Lakewood officer was thankful for donations

The Lakewood Police Department officer accused of embezzling from a fallen officers’ fund thanked families for the money.

The treasurer of the Lakewood Police Independent Guild, Skeeter Manos, is being charged for embezzling more than $120,000 from a fund set up for families of four officers killed in the line of duty in November of 2009.

Manos posted a comment on the guild’s website in December of 2009 that now seems insincere, if the accusations are true:

“Words alone cannot begin to describe how much donating means not only to the fallen officers’ families, but to each and every Lakewood officer. The comments that are sent along with each donation are personally read by me. Many times I have had to stop and recompose myself because of the overwhelming support and compassion displayed by the generous community supporting us during this difficult period.”

Manos is a 34-year-old Dupont resident facing 10 federal felonies for allegedly embezzling from the fund while serving as the treasurer of the police guild.

Federal investigators say Manos set up a secret bank account under the guild’s name and funneled approximately $151,000 in funds intended for the families of fallen officers. He used some $120,000 from the account for his personal use. Investigators say he also made purchases at several stores including Costco, Home Depot and REI, buy plane tickets to Las Vegas, and make cash withdrawals at several casinos with the funds.

The money was part of $3.2 million contributed for the benefit of the families of Sgt. Mark Renninger and Officers Tina Griswold, Ronald Owens and Greg Richards who were gunned down at a coffee shop. Cop killer Maurice Clemmons fled the scene. That led to a statewide manhunt which ended when a Seattle police officer shot and killed him two days later.

December 8, 2009 memorial for four fallen Lakewood Police Officers AP/Ted Warren photo