Oak Harbor officers recognize for saving life, catching suspected killer

‘Providing law enforcement services … takes a team operating with dedication and professionalism’

By Jessie Stensland • December 9, 2016 1:30 am
Photo by Jessie Stensland/Whidbey News-Times Oak Harbor Mayor Bob Severns shakes hands with Officer Michael Brown, who was recognized Tuesday for helping to catch the Cascade Mall shooting suspect. The mayor and council members also thanked Officer Mike Clements and Officer Claire Schricker for saving a man who was in a medical crisis.
Photo by Jessie Stensland/Whidbey News-Times Oak Harbor Mayor Bob Severns shakes hands with Officer Michael Brown, who was recognized Tuesday for helping to catch the Cascade Mall shooting suspect. The mayor and council members also thanked Officer Mike Clements and Officer Claire Schricker for saving a man who was in a medical crisis.

Oak Harbor police officers were recently recognized for saving a life and helping to catch a suspected mass murderer.

Chief Kevin Dresker presented an award, a commendation and recognized officers connected to two incidents that occurred Sept. 24. The honors were handed out during Tuesday’s Oak Harbor City Council meeting.

He pointed out that many of the officers at the meeting were wearing mourning bans in memory of Tacoma Officer Jake Gutierrez, who was killed responding to a domestic violence call last week. Two officers were part of the procession and funeral Friday.

Dresker presented a Life Saving Award to Officer Mike Clements and a certificate of commendation to Officer Claire Schricker for actions that “assisted and directly led to the saving of a life.”

Dresker explained that Clements responded to a call for a welfare check at the Jack in the Box restaurant and found an unresponsive man in a car. He determined that the man was not breathing and didn’t have a pulse.

Clements quickly pulled the man out of the car, laid him on the ground and started CPR as the man’s wife stood nearby. Officer Schricker arrived with an Automated External Defibrillators, which they used to re-start the man’s heart. Oak Harbor Fire Department personnel then took over the life-saving efforts.

“The actions taken by Officer Clements and Officer Schricker were selfless acts performed as part of their dedication to duty and to the community,” Dresker said.

Dresker said his officers ran into the man last week and he is doing fine.

Dresker also recognized Officer Michael Brown, as well as the entire department, for assisting in catching the suspect in the Cascade Mall shooting. Oak Harbor resident Arcan Cetin, 20, was arrested on suspicion of the Sept. 23 shooting that killed five people at the women’s Macy’s store.

The Oak Harbor police officers on duty learned the identify of the suspect from Skagit County investigators. Brown came on duty early and found Cetin driving a car; he notified the other officers and they all sped to the site. Cetin fled from the vehicle, but two deputies with the Island County Sheriff’s Office immediately caught him.

The officers worked together to transport Cetin to the jail, secure his car, process evidence and watch his apartment until warrants could be secured.

“As evidenced by this incident,” Dresker said, “providing law enforcement services to our community truly takes a team operating with dedication and professionalism.”