Police officers honor Spinks

Sequim Gazette staff

Former Sequim Police Chief Robert Spinks received two awards at the quarterly meeting of the Olympic Peninsula Law Enforcement Agency Administrator's group.

Spinks, who left his position as police chief on July 2, received an award from the Clallam County Sheriff's Office for his service to the community as well as a plaque of appreciation from Chief John Batiste of the Washington State Patrol.

OPLEA is a group of agency leaders from the local, county, state, federal and tribal law enforcement agencies on the Olympic Peninsula. The group is chaired by Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict.

"Bob provided leadership in evolving the Sequim Police Department," Benedict said. "He was instrumental in enhancing the relationship between our two agencies, training initiatives and in working together on issues including regional communications, sharing crime scene investigation resources and working at the state level on traffic safety efforts."

Under Spinks' leadership, the Sequim Police Department became the first agency to support the state's Target Zero Program at a local level. His involvement led to the police department receiving ongoing grant funds to reduce traffic crash rates in Sequim.

Spinks also was involved in making a presentation with the WSP to the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission that resulted in more local and county agencies adopting efforts to eliminate deadly crashes by targeting impaired, aggressive and reckless drivers, said Jim Borte, Clallam County Sheriff's public information officer.

In 2008, the Sequim Police Department also received an agency award from the Traffic Safety Commission.

Spinks is a volunteer/ advisor at the sheriff's office and assists in the Emergency Management Program.