. We got him detained today on the federal charges. Just wanted to say great work! —C.L.

Hi Sgt. Fuller,
I wanted to pass along my appreciation for Officer Xenon Berkeley’s response to a pretty convoluted collision investigation in Stevens County last Tuesday. He called me to get an appraisal of the situation and I mentioned our suspect was hearing impaired. To my delight, Xenon told me he had some experience with ASL [American Sign Language] and could work through it. As this was a vehicular assault case, his expertise was now even more invaluable. When my dispatch called him off due to another DRE [Drug Recognition Expert] being closer, I countermanded that and requested him specifically. He did not hesitate to get back enroute and met my Trooper in Deer Park to speed up the process. This investigation comprised of two separate collisions miles apart where 4 out of the 5 Troopers assigned to it were called from home, including me. Xenon was the one bonus in an otherwise debacle. I want to thank him and your department for helping us out. Great work! —M.F.

He was very appreciative in the message he left. The officers on the call were Officers Whitney Hagan, Anthony Inman, and Jesse Molina. —C.R.

Read More

• Commendations – January-June 2023 (PDF 248 KB)
• Commendations – July-December 2023 (PDF 313 KB)