MOSES LAKE – The Grant County Sheriff's Office has been crowned 2025 Battle of the Badges champions. This was their 10th annual softball game. According to Sheriff Joey Kriete, this year's turnout looked to be their best yet.   

“Talking to the people that were there, they really enjoyed the little side games, the game within the game that we did with the cards, and changing things up and making it kind of fun. It had a little bit of swag of the banana ball,” Kriete said.   

GCSO was victorious over the Moses Lake Police Department with a final score of 15-6. Kriete said MLPD came up with some new features that were added to the game this year. Each team had five coupons they could use on the other team throughout the game.   

Each coupon had its own rule. This included making a batter spin around a bat 10 times before taking a swing, swinging from the opposite side of the plate, infield and outfield switch places, switching the softball out for a soccer ball and swinging while wearing floaties.   

Kriete said seeing the dizzy bat card get played was one of his favorite moments in the game.   

“The first use of the of the dizzy bat card was played by the Moses Lake Police Department on one of our players, and one of our deputies spun around the bat 10 times, and in the middle of his swing, he tried to get off and fell over ... it was just priceless,” Kriete said.   

He said the teams strategized their usage of the coupons. Some impacted the entire team, while others only impacted the batter. 

MLPD Chief Dave Sands said it was a fun event for both agencies, even though MLPD couldn't seal the win for the fourth straight year.   

“I know I've seen some posts on Facebook from (GSCO) that the trophy is back home where it belongs. I think they've only had it twice, so I don't know how that's home, but whatever makes them feel better,” Sands said.  

While the softball game allowed for the two agencies to engage in fun competition, it also served as a fundraiser for the Safe Streets program, Kriete said. The program raises gang awareness and gang diversion in area communities.   

While at the time of press, the total funds raised were not available, Kriete said they are optimistic that they raised plenty of funds. A few weeks ago, GCSO held a bingo event at the Moses Lake Tap Room, where they raised $2,700, Kriete said. He’s hoping the Battle of the Badges brought in another $5,000.   

Sands said Corporal Omar Ramirez and Christina Valdez came up with the idea to create a more specific community outreach project this year.

“They named it the Safe Streets project; it's a great idea, and I wanted to support them in any way,” Sands said.   

Kriete said the community turnout and support between the two agencies make him feel proud to represent Grant County. He said law enforcement is lucky to have a community that never hesitates to support their causes.

“I've never been let down by this community here that we have in Grant County, and I already know there's no way it's ever going to happen, because we just always pull together for the betterment of our community. It's always been like that for the 30-plus years I've been at the Grant County Sheriff's Office, and my entire life of being a community member here,” Kriete said.   

    Rudy Valdez of MLPD takes a swing at home plate while wearing a hamburger floatie. Both teams had coupons they could use on the other team like making a batter wear a floatie or spin around the bat before taking a swing.
  

    Two boys compete in a donut eating contest alongside Lucha Libre Shadow Night. The softball event raised funds for the Safe Streets project to raise gang awareness and diversion.