IPMBA News

Mill Creek Bike Patrol Officer Mike Harris retires after 30 years

by Richard Van Winkleon Sun, 08/09/2015, NewsofMillCreek.com

Photo:  Officer Mike Harris (left) being congratulated on his retirement by Police Chief Bob Crannell (right). Photo credit: Richard Van Winkle.

The Mill Creek City Council Chamber was packed with fellow officers, city employees, friends, and family gathered to honor Police Officer Mike Harris at his retirement potluck lunch on Monday, August 3, 2015.

Mill Creek Chief Bob Crannell made a rousing and humorous farewell oration for Officer Harris, who seems too young to have had a 30-year career in law enforcement. Perhaps patrolling Mill Creek’s roads and trails riding on a mountain bike has had a rejuvenating effect.

Chief Crannell opened his talk by saying, “Today we gather to not say goodbye, but to say congratulations and good luck to Officer Mike Harris in celebration and recognition of his 30 plus years of law enforcement service, 25 years of that service have occurred right here in the City of Mill Creek.”

Officer Harris joined the Mill Creek Police Department in 1990. Among his accomplishments is the formation of the Mill Creek Bike Patrol Program over twenty years ago.

Mill Creek’s Bike Unit is widely acclaimed, not only for its effectiveness in patrolling the city’s many pathways and wooded open spaces, but for allowing patrol officers to interact with citizens more effectively than from a patrol car.

In 2012 Officer Harris started Bike Night at the Mill Creek Sports Park in an effort to give BMX riders a chance to use the skateboard park’s concrete bowl, stairs, and ledges to practice tricks.

Bikes are normally disallowed in the skateboard park because running bikers and skateboarders at the same time is unsafe.

Officer Harris’s initiative improved the relationship between Mill Creek Police Officers and Mill Creek’s BMX bike riders, which is a key goal of community policing.

In 2014 Officer Harris was the driving force for Mill Creek’s BMX Bike Jam and Competition at the Mill Creek Sports Park. Riders from all around converged in Mill Creek for the daylong competition.

Here are some excerpts from a few of the testimonials Chief Crannell read at Officer Harris’s retirement luncheon:

“On behalf of the Mill Creek Community Association, I would like to thank you for your exemplary service to the City of Mill Creek. The Association is a safer place for your 25 years of service to the City.” 
Mary Ann Heine, Mill Creek Community Association Executive Administrator.

“It’s been my absolute pleasure to have known you since you joined the Mill Creek Police Force 25 years ago. As a new City Councilmember back in the day, you stood out as a police officer who truly wanted to engage with our citizens and show what policing is all about, getting to know our residents… On behalf of the citizens, thanks for being a mentor to our youth, watching over our city while we slept, and for always respecting each citizen no matter what the circumstance. You will be missed.”
Kathy Nielsen, former Mill Creek City Councilmember.

“On behalf of our members, I would like to thank you for your dedication to life safety and your commitment to the community. You did this professionally and with a sense of good humor… The citizens were very fortunate to have had such a dedicated employee, who understood the meaning of community and public service.”
Gary Meek, Snohomish County Fire District 7 Fire Chief.

City Manager Rebecca Polizzotto also expressed her appreciation of Officer Harris’s service when she gave him the Oath of Retirement, “… He has dedicated himself to the vision, mission, and values of the Mill Creek Police Department and he has exceeded the expectations of the citizens of Mill Creek. He gave nothing less than his best every day and we are all proud of his accomplishments. As a sworn law enforcement officer, he recognized that he stood as a symbol of public trust.”

“He will be missed by the members of his department, the city staff, and especially the citizens of this community.”

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