PORT OF SEATTLE
MEMORANDUM
COMMISSION AGENDA
4b

Item No.
Date of Meeting

February 1, 2011

DATE:

January 24, 2011

TO:

Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer

FROM:

Chief Colleen Wilson

SUBJECT:

Special Order of Business -Retirement of Canine Officer "Sammy"

Effective January 10, 2011, the Port of Seattle Police Department retired Ofc. Brent Wilson's
canine partner "Sammy."
Sammy was born in October 1999 and was purchased by the German government for use in their
military operations. For various reasons, Sammy did not work out and was sold at the age of one
year to the Transportation Security Administration and began his training as an explosives
detection canine.
In 2002, Ofc. Brent Wilson was sent to Lackland Air Force Base to be partnered with Sammy
and they spent ten weeks training together before coming back to Seattle.
Sammy has had an outstanding and full career with the POSPD, even after having two knee
surgeries during his tenure. He has passed every one of his TSA evaluations, which is a rare
occurrence for a canine officer, but Ofc. Wilson stated "..he is an outstanding dog." He has
responded to, and cleared, numerous calls at many local schools and businesses. He has also
been involved in many dignitary details including visits by President G. W. Bush, former First
Lady Hillary Clinton, and Governor Gary Locke and numerous senators and representatives.
Ownership of Sammy has been officially transferred to Ofc. Wilson with whom he will spend his
"golden years."