After over 24 years of service to the citizens of Bellevue and 34 years of total law enforcement service, Officer John Jesson retired from the Bellevue Police Department this past Wednesday. Officer Jesson has served with distinction and pride.
Officer Jesson began his law enforcement career with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in August 1983 and in October 1986, he joined the Los Angeles Police Department. After 4 years with the LAPD, he was hired in April 1991 by the Bellevue Police Department.
Officer Jesson held assignments in the Special Details Unit and in Investigations as a property detective.
In 1997, he was selected as a K9 handler for our Department’s first dedicated narcotics detection canine, K9 Officer “Dollar”. Together, Officer Jesson and Dollar took many pounds of illegal narcotics off the streets of Bellevue as well as seized several million dollars in currency and assets from narcotic dealers and traffickers. Their service to the Department and the Eastside Narcotics Task Force from 1997-2005 set the standard for all future canine teams at the department.
In 2005, Officer Jesson joined the Motorcycle Unit of the Traffic Section. As an “experienced and veteran” officer at that stage of his career to attempt to certify in the physically demanding Basic Police Motorcycle Operator Course, Officer Jesson distinguished himself again with his tenacity and toughness. In Traffic, he earned the nickname “Sergeant Major” for his willingness to continuously push himself in training and at every opportunity to improve his riding ability to the point he became one of the units’ most skilled riders and a Motorcycle Instructor. Officer Jesson assisted many Officers from around the region become safer and more skilled riders.
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