Whatcom County law enforcement officers honored at banquet

 
 BLAINE - Whatcom County law enforcement officers must continue to evolve and develop new ways to battle the growing threat of terrorism, one of the top FBI agents in Washington state said Thursday night, May 13.
They represent the front line in that battle, a fact proved during a recent attempted bombing in Times Square, said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Steven Dean of the FBI's Seattle field office.
Dean delivered his remarks during a banquet honoring local law enforcement officers held at the Semiahmoo Resort.
"Times Square was no different than any suspicious vehicle, any suspicious package that you deal with on a daily basis," Dean said. "That type of situation can happen anywhere."
Dean said that while telephone calls from this state have been linked to terrorist groups in Pakistan and Somalia, law enforcement agencies here must also be vigilant about the growing anti-government resentment that threatens to become violent.
Dean highlighted the arrests of members of the anti-government Hutaree militia, which allegedly threatened to kill police officers, in Michigan as an example.
Dean said vigilance alone won't be enough - handling the threat will require a coordinated effort among agencies and using the latest technology to share information.
"Evolution keeps us alive," Dean said. "Revolution keeps us relevant."
Dean's remarks were one part of an evening of activity that the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office organized.
The officers, their spouses and others honored the nine officers who died in 2009 and 2010 in Washington with a prayer and an empty table with nine settings.
The Bellingham Police Department, the Transportation Security Administration and the Sheriff's Office handed out awards to several of their members.
Among the recipients:
• Bellingham Police Detective Jana Bouzek, whose skill in administering polygraph exams in 2009 produced confessions of an alleged child rapist and James K. Schultea, the man charged with strangling Rubey Erickson last November.
• Detective Mike Mozelewski, who spent almost a decade investigating the murder of Alice Hummel. A jury convicted her husband, Bruce, of the murder last August.
• Officers Rusty Miller and Chad Cristelli, who quickly located and attempted to arrest Daniel Salas in February after Salas shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, Tawnia Costan, outside a house on J Street. Salas killed himself before he could be arrested.
• Deputy Todd Walcker, who saved a life by performing CPR on a man who suffered a heart attack at the Northwest Washington Fair last August. According to medics, the man technically died twice during the incident, but the efforts of Walcker and a nurse revived him until medical aid arrived.
• Corrections deputy Ti Jay Morres, who saved the life of an inmate at the Whatcom County Jail who attempted suicide in February. The inmate slashed his throat, but Morres provided first aid until medics arrived.
• Deputy Jason Karb, who was off-duty but performed a high-risk stop of an extremely erratic driver in Bellingham last April. Karb and resident Glen Williams helped detain the driver until officers arrived and made an arrest.