Retired Seattle Police Officers Association
 

Pension Office News | April 2016

NEW SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT RETIREMENTS

There are two LEOFF II retirements to report:

Bob Vallor #4695 was born at Fort Lewis, his father was career Army. After retiring, he moved his family to Seattle and went to work at Boeing. When the company hit a downturn in military contracts, he was laid off. So the family moved to the Bay Area of California. That’s where Bob attended high school and later the University of California. One week after graduation in 1978, Bob became a reserve officer with the Martinez Police Department. Four months later on Friday, October 13th he was hired as a regular on the Fairfield Police Department. Bob got bored with all the California sun and surf and longed to return to the cloudy Northwest. He applied to the Seattle PD as a four year experienced lateral. He was hired but had to attend the full Academy in BLET Class #155. Two of his classmates were Darryl Charles #4697 and Jim Pugel #4696. During his Student Officer Training, he worked all four precincts. His first permanent assignment was Georgetown working for Steve Knechtel #3298. Two years later he transferred to David Sector to work for Bernie Miller #2454, first in the Market car, then on a foot beat with Mike Ferry #4442. Bob stayed on the beat until 1988 when he moved to the detectives.

His first investigator’s assignment was SAU where he worked with several of his patrol contemporaries from Georgetown. In 1990 he was promoted to sergeant and assigned to Criminal Intelligence. As a brand new sergeant with a 4600 serial number, he supervised a very seasoned squad, the senior serial number 2548 (Jon Peterson), the junior detective was Dan Stokke #3240. Bob knew he won his crew over when Dan Melton #2711 said, “We knew you were a squeaky new sergeant and we knew you’d be this crusty.” About this time Bob finally recruited a younger detective, hopefully with a higher serial number than his. No such luck – Bobby O’Donnell had a serial number of 4255. Bobby developed a long-term undercover investigation into the Colacurcio criminal enterprise that Bob oversaw.

Bob left Intelligence several years later, still the junior serial number, to supervise one of the night SWAT squads for a couple of years. Then it was back to Patrol in the new North Precinct. His next assignment was DV. There he met Michele Calley #4980, finally a serial number higher than his. But to no avail, they eventually got married. And it’s rumored that he’s in constant remedial training.

Four years later in 2002 Bob moved to Homicide. He spent the next 13 years there. Some of his biggest cases were the June 5, 2014 active shooter at Seattle Pacific University and the 2009 Halloween ambush murder of Officer Tim Brenton #6699 and the wounding of Officer Britt Kelly #7570. Six days later while the memorial service was in progress at the Seattle Center Coliseum, he was on-scene when the suspect was arrested after a firefight. After returning from the procedural Administrative Leave following the firefight, Bob oversaw Seattle’s portion of the Lakewood Police Department’s tragic murder of four officers, which in turn led to Bob supervising the SPD shooting scene in which South Precinct Officer Ben Kelly #6858 killed the murder suspect.

Over the 33 years with the Seattle Police Department, Bob received numerous commendations including the Medal of Valor and the Medal of Honor. Bob retired on June 12, which incidentally is the same day he began his law enforcement career 38 years ago with Martinez Police Department in California.


Michele Calley Vallor #4980, was born in New York, the oldest of sex children. Her father’s career with the FBI took the family to Florida, Oklahoma, Montana and Idaho. She graduated from Gonzaga University in 1984 and came to Seattle to go to law school with the intent of following her father’s footsteps in the FBI. However, a ride-along with SPD changed the course of her future. She was hired by Seattle PD in late 1985. She never went to law school.

After completing BLET and the FTO Phase, Michele’s first assignment was East Precinct Patrol 2nd Watch in July 1986. She worked with Bob Seavey #4820. Seven months later, she was transferred to the Narcotics Unit Street Team. She worked undercover assignments with Mike “Moonman” Morrow #4788 (now a retired FBI agent.) After, the FBI hired her narcotics partner away, she returned to Patrol in the East Precinct.

In March 1988, she was transferred to the West Precinct to join the relatively new bicycle squad with Paul Grady #4842, Pete Rossen #5063, and Mike Miller #4830. Her time on the bicycle squad didn’t last long. Shortly after getting into the bicycle unit, she learned she was expecting the first of her three sons.

In 1989, she returned again to the East Precinct “Dawn Patrol” in Don Hillard’s #3182 squad with Paul Pendergrass #4942, Curtis Woo #4883, Bill Hebert #2364, Nathan Janes #5261, Bob Waite #2558, and Filippe Santiago #4966. Michele was part of the East Precinct Community Police Team in 1992-93 and was an FTO. In 1994, she became a DARE officer in Seattle grade schools.

In 1995, she was assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit. In addition to investigations, she spoke regularly in the community about domestic violence laws. In 1998, a “mean-faced” sergeant, Bob Vallor #4695 came to the unit. Behind the “mean-face”, Michele found a man that shared her passion for family, faith, and police work. She asked him out first. He told her he would “think about it.” He was a real slow (four year) thinker. He and Michele got married in 2003. Michele’s sons Michael (27), David (24) and Chris (22) gained two sisters, Bob’s daughters Christin (33) and Megan (29.)

IN 2006, Michele became the liaison detective for the King County Drug Diversion Court, where she says miracles happened every day with a whole lot of teamwork. Judge Wesley Saint Clair told the defendants that the only thing they needed to change to be successful in drug court was EVERYTHING. Motivated to assist the drug court participants make lifestyle changes, she started a running club in her off-duty time and they ran in the Seafair Torchlight Run.

In 2010, Michele returned again to her favorite assignment, Patrol, even though she was apprehensive about learning to use the in-car computer and camera systems. She put in her request to work in the West Precinct where she spent the last six years. She was an FTO when she was not working a two-officer car (the fun car) with Scott Schenck #6918 in King Sector until he was promoted. Her last few months were spent in Queen Sector working often with James Norton #7436.

Michele retired for service with 30.5 years with SPD on May 17th, 2016. Between Michele and Bob, they have 68 years in law enforcement in four different PDs.

PENSION OFFICE NEWS

Those of you who got married after retiring from the Department and did not notify DRS about your spouse, please read the following:

Qualified LEOFF Plan 1 retirees can provide post-retirement survivor benefits after remarriage.  A new law (ESB 5873) effective June 9, 2016, give Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fights’ Plan 1 retirees an opportunity to provide survivor benefits to their post-retirement spouse or registered domestic partner. If a spouse or registered domestic partner is added, a retiree’s monthly benefit will be reduced to pay for the benefit. The open window for making this change is June 9, 2016 to September 1, 2016.

To qualify, retirees must have been married or registered in a domestic partnership after retirement. They must also meet these additional requirements:
 

  • The marriage or registration must span at least two years before September 1, 2015
  • The spouse or registered domestic partner cannot be already eligible for survivor benefits through any other provisions of LEOFF law
  • A survivor benefit was not applied for within one year of getting married or registering as a domestic partner
  • A portion of the retiree’s retirement benefit must not be subject to a property division obligation


DRS has mailed letters to all LEOFF Plan 1 retirees information them of this opportunity and explaining how to add their post-retirement spouse or domestic partner as a survivor beneficiary.

For more information, see Engrossed Senate Bill 5873 or contact DRS at 360-664-7000 or 800-547-6657. You can also reach us through the DRS website, at http://www.drs.wa.gov/administration/contact.htm.

Please do not contact the Pension Office if you have any questions on this matter. Information can only be obtained at the above contact sources.

RAP Picnic

This year the RAP picnic is on Thursday, August 4, 2016 at the Range. Bocce Ball Prelims start at 1000. For the last two years, the Bocce Ball champs were a committee. So this year there is a rumor that the 1st Place award is being replaced with the all-inclusive Participation Ribbon – all competitors are equal, even if their scores are not. Lunch is served around noon. Don’t forget to bring a white elephant gift for the raffle, i.e., your grandmother’s Mumu, a pet rock, or used Thigh Master.

Joe Bouffiou won the election for a trustee spot on the Pension Board by a landslide.