Bellevue Police Officer Kevin Bereta returned to work with the department on August 30 after spending over a year on medical leave following a life-threatening motorcycle crash on August 15, 2023.
Officer Bereta returned to light-duty work this week including assisting with background investigations for prospective new hires and supporting the Bellevue Police Department Wellness Program.
“Kevin Bereta’s determination and commitment during his road to recovery has been truly an inspiring moment for the Bellevue Police Department and the entire community,” said Wendell Shirley, Chief of the Bellevue Police Department. “I want to thank the city’s leadership and City Council for their ongoing commitment to the work of the department and for finding solutions to ensure the best possible support for employees seriously injured on the job. We are very pleased to see Kevin back for some modified duty. Welcome back, Kevin!”
“This year has been incredibly difficult for my family and me, but it would have been unmanageable without the love and support of my friends at the Bellevue Police Department. They have been there for me and my family without hesitation, and my family and I have overcome something I would not wish on anyone. No words can describe the feeling I have returning to the job and people that I love,” said Officer Kevin Bereta. “I would also like to thank someone for being in my corner throughout this time. He was there at my bedside when I was first injured and left me a card which stated, ‘Call me anytime if you need anything.’ I made that phone call, and he was right there for me. Thank you, Councilmember Jared Nieuwenhuis, for stepping up and supporting me through this difficult time.”
Bereta made physical therapy and recovery his top priority in the days and months following the incident. Additionally, Bellevue Officers and the entire Bellevue Police Department rallied behind Kevin and provided the support he needed during this process – including frequent check-ins in person or via text or phone calls, meal deliveries for Kevin and his family, accommodations for Kevin’s recovery, and other services provided by the department’s wellness program.
Last year, Officer Bereta joined several regional motor officers to serve as the dignitary escort for Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit to the Puget Sound region. While traveling on an I-5 on-ramp, Bereta hit a guardrail with his motorcycle – ejecting him over his handlebars, off the side of the overpass, and onto oncoming vehicular traffic on southbound I-5. Officer Bereta sustained serious injuries to his back, leg, and arm in the 50-foot fall.
Thanks to the immediate action of Bellevue PD Motor Sergeant Michael Shovlin and a member of the public, Bereta was quickly attended to and transported to Harborview Medical Center where he received life-saving care for his injuries. Kevin spent more than a week in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit before being discharged.
Officer Bereta was later awarded the Bellevue Police Department’s Blue Star Medal Award. Recipients of this award must be sworn department employees who made the ultimate sacrifice while in the line of duty, were seriously injured while performing police duties, or were saved from serious injury or death after being shot in the line of duty. Bereta was honored with this distinguishment during the department’s 2024 Awards and Promotions Ceremony on July 11, 2024.
Bellevue Beat Blog 