Retired Renton Police Sergeant Mark Day, 62, died on December 22, 2011, following a fifteen year battle with cancer. At age 38, he made the decision to pursue a career in law enforcement. Sergeant Day graduated first in class overall in 1987 from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, Law Enforcement Academy, and joined the Renton Police Department later that year. Sergeant Day worked for the Renton Police for 23 years, retiring October 31, 2010. During his career Sergeant Day rose through the ranks, eventually becoming an Acting Commander and ultimately a Sergeant in the Investigations Division. Sergeant Day was selected by the Renton Police Department as the Employee of the Quarter twice: first in 1997, and again in 2008. In 1990 Sergeant Day was awarded a position on the Canine Unit, and was assigned a German Shepherd puppy named Buck as part of the City’s “Puppy Program.” K9 Officer Buck partnered with Sergeant Day until 1997, when the Buck retired from the police force to live out his days with the Day family. Sergeant Day went on to lead and train the Renton Police Department Canine Teams, ultimately becoming a Master Canine Trainer in 2001. The dynamic duo of Day and Buck arrested over 200 suspects including a person who kidnapped a four-year-old and two homicide suspects, one in Tukwila another in Seattle. Buck passed away on July 9, 2001 also from cancer. A book was written about Day and Buck both dealing with cancer at the same time, with the animal dying in his arms. Ted Koppel, formerly of ABC-TV’s “Nightline,” interviewed him after learning that Day was going to have another of his tracking dogs blessed at his Catholic church, which stirred some national controversy. Sergeant Day graduated from Renton High School in 1968. While at Renton, Day was student body president his senior year, chosen for the high school All-American Football Team in 1967, and was captain of the football and track teams in both 1967 and 1968. He earned a full athletic scholarship to the University of Washington and played with Stanford’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jim Plunkett. Sergeant Day is survived by his wife of over 40 years, Marcia Day; his three grown children: Natalie , Kyle , and Aaron.
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