Sammamish police are grieving the loss of a fellow officer today, after he died of apparent natural causes at his home late Monday night.
Stan Chapin, 61, was known in the community for his work as the resource officer at Eastlake High School.
Chapin had been assigned to the city since its incorporation in 1999 and was a school resource officer at Inglewood Junior High and Eastlake the last 12 years.
“Stan was a remarkable man,” Sammamish Police Chief Nate Elledge said. “He really put his heart on the line for the students he helped and the community he served. His passing is a shock to all of us who valued his friendship and admired his professionalism.”
Chapin served the citizens of King County for nearly 40 years as a patrol officer and a detective. Prior to his assignment at the two Sammamish schools, Chapin was the D.A.R.E. officer for the greater eastside.
Over his career, he also served as a patrol deputy, detective, and member of the Seattle FBI’s Fugitive Apprehension Team. And just last month, the city named Chapin the Sammamish Police Department’s “Officer of the Year” for 2011.
Chapin, who served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 23 years, was also an avid runner. He competed in track at Seattle University, won the 1974 Seattle marathon, and completed the Boston marathon in 1974, 1976 and 1977.
He is survived by his wife Sue, and three children: Christopher, 27; Bethany, 22; and Scott, 17.
As of noon, a memorial Facebook memorial page created by 2010 EHS graduate Dylan Markley already had nearly 400 fans and numerous comments. The number jumped to 1,700 fans by 5:30 p.m.
“Having the page gives everyone a chance to share how much of an impact officer Chapin has had on their lives and what he meant to Eastlake and the community,” said Markley, who is currently in the Explorer program at the Redmond Fire Department.
He said he ran into Chapin three weeks ago and he expressed how happy he was that he was on the path to becoming a public servant.
Markley said he remembers Chapin attending after-school events on his own time, his devotion to each and every student, and of course will never forget his spot-on impressions of a velociraptor — the dinosaur made famous in the Jurassic Park films.
“To the students he wasn’t just the school cop, he was a mentor and a friend or if he really knew him,” Markley said.
Eastlake High School students write on a memorial dedicated to officer Stan Chapin.
