A Bellevue police officer who was seriously hurt last year after falling onto Interstate 5 while on service detail for a vice presidential visit to Seattle returned to duty, the Bellevue Police Department announced Thursday.
Officer Kevin Bereta, who ended up in the intensive care unit last August after he fell up to 60 feet from the Michigan Street onramp, spent over a year recovering from injuries to his back, leg and shoulder. He and the Bellevue Police Officers’ Guild battled with the city this year concerning their contract, which required Bereta to return to work after six months or lose his health benefits. The city and guild eventually reached a deal and Bereta regained his health benefits.
Bereta returned to light duty on Aug. 30, according to the department, and he is assisting with background investigations for prospective new hires and supporting the Bellevue Police Department’s employee wellness program.
Bereta was part of a team of officers who helped clear the roadway for Vice President Kamala Harris during a visit to Seattle in August 2023. During the ride, Bereta struck the side of the Michigan Street onramp and fell onto the southbound lanes of I-5. Bereta, who has three kids and has worked for the department since 2018, spent three weeks in the hospital and underwent multiple surgeries.
“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,” Bereta said in a news release from the 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.”
By February, Bereta was still unable to work, according to a March statement from his attorney.
Bereta’s doctors at the time advised against returning to work, even for light duty, six months after the accident. The union asked the city for an exception that would let Bereta keep his benefits but was denied.
“It is incredibly hurtful to all Bellevue officers to watch Kevin, who has suffered such a severe on-duty injury, be treated in such a nonchalant manner,” the union said at the time.
The city and the police union penned a deal in March allowing city employees who sustained a workplace injury to have the cost of COBRA health coverage paid for by the city after their regular benefits run out.