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Renton honors therapy dog, K9, detective and promotes officers at council meeting
Summary
At the April 6 council meeting, Renton’s police chief recognized therapy canine Oakley and K9 Jagger, awarded Detective Jarrett a Meritorious Service Medal for closing a 1994 cold case, and announced multiple promotions and employee-of-the-year awards.
Chief John Schultz opened a special presentation at the start of the April 6 Renton City Council meeting, saying policing "is not just about enforcement. It's about service, compassion, and commitment." He introduced new and promoted department members and recognized meritorious work.
The chief introduced Oakley, a two-year-old English yellow lab assigned as the department’s certified therapy canine, and her handler Officer Dockerty. Oakley is trained to help department employees, victims and witnesses cope with trauma; the chief said Oakley and Officer Meyers completed training last month and assisted in calming an autistic child at Liberty Park.
Chief Schultz also introduced K9 Jagger, a 22-month-old German shepherd trained with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. Jagger and handler Officer Jookla completed training in January and recorded their first successful capture that month.
Detective Jarrett received the Meritorious Service Medal for work on a 1994 cold-case homicide (identified in the presentation as the Falcon Dewey case). According to the chief’s remarks, DNA re-testing and additional investigation led to probable cause for two counts of aggravated first-degree murder, extradition from California and a trial that concluded Oct. 28, 2025, with a guilty verdict and a life sentence.
The chief also announced internal promotions tied to recent retirements, including the promotion of Dennis to commander and officer promotions to sergeant and other supervisory roles. He praised officers for leadership, training and mentorship across units and described retirement-related succession as bittersweet.
The department named animal control officer Tom Wilkinson and patrol officer Greg Bills as co-Employees of the Year; the chief highlighted Wilkinson’s work as the department’s primary animal control officer and Bills’s investigative work that led to an arrest in Federal Way. The chief noted that staff secured wellness grants "in excess of $60,000" to support peer support and training programs.
The presentation concluded with photos and brief remarks. The council then moved on to proclamations and other agenda items.
