A damn good cop How better to remember a great friend and officer

Transcription

A damn good cop How better to remember a great friend and officer
O S P O A M O N T H L Y T R O O P E R N E W S
V O L . 2 6 , N O . 1 1
N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9
A damn good cop
How better to remember a
great friend and officer?
Page 3
Wonder Woman
Things looking good at the Hall of Justice............... 3
Service recognition
Lots of folks, lots of awards.................................4, 5
Slaying of Seattle officer in cruiser reminds police of dangers of service
By Jackson Holtz
Herald Writer
MARYSVILLE — Snohomish
County Sheriff John Lovick
said the shooting Saturday that
killed Seattle police officer and
Marysville resident Timothy
Brenton was an attack on the
entire community.
“I just hope that there’s
a point in life when we can
come together as a community and stop having these
senseless acts of violence,”
Lovick said.
He visited the Seattle corner
on Monday where Brenton
died. The officer’s trainee
also was injured in what’s
being called a drive-by assassination.
Lovick called the gunfire
cowardly and despicable.
“It’s a tremendous assault,”
the sheriff said. “It’s an assault
on all of us.”
Brenton, a veteran Seattle
officer, was working in a patrol
car Saturday night with Britt
Sweeney, a rookie officer who
recently graduated from the
state’s police academy. The
officers were parked in the
Leshi neighborhood debriefing after a traffic stop when
a car pulled alongside and
someone opened fire. Brenton was killed and Sweeney
injured.
Sweeney was able to return
fire, but the suspects got
away.
On Monday, the hunt for
suspects continued and no
arrests were made.
Flags were lowered to halfstaff in Mar ysville, where
Brenton lived with his wife and
two children, 8 and 11.
“Anytime you lose a life it’s
a tragedy,” Marysville Mayor
Dennis Kendall said.
Snohomish County deputies and Mar ysville police
officers were working with
Seattle investigators to provide protection and support
to Brenton’s family.
“We’re all on high alert,”
Marysville police Cmdr. Robb
Lamoureux said.
Police around the county
p l a n t o a t t e n d B r e n t o n ’s
funeral.
“Our thoughts and prayers
go out to Officer Brenton’s
family and all of the Seattle
Police Department’s officers
and staff during this extremely
difficult time,” Everett police
Sgt. Robert Goetz said. “We
will be there for them in any
way that we can.”
FBI: Police officer deaths fell sharply in 2008
By Devlin Barrett
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The number
of police officers slain in the
line of duty fell sharply last
year, according to FBI data
released Monday.
Bureau statistics list 41 law
enforcement officers killed in
2008, down from 58 in 2007.
The list includes one FBI agent,
Sam Hicks, who was shot and
killed during a drug raid outside Pittsburgh.
Felony killings of police
officers haven’t been that
low since 1999, when 42 were
killed, the FBI said. Police officer support groups — which
use different standards to
count officer killings — say
the number of officers killed
V i s i t
O S P O A’ s
hasn’t been this low since
the 1960s.
In addition to felony killings, the FBI said 68 law
enforcement officers were
killed in accidents last year,
most of them involving car
crashes.
“Certainly the greater use
of body armor, bulletproof
vests, has had a big impact,
after firearms-related fatalities peaked in the 1970s,” said
Kevin Morison, spokesman for
the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial Fund.
The fund keeps its own
numbers on law enforcement
deaths, and by its count 53
officers died in felony incidents
in 2008, and another 80 in
accidents. The discrepancy is
based in large part on the FBI
only counting those deaths
W e b
P a g e :
that occur as line-of-duty
incidents, and if the officer
had arrest powers.
Overall, Morison said, the
trends show officer killings
haven’t been this low in four
decades.
However, the group’s data
also show that for the first
half of 2009, officer killings
rose 20 percent.
Suzie Sawyer, executive
director of Concerns of Police
Survivors, or COPS, said that
in addition to bulletproof vests
saving lives, medical advances
and better training are also
keeping more cops alive in
dangerous situations.
“Police officers are being
shot and still living. It’s a trend
and we just wish it would continue to keep coming down,”
she said.
w w w . o s p o a . c o m
T o
The killing is the first assassination-type slaying of a
police officer in the region
in recent memory.
“Anytime that something
like this occurs to a law enforcement officer who appears to
have been a target, it causes all
of us to look back on how we’re
deployed,” Marysville Police
Chief Rick Smith said.
He said he’ll work with
commanders to ensure his
officers are aware of all potential threats.
Lynnwood Police Chief
Steven Jensen said the killing
demonstrates “the callousness
and cowardice of individuals who threaten a civilized
society.”
“Heinous acts of this sort
clearly show the necessity of
a police force to protect the
larger society from criminals
such as these and the very
real sacrifice that being a
police officer may entail,”
Jensen said.
Officers try to be aware of
ever-present dangers, Jensen
said. There is little that can
be done to prevent a random
criminal attack.
The sheriff’s office command staff plans to discuss
the incident this week, Lovick
said.
“What could they have
done differently? I just don’t
know,” the sheriff said.
Seattle police on Monday
were looking for the driver of
the car who fled the shooting scene Saturday, officials
said.
They also were chasing
down every lead possible to
find the killer. They interviewed
a 25-year-old man who had
made threats against police
Friday. The man was released
on bond Saturday from the
King County Jail and was
arrested again Saturday night
after the shooting.
Before Brenton transferred
to the Seattle force, he worked
as a Skagit County sheriff’s
deputy in La Conner.
Residents there remember
Brenton from days when he
would park his patrol car in
front of the town’s school
complex, protecting children
as they walked to class.
“He’s a very well-thought-of
officer up here in this county,”
Anacortes Police Chief Bonnie
Bowers said. “We all have fond
memories of Tim. Our hearts
go out to his family.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The deadliest job in policing
The deadliest place to do it
JIM DONAHUE
Special Topics Contributor
Recently, I had the experience of preparing for an inservice class for an agency in South Florida. The subject
matter was teaching them the tactical and practical
implications of moving from handwritten traffic tickets
...continues next page
to using of handheld computers
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N O V E M B E R
DEADLIEST JOB from page 1
(aka ticket writers). The students were all seasoned cops
in the traffic unit.
I am not going to name the
department because
it could be any one
of many agencies
across the country.
Putting the finger on
their officers is also
inconsequential.
I’ve been witness
to similar attitudes
and behaviors in
dozens of departments. These guys
could have come from anywhere. So, as cops, they are
not unique. They are like most
of the rest of us.
To be fair, these cops are
special to me. They are my
friends. I know them now.
I have a personal stake in
seeing them survive and succeed. They were good students:
they showed up on time, they
were sober and they stayed
awake for most of the class.
What more could an instructor ask?
So what’s up?
The material that I want to
cover could easily start looking like a course in statistics
that is written by a mathemagician. I will do my best
to avoid that outcome.
Policing is a craft that is
passed from one generation to
the next. No matter how many
hundreds of hours recruits
sit on their collective butts
in a classroom at a community college or academy, the
REAL learning happens when
a veteran officers shows the
rookie how it gets done in
real life. That’s how I learned
most everything that I value
today.
There are widely-held perceptions in coppery about
where the risks are—and where
they aren’t. Those perceptions
are treated as reality. Training has been built around
them. Equally important, we
cops have internalized them
so that they are ingrained in
our behaviors.
The facts, numbers and statistics of today indicate that
our perceptions don’t match
what has become reality. The
mismatch is stealing the lives
of good cops—needlessly.
What are we thinking?
Like most cops, I have
thought about the possibility of being killed in the line
of duty. What picture comes
to mind?
I imagine being hit by a
round in a hail of bullets
exchanged with bad guys out
on the street somewhere. I’d
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be protecting someone. I’d
be fighting the good fight. I
would give my life to save the
life of a brother officer or an
innocent citizen.
Who can forget
the bank robbery
in North Hollywood
in 1997?
No one will ever
forget Columbine
High School.
More recently,
there was the active
shooter at the
Westroads Mall in
Omaha on December 5, 2007.
One of my closest friends was
the first sergeant to arrive
on scene.
2009 gave witness to the
horrible killings of four cops
on a single incident in Oakland, Calif.
Just weeks later, three officers made the ultimate sacrifice in Pittsburgh, Pa.
These were widely seen and
known by nearly everyone.
Each was a classic situation
where there was a Blaze of
Glory.
That’s what we cops generally think about when we
consider the risks of our work.
It’s the mental image that
conjures in our minds when
we consider the possibility
of our own End of Watch.
It is, by definition, a heroic
scenario.
Training supports that picture
We can examine training
both at the academy level and
ongoing in-service programs.
Great amounts of time are
spent teaching tactics, i.e.
tactical entry, weapon retention, interview stance, physical control / fighting, and the
value of using the 1.5 interview
position. We stand to the side
of a door when knocking. The
list goes on.
I am a very strong proponent of training hard and
using what I’ve learned on
the street. When on patrol,
I’m all business. Talk nice,
think mean, are words learned
early that have stuck with
me. When in contact with a
subject, always be thinking
about how you can defeat
him, was a shocking notion at
first, but has proven valuable
time and time again.
We are trained to face adversaries who have handguns,
shotguns, high-powered rifles
and edged weapons. The fortunate ones among us have
agencies who regularly train
shooting skills.
My last agency sent us to
the range to qualify twice each
year. Once we had qualified, we
were done. The bosses consid-
ered that training. Hardly.
With regard to guns, there
are electronic situational
simulators, simunitions,
scenario-based training with
paint-ball guns or Airsoft
equipment. We can practice a whole host of shoot /
don’t shoot exercises. Heck,
for the past couple of years,
a vendor has setup such a
scenario room for us to use
at the FOP tent site during
Police Week in D.C.
Then there is the gear
Most (but not all) of us wear
bullet-resistant body armor.
Many hours of study, testing,
and large amounts of money
have led to new standards for
body armor that have recently
been put forth by the National
Institute of Justice.
We want the best handguns.
We’re being outgunned on
the street, so high-powered
rifles are becoming the norm.
Some agencies, which lack
the money to buy them, have
enabled their cops to buy them
on their own dime and then
be trained and qualified to
use them on the street.
What is reality?
My town is safe. Our residents support the police. They
know that we are doing our
jobs and trying to keep them
safe. Bad things don’t happen
here.
That is an attitude that can
lead a cop to his own funeral.
It’s called complacency.
In preparing for the recent
class, I worked with researchers
at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
in Washington, D.C. They are
the source of the facts and
figures used here.
Question: do the names of
any of the towns listed below
stand out in your memory?
• Marion, South Dakota–
population 825
• Niceville, Florida–population
11,684
• Headland, Alabama–population 3,523
• Centreville, Illinois–population 5,635
• Georgetown, Maryland–
population 5,100
Here’s what these tiny towns
have in common: each one
has experienced the loss of
one of their officers in 2009.
Each one of the cops was
shot to death. There was no
national news coverage. There
was little attention from the
media at any level.
Yet, these losses are very,
very real. Each one is a father,
mother, brother, sister, son or
daughter to a family who is left
behind in great pain. Each one
represents an agency whose
officers have been cut to the
quick. Likely, each one died in
a place where many thought,
it can’t happen here.
I ache when I think of the
attention given the death of
some famous rock and roll
star turned criminal while
the real heroes among us die
and no once notices or seems
to care.
Where Are You Most Likely
To Die?
Of course, the glib answer
is: anywhere.
The statistics show that in
2009, the most deadly place
to be a cop is Florida.
Considering the past three
years, the state far in the lead
is Texas. Coming in nearly tied
for second place is California
and Florida. Behind them are
Louisiana, North Carolina
and Pennsylvania.
Since the first recorded LE
death in 1792, the stats pile
up this way (the top ten are
shown—contact me for the
remainder of the list):
1. Texas: 1,504
2. California: 1,453
3. New York: 1,305
4. Illinois: 948
5. Ohio: 743
6. Florida: 719
7. Pennsylvania: 704
8. Missouri: 610
9. Michigan: 534
10. Georgia: 526
What are you most
likely to be doing?
This is where old perceptions get shaken up.
You are 190% more likely
to die from an accidental
event than you are from being
shot. Where do most of these
accidental events happen?
Answer: in or around your
police car. There is almost a
2:1 ratio between accidental deaths and deaths from
being shot.
The next statistic surprised
even me.
I teach cops how to write
tickets using computers. Often,
it is a handheld computer.
When I first started traveling
the country in this work, I was
astounded at how many cops
were taught to stay outside
of their car when actually
preparing the ticket form. In
a few instances, it was even
the subject of their general
orders.
Originally, I came from
Michigan. It gets cold there.
Every cop I knew retired to
the inside of their car when it
came time to write the ticket.
While motormen didn’t have
a car, they still returned to the
vicinity of the motor when it
came time to write.
As I encountered this out-
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side the car practice, I asked:
why? The answers generally
centered on the cop’s ability
to better get to cover in the
event the stop went sideways.
I even had a chief tell me
that he ordered his guys to
be outside the car because
they would be less comfortable and therefore finish
the stop more quickly. That
would allow them to write
more tickets. His priorities
were obvious.
My gut told me that being
outside the car increased the
risk of officer injury or death. So
again, I turned to the researchers in Washington, D.C., for
hard numbers.
They examined data from
the last 13 years. The identified cops who had been killed
while actually writing a ticket/
citation. Here are the cold
facts: A cop who is writing a
ticket outside his car is 400%
more likely to die than a cop
who is inside his car.
That isn’t a projection or a
theory. Those are names on
The Wall. They are graves with
markers. They are families
who struggle without their
officers.
If you’re a motor officer, I
realize that you don’t have
the choice of being inside a
car, but the risk remains just
as great.
So what’s the worst?
Stand outside your car,
writing a ticket.
Do it in Texas, California
or Florida.
You might want to make
sure your life insurance is
paid-up before you do.
Think about this: could you
imagine your sergeant talking
to your wife at the hospital?
Think about how he might
explain that you had knowingly put yourself at undue
risk. Think about your kids.
Think about your current
work environment and how
well you have adapted your
safety practices to it.
What do we do?
To be blunt, some of this
stuff just will not happen. I
am going to say it because I
want to get you thinking.
For every 1 hour spent on
the range, you should spend 2
hours on the driving track.
For every 1 hour spent on
defensive tactics, you should
spend 2 hours on studying tactics when you are in/around
your car.
In-service training should
be developed to show you how
to safely handle all of the new
technology that is being thrust
into the patrol car.
EVOC training should be
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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Senior Trooper Jeff Leighty
How better to be remembered than as a damn good cop?
There are times when I find writing my article for
the Trooper News challenging. This is one of them.
While at the time that I write this there is pertinent
information to share with the membership, by the
time the Trooper News arrives in your mail, much of
it has changed. For example; four days ago the State
declared an impasse in contract bargaining. We will
be crafting our last offer this week and there is one
additional bargaining session on November 2nd,
so none of what I could write here will be accurate
at the time of printing. Please look to our website,
www.ospoa.com, for updates.
You should also be electing or reelecting your
OSPOA worksite representatives. If you have any
questions regarding this, please contact your region
rep or me.
Most of you should have received your Trooper
magazine in the mail. If you didn’t, send an email to
Rhonda@ospoa.com to confirm that we have your
correct address. This will be important when we send
out information and/or ballots on the contract.
Speaking of the Trooper magazine, I do hope you
will have read Kevin Iverson’s request for articles and
photos. This is your magazine and we need your participation to make it great.
Once again, I’d like to thank Julie SpringerKrohmer for delivering yet another large box of
photos taken by her late husband, Ralph Springer.
As many of you know, Ralph was our first Trooper
magazine editor. I’ve gone through most of them
...from opposite page
altered. Cops should qualify
as drivers on a regular basis—
just as they must to shoot their
guns. EVOC training must be
updated to include the active
intrusions in the cockpit by all
of the technical gadgetry.
As it relates to the use of
technology in the car, departments must take their heads
out of the sand. Telling a cop:
do not use it won’t work. It just
can’t work any longer. It is
incumbent upon us to teach
cops how to use it in the safest
manner possible.
Vehicles should be hardened
to better withstand impacts
and a rollover.
Sensor technology should
be installed on vehicles that
would tell an officer when
someone or something is
approaching while their car
is stationary. Cars should be
built with self-correcting lane
tracking systems.
We must examine the fact
that there is so much equipment inside today’s patrol car
that a cop cannot escape. It
has become a death trap. The
car interior must change in
response to the increase in
officer deaths.
Epilogue
I do not intend to diminish
the value of training cops to
handle assaults. That knowledge is vital to survival. Yet, as
and it’s quite a trip down memory lane. I’m always
looking for an angle for a Trooper News or Trooper
magazine article. As I looked though the photos
from the 1989 OSP Softball Tournament, I glanced
at a photo of a young woman with her arms full of
folding chairs, blankets, a diaper bag and pushing
a toddler in a stroller. I put it aside and continued through the stack of photos. I then thought,
wouldn’t it be interesting to find out who the child
was and what they were doing today? I retrieved
the photo from the stack and took a good look at
it only to realize… it was my daughter Melissa and
wife Kristy (well, so much for the trained observer
thing).
October 31st will be the end of an era. Senior
Trooper Don Campbell is retiring after serving 32
years and vacates the #2 position on the seniority list.
Don joined the OSP on Oct. 22, 1977. Sr. Tpr. Bob
Gorman, OSPOA’s Roseburg worksite representative,
said “Don was one of the most active troops in the
Roseburg Patrol Office to the very end. He had an
excellent knowledge of the law and was a mentor to
all of us... He will be missed.” Sgt. Lynn Withers, of
the Roseburg Patrol, stated “Don started his career as
a recruit in the Roseburg Patrol Office and spent his
entire 32-year career at the same office in the same
division! He embraced new technology and learned to
use it to his advantage. Don was one of the first troopers in Roseburg to have a camera in his patrol car. He
would use the laser while video-recording the vehi-
cops we must acknowledge the
possibilities while we adjust
to the probabilities.
It is time to take a fresh look
at our city, our section and our
community. Is your assessment
based on current conditions?
If not, it is time to reexamine
your surroundings.
Has the demographic mix
changed? Is your town now
being infiltrated by bad guys
from neighboring communities that encroach on your
borders? Are you consistently
applying when/then thinking
to driving and to traffic stops?
That’s when you are most
at risk. Believe it! Statistics
prove it.
Are you using every resource
for cover and concealment
when dealing with each situation?
I recently ran into an officer
who had many years in the
business. He had fallen victim
(to some extent) to the it can’t
happen here thinking. His son
works in the same agency—
with less than a year on. Dad
would not be happy if his son
began using some of Dad’s
relaxed tactical approaches
cles as they passed.
Then, for his traffic
trials, he would pack
up the TV/VCR in his
patrol car and take it
to court for the judge
to view. He never lost
a trial that way.”
What I meant by “the end of an era” is that Don
Campbell is the last of the original members who
formed the OSPOA in 1984. It’s very difficult to
explain in this forum, or for many of you to understand, what those original SEC members went
through. They literally risked everything fighting for
the wages, benefits and working conditions that,
unfortunately, many of us take for granted.
I wonder how many of us today would run the risk
of losing our careers for benefit of the membership.
This is what Don Campbell and others did, and we
all owe them a debt of gratitude. Over the years Don
and I had our disagreements, but I always respected
him and will continue to respect him for his knowledge and contributions to the greater good. In the
end, I’ll remember Don Campbell the way that I
hope to be remembered... as a damn good cop.
We currently have one group grievance and one
termination arbitration pending.
The next OSPOA SEC meeting will be January
13th and 14th at the OSPOA office.
Until next month, stay safe!
to situations. So, I ask: would
you be comfortable to see your
child use the same tactics that
you do?
If the answer to that question is NO, then it’s time for
an update.
I’m not here to tell you
how to be a cop. I believe that
you know your situation best.
What I do hope is that you’ll
take a fresh look. Make sure
that your practices have kept
pace with the times.
It’s all about saving just
one life and that life may
be yours.
Be safe out there. As always,
I welcome comments and
thoughts.
Jim Donahue is a native of the Midwest, getting his
education at Michigan State University. He is a certified
police officer in Florida and veteran police trainer with
over twelve years of instructional experience. His training
focuses on safe tactics for officers using in-car computers.
In the process of delivering that instruction he’s logged
over 12,000 hours of patrol time (equates to more than
five years) riding shotgun.
During his years in Michigan law enforcement, Jim
worked with U.S. Customs & Immigration at the Detroit/
Canada border in the year following the attacks of 9/11.
He has also worked as a reserve patrolman on the streets
of a suburban Detroit community.
Jim has been named an Ambassador for the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund in Washington, DC
Jim is a competitive bodybuilder, with six contests to
his credit.
Recently the OSP was
able to make contact
with Wonder Woman at Fort
Stevens State Park... seems as though
everything is good at the Hall of Justice!
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Wallowa county DA receives “2008 Wildlife Prosecutor of the Year” award
Coalition, consisting of numerous volunteer outdoor enthusiast groups opposed to the
unlawful and unethical taking
of wildlife, sponsored the
“2008 Wildlife Prosecutor of
the Year” award in partnership with the OSP Fish and
Wildlife Division. Nominations received from fish and
wildlife troopers around the
state and forwarded to and
reviewed by coalition groups
before the selection and presentation of the award.
Capt. Walt Markee, Fish
and Wildlife division director; and ODFW Director Roy
osp photo
The Wallowa County District Attorney was selected
recently to receive the second
presentation of an award to a
prosecutor in Oregon for their
support, hard work, dedication, and prosecution of those
who violate the state’s fish and
wildlife laws. Sponsored by
the Oregon Sportsmen’s Coalition, the award was presented
July 31, 2009, by the OSP and
Oregon Department of Fish &
Wildlife (ODFW) at the Oregon
District Attorney’s Association (ODAA) 2009 Summer
Conference in Bend.
The Oregon Sportsmen’s
From left: OSP Capt. Walt Markee, DA Mona Williams, ODFW Dir. Roy Elicker
Elicker, presented the award
on behalf of the Sportsmen’s
Coalition to Wallowa County
District Attorney Mona K. Williams in front of her peers at
the ODAA conference.
“Ms. Williams is an advocate
for Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and
natural resources, beneficially
serving the public through her
dedication and persistence in
prosecuting those who disobey state laws,” said Markee.
“We sincerely appreciate the
coalition’s sponsorship of this
award and acknowledging the
state’s prosecutors who work
diligently to bring those to
justice who blatantly disregard our laws.”
OSP nominations from those
who work with the Wallowa
County District Attorney’s
Office praised Ms. Williams
for her work.
“Mona K. Williams has
worked tirelessly for the citizens of this county since taking
office in 2007,” said OSP Sr.
Tpr. Mark Knapp. “She has
vigorously prosecuted cases
ranging from homicides and
sex abuse to domestic violence
and assaults while working
as the sole prosecutor for the
county. In addition to prosecuting those crimes, Ms. Williams has prosecuted fish and
wildlife crimes with the same
passion that she has for the
other major crimes. Whether
the fish and wildlife crime
involved the use of DNA and
ballistic forensics or new case
law, she has never shown any
shyness for the courtroom or
litigation if the case warranted
full prosecution.”
Listed are some cases
recently prosecuted by Ms.
Williams:
• An elk case in which the defendant
shot an elk on private property.
This case involved complicated
tribal law as well as state law.
This case went to trial where the
defendant was found guilty. He
was sentenced to two years probation, 40 hours of community
service, and $1,820 in fines and
restitution.
• The case of a Portland hunter who
shot three bull elk in the Snake
River Unit. He wasted two of the
elk, yet he managed to retrieve the
heads of all three. This case never
went to trial, as Ms. Williams was
able to successfully argue the case
at a suppression hearing. In addition to two elk heads being seized,
the defendant was subsequently
sentenced to two years probation,
40 hours of community service,
two years suspension of hunting
privileges, and $2,083 in fines and
WE SHALL NEVER FORGET
they shall neither shun responsibility nor shrink from duty in the face of danger
restitution.
• A Portland area hunter was successfully prosecuted who had
shot two big horn sheep in the
Snake River Unit (the defendant
had a valid tag for one sheep).
The defendant was subsequently
sentenced to 40 hours of community service, two years suspension
of hunting privileges, and $6,800
in fines and restitution.
• A case involving a local resident for felon in possession of a
firearm. This resident, a repeat
offender and game violator, was
sentenced to 14 months in prison,
two years post-prison supervision,
and fines.
• A local rancher was prosecuted for
selling Landowner Preference tags.
The rancher claimed his hunters
were family members in order to
get bull elk tags and buck deer
tags. This rancher, a repeat game
violator, pled guilty to two misdemeanor charges of False Application
for Landowner Preference Tags. In
his plea agreement, the defendant
was sentenced to two years probation, 80 hours community service,
three years suspension of hunting
privileges, and $1,016 in fines and
restitution.
• A current case is being prosecuted
in which DNA and ballistic forensics
were used to link two Portland-area
hunters to an extra, illegally taken
bull elk in the Chesnimnus Unit.
The defendants have been charged
with two felony counts of Criminal
Mischief in the First Degree and
Theft in the First Degree, as well
as numerous misdemeanor game
charges.
ELMER R. PYLE • RALPH BATES • DONALD T. WELP • HOLLY V. HOLCOMB
ELMER R. PYLE
Service: McMinnville
October 20, 1931–November 7, 1937
RALPH BATES
Service: Arlington
May 1, 1962–November 8, 1962
DONALD T. WELP
Service: Gold Beach
July 1, 1959–November 16, 1967
HOLLY V. HOLCOMB
Service: Salem
January 1, 1939–November 25, 1975
Elmer Pyle was shot November 7 near Terrebonne. Pvt. Pyle and Sgt. Arthur Tuck drove
to the isolated chicken ranch of Gust Olson to
check on a report that Olson had killed his 70
year-old partner. Olson was standing near a
truck in the front yard when the officers arrived.
They asked him about his partner and as Pyle
walked toward him, Olson grabbed a shotgun
from the truck and shot him in the face. He
then fired the other barrel at Tuck who returned
fire, Olson died in the gun fight with Sgt. Tuck.
Pyle clung to life for 7 months and died on
August 17, 1938, from his wound.
Ralph Bates was fatally shot near Arlington as
he approached a car he had stopped for an
unknown reason. The person who fired the
fatal shot was in possession of a stolen vehicle
and was subsequently arrested.
The suspect was committed to the Oregon
State Hospital and died there in 1963.
Donald Welp of Gold Beach, appointed July
1st, 1959, drowned on November 16th, 1967,
when returning from a boat patrol on the
Rogue River accompanied by Officer Wayne
Krieger, the boat swerved suddenly, throwing
both men into the water. The officer’s body
was located the following day.
Holly V. Holcomb of Salem, appointed January
1, 1966. On November 25, 1975, in front of
the Public Service Building in Salem, Superintendent Holcomb was shot after having a
confrontation with a former member, Robert
H. Wampler. The accused was taken into custody, convicted of murder, and sentenced to
life imprisonment. He was paroled less than
ten years after the incident, in 1984.
The department of State Police established
the Holly V. Holcomb Award in 1988. This award
is presented to officers who, while serving in
an official capacity, distinguish themselves by
reacting to a situation in a heroic or positive
and professional manner to reduce the risk of
loss of life or injury to another person.
“Ms. Williams has always
made herself available to
answer questions and discuss
pending investigations with the
local Fish and Wildlife troopers despite her busy schedule,”
said Knapp. “She has accompanied the local troopers on
several ride-along patrols in
order to better understand
the lay-out of the fish and
wildlife crime in which she
is prosecuting.”
During the presentation,
Captain Markee and Roy
Elicker presented Williams
with a wildlife print by artist
Frank Miller acknowledging
the Coalition’s appreciation
for her professional achievement in this area.
The Oregon Sportsmen’s
Coalition is comprised of
numerous volunteer groups
including:
• Oregon Hunters Association
• Oregon Federation for North American Wild Sheep
• Izaak Walton League
• Oregon Duck Hunters
• Oregon Mule Deer Foundation
• Oregon State Shooting Association
...continues opposite
O S P O A
T R O O P E R
N E W S
N O V E M B E R
2 0 0 9
PA G E
5
Shikar-Safari Club International honors Springfield Fish & Wildlife trooper
The Shikar-Safari Club International honored an OSP
trooper out of the Springfield
Area Command office as
the state’s top conservation
enforcement officer for 2008.
Tpr. Marc Boyd was awarded
the “Shikar-Safari Club
Wildlife Officer of the Year,”
given annually for more
than 25 years to recognize
outstanding game enforcement officers. The presentation was made recently at
the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife Commis-
Troopers receive “Looking
Beyond Traffic Ticket” awards
Two people were arrested
and lodged on drug-related
charges. Bennett, age 52, is
a 26-year OSP veteran.
Tpr. Brian Jewell was recognized for another speed-related
traffic stop on I-5 which, with
the help of a drug-detection
canine, led to the recovery of
about 111 lbs. of marijuana
in a covered pickup bed. One
of the pickup occupants was
arrested on numerous drug
charges. The other fled on
foot and is currently wanted
on charges related to the stop.
Jewell, age 26, is a 3-year OSP
veteran.
Tpr. Matt Bowersox w a s
recognized for a traffic stop
related to an equipment lighting violation during which
he found roughly $250,000
cash concealed in the vehicle.
The driver was arrested and
lodged on a money laundering
charge. Bowersox, age 39, is
a 11-year OSP veteran.
The ODOT annual award
program recognizes Oregon law
enforcement officers for their
active enforcement of traffic
laws and a commitment to
traffic safety. The award demonstrates a correlation between
traffic enforcement and the
detection and apprehension
of criminal violators.
Questions regarding the awards can be directed to Steve
D. Vitolo, Program Manager - Traffic Law Enforcement and
Judicial Programs, ODOT Transportation Safety Division, at
(503) 986-4446.
From left: Tpr. Brian Jewell, Tpr. Matt Bowersox, Sr. Tpr. Kevin Bennett
...from opposite page
•
•
•
•
•
Safari Club International
Oregon Falconers Association
National Wild Turkey Federation
National Rifle Association
Oregon Guides and Packers
•
•
•
•
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Oregon Bow Hunters
Traditional Archers of Oregon
Oregon Association of Shooting
Ranges
osp photo
Three troopers from the Roseburg Area Command office
received the ODOT Safety
Division’s “Looking Beyond
the Traffic Ticket” awards
during the Annual Safety
Conference in Hood River.
Troopers, deputies and officers
were honored for their commitment to traffic safety.
OSP Supt. Timothy McLain
extended his congratulations
to the three troopers whose
work reflects the commitment
of all troopers each day. “The
work recognized by these three
troopers is representative of the
excellent work of what we do
each day. Now that our department has been elevated back
into a 24/7 work environment
in six offices around the state,
we should see more routine
traffic-related contacts leading
to the detection and apprehension of criminal offenders who
use our state highway system,”
said McLain.
The following troopers were
honored Oct. 28 in the “Routine Stop-Motorist Assist”
category, recognizing officers
who performed a routine traffic or motorist assist stop and
developed probable cause that
uncovered evidence of a more
serious crime:
Sr. Tpr. Kevin Bennett was
recognized for a speed-related
traffic stop on Interstate 5 north
of Roseburg, during which he
uncovered 30 kilos of cocaine.
sion meeting in Salem by
Shikar-Safari representative
Lynn Loacker.
The annual award from the
conservation-based organization honors the officer whose
efforts during the previous year
show outstanding performance
and achievement among the
state agency’s sworn Fish and
Wildlife law enforcement
personnel. Trooper Boyd’s
selection by the Shikar-Safari
Club is for his commitment to
fish and wildlife enforcement
and protection, placing him
with a “distinguished group
who have earned this recognition for their outstanding
performance and dedication
to duty.”
Tpr. Boyd, age 44, joined
OSP in September 2004. He
was first assigned in the Fish
& Wildlife Division at the
Newport Area Command
office and transferred to the
OSP Springfield Area Command office in July 2007.
Earlier this year he was also
selected as the OSP 2008
“Fish & Wildlife Division
Officer of the Year.”
“ Tr o o p e r B o y d b r i n g s
enthusiasm, professionalism, tenacity, out of the box
thinking, and a great work
ethic to his job,” said Lynn
Loacker, member of Shikar
From left: Lt. Steve Lane, Tpr. Marc Boyd, Capt. Walt Markee
Safari Club International.
“It is for these reasons that
Shikar Safari Club International is pleased to present
him this award.”
Shikar-Safari Club International presents annual awards
to wildlife law enforcement
officers in all 50 states, 10
Canadian provinces and the
territories of both nations. The
club is an exclusive organization with a worldwide membership of no more than 200.
The club originally formed in
1952 to provide members an
opportunity to get together
and talk about their hunting
experiences, but has evolved
into an organization that
supports conservation and
education through a worldwide foundation. Shikar-Safari
is recognized worldwide for
its efforts in the protection,
enhancement and preservation of wildlife, and has
placed particular emphasis on
endangered and threatened
species through the promotion
of enforcement of conservation
laws and regulations.
Trooper, Malheur County traffic safety coordinator
receive ODOT’s “Educational Outreach” award
A trooper from the Ontario
Area Command office and
the Malheur County Traffic
Safety Commission coordinator received the ODOT’s
“Educational Outreach”
awards recently during the
Annual Safety Conference
in Hood River. Police officer
and traffic safety advocates
were honored recognizing
their commitment to traffic
safety in Oregon.
OSP Supt. Timothy McLain
extended his congratulations
to Sr. Tpr. Scott Skinner and
safety coordinator Dave Stiefvater for their work reflecting
the commitment of OSP and
local traffic safety advocates
to promote traffic safety in
local communities. “Their work
reflects our commitment to
recognize local problems and
work to find solutions beyond
enforcement that reach out
into our communities. Efforts
such as theirs aim to prevent
duplication of tragic crashes
on area highways. There are
very few things that bring
more satisfaction than to learn
that our troopers are working
hand-in-hand with others to
save lives. We certainly can’t
do this alone.” said McLain.
OSP Sr. Tpr. Scott Skinner
and Dave Stiefvater of the
Malheur County Traffic Safety
Commission were recognized
for their coordinator efforts
to discourage drunken driving in their area. On March
15, 2009, and 18-year old
male was killed in a motor
vehicle crash after making
a poor decision to drink and
drive. The vehicle he was
driving missed a curve, hit
two power poles and caught
fire, killing him.
Seeing the need to turn
this tragedy into a valuable
learning tool, Skinner and
Stiefvater worked with the
victim’s family and local
businesses to try and turn a
negative into a positive. The
result was a memorable public
display using the victim’s car,
power poles and information
to leave a visual impression
about the dangers of drinking
and driving.
Nominated by their peers,
thirteen individuals and organizations were selected to
receive awards for their work
in Community Traffic Safety.
These awards recognize outstanding individual, public,
and private community traffic
safety efforts. Ten police officers also received awards for
“Looking Beyond the Traffic
Ticket.”
Questions regarding the awards can be directed to Steve
D. Vitolo, Program Manager - Traffic Law Enforcement and
Judicial Programs, ODOT Transportation Safety Division, at
(503) 986-4446.
Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy
“When you go in for a job interview, I think a good thing to ask is if they
ever press charges.”
PA G E
6
N O V E M B E R
O S P O A
2 0 0 9
Maine state troopers team largest in cancer fund-raising run
Gerry Gregg, AAST
Oregon State Director
A team of 178 Maine state
troopers represented the largest group of the
3,500 participants in a 5K
on October 4.
Runners helped
raise $12,000
for the Patrick Dempsey
Center for Cancer Hope &
Healing in Lewiston.
Maine state trooper Aaron
Turcotte said he helped organize the team because of the
strength and determination
of Mike Pearson, a former
trooper who had to leave
the force when he was ren-
dered permanently debilitated
by the disease. After being
diagnosed with brain cancer
in 1994, Mike under went
a number of surgeries and
was eventually left with out movement on the right
side of his body. He passed
away on October 20 at the
age of 46.
Aaron Turcotte describes
Mike as an inspiration to
Maine state troopers and all
people affected by cancer.
Aaron’s brother, a cancer
survivor, joined the team of
state trooper runners, as well
as Mike’s brother, a pilot with
the Maine State Police.
Mike Pearson is survived
by his wife, Betsy. A fund has
been established to help her
with excessive medical costs
T R O O P E R
N E W S
FROM THE EDITOR
Trooper Dave Rzewnicki
associated with her husband’s
illness. AAST was proud to
make a donation to Betsy
from its Brotherhood Assistance Fund. The family deeply
appreciates your prayers and
your financial assistance. The
lost wages as a result of Mike’s
illness, along with the inability to acquire life insurance,
will leave Betsy in a financial
situation beyond her means.
If you are able to donate, the
address is below.
I Have A Great Idea! Since the Department
continues to hire new troopers with no
consideration that they can’t even afford to
continue to pay the current troopers at their
current rate (offering furloughs during bargaining and my property taxes went up by
3%), I think we should all just take a 50% pay cut, then we could
double the number of troopers that we currently have!
Congrats to Jesse Van Meter, who correctly identified Michael
Searcy in the latest “Mystery Trooper I.D. photo. Jesse wrote,
“The photo in the October 2009 Trooper newspaper is my coach,
Michael Searcy. I was his only recruit, therefore his best recruit.”
Please make contact with Rhonda for your OSPOA trinket and
chance to win a brand new car!
I must admit, I am kind of disappointed. We only got four correct answers, and Michael’s name is right there on his desk!
Keep those cards and letters and articles coming.
Please be safe out there.
The Michael Pearson Support Fund
Key Bank
Attn: Heather Plourde
6 Barra Road
Biddeford, ME 04005
If you have questions about AAST’s scholarship program,
please call AAST headquarters at 800-765-5456 or visit
AAST online, www.statetroopers.org.
DO YOU KNOW THIS TROOPER?
photo by patrick fleming
The first to e-mail TrooperNews@freedomnw.com with the correct answer wins an OSP pin and is entered to win a model patrol car.
With 178 runners, the Maine State Police team ran in honor of Tpr. Mike
Pearson, seated front, who passed away two weeks after the event.
How to beat a speeding ticket: photo radar
Photo radar is basically a
computer system hooked up
to a radar speed gun, with a
camera attached. What happens is when the radar gun
detects a certain speed the
computer triggers the camera
to take a picture of the front
and rear of the vehicle aiming
at the license plate and the
driver. Afterwards, the citation
is written up and mailed to
the driver at their registered
address. Its all very neat and
simple for the law enforcement agency. However, it is
extremely easy to beat this
type of ticket in court. Your
easiest defense is to simply
throw the ticket away. If it
does not come with a return
receipt that requires a signature, there is no proof that
you actually got the ticket
and they cannot prosecute
you on that. What the legal
system wants you to do is just
send in the fine and not ask
any questions. This can be a
big money maker for some
communities.
One other form of defense
to utilize on your behalf is the
fact that when you are accused
in court you must be faced by
your accuser. Obviously the
computer cannot appear in
court as a defense method
for the prosecution. Also,
you do not have to identify
yourself as the driver of the
vehicle because it would violate
your sixth amendment rights
against self incrimination.
There are two ways to beat
a photo radar unit, and basically make the photos useless
in a court of law. First, remove
your front license plate. At the
worst you could get a minor
repair ticket, which would be
very easily corrected. Or you
could put a clear coat of paint
over the license plate. The
coat allows you to read the
license plate with the naked
eye, but causes an extremely
high glare on the camera
lens and therefore the num-
bers underneath the glare are
indistinguishable. Potential
sources of defeating the ticket
are usually not needed simply
because statistics show that
most of the radar photo pictures are not legible because
either the license number
cannot be clearly read, or the
make and/or model cannot
easily be determined, and the
driver is obstructed and therefore cannot be identified. The
photo radar speeding ticket is
one of the easiest to defend
against, most cities and states
have abandoned the system
all together.
Oregon Running Event Calendar
November 21, 2009–Saturday 8:00 a.m.
3rd Annual Spokane Jingle Bell Run/Walk, Spokane, Wash.,
Riverfront Park. 5K Run and Walk. Contact: Kelsey Birnbaum
kbirnbaum@arthritis.org or 206-547-2707 x102
December 19, 2009–Saturday 9:00 a.m.
Santa Runs Tacoma 5K Run/Walk and 10K Relay. Tacoma, Wash.
Contact: Lori Giugler, lori@databarevents.com or 206-255-4044
November 29, 2009–Sunday
Amica Insurance Seattle Marathon 2009. Seattle, Wash. Contact:
Louise Long, info@seattlemarathon.org or 206-729-3660
June 5, 2010–Saturday 8:00 a.m.
Sun Valley Half Marathon. Sun Valley, Id. Sun Valley Resort.
Contact: Sun Valley Half Marathon Committee, bkmmitch@cox.
net or 208-726-3423
December 13, 2009–Sunday 8:00 a.m.
25th Annual Jingle Bell Run & Walk. Weslake Center, Seattle,
Wash. 5K Run/5K Walk & 1K Childrens Run with the Elves.
Contact: Kelsey Birnbaum, kbirnbaum@arthritis.org or 206-5472707 x102
If you know of any running events scheduled anywhere within
reasonable driving distance from Oregon—either within or outside
the state, please send the information to the Trooper News editor
by email. Don’t forget to include details, especially the date, time,
location and contact information.
O S P O A
T R O O P E R
N E W S
N OJ AV N
E M
BR
E R
U A
Y
2 0 0 9
3
WILL SANTA
BE GOOD TO YOU?
OSPOA
MERCHANDISE
A
B
C, D
E
F
G
H, I, J
K, L
A Short-sleeve pique polo shirt with embroidered OSP logo. (Heather Gray, Navy Blue, Black) S. M. L, XL,
M
N
XXL $29
B Short-sleeve pique polo shirt with embroidered OSPOA logo. (Heather Gray, Navy Blue, Black) S. M. L,
XL, XXL $29
C Hanes Beefy-T pocket T-shirt with embroidered OSP logo. (Navy Blue only) M, L, XL, XXL $16
D Hanes Beefy-T pocket T-shirt with embroidered OSPOA logo. (Heather Gray only) S, M, L, XL, XXL $16
E Summer or winter baseball caps with embroidered OSP logo. (Navy Blue only) $10
F Long sleeve Jerzees sweatshirt, fleece lining, zip collar with embroidered OSP logo. (Black or Navy) M, L,
XL, XXL $32
G Jacket, Tri-Mountain Mountaineer, fleece lined, Navy w/Navy lining. OSP embroidered logo. M, L, XL,
XXL $60
H Ceramic coffee mugs, color OSP logo on one side, silver badge replica inside state outline on the other
side. 12oz. $7.50, 15 oz. $8.50
I
Ceramic coffee mug w/OSPOA logo on both sides. 12oz. $7.50
J
Ceramic 22 oz. stein with color OSP logo on one side. $12.50
K Leading Edge fanny pack/concealed weapon holster. Holster can be used right- or left-handed. Two sizes,
large or small frame. (Black only) $40
L Briefcase, nylon, deluxe, expandable, with choice of OSP or OSPOA embroidered logo. $32
M Gold or silver OSP star or OSP patch pin. Specify tie tack or lapel pin backing. $3
N OSP Ford Crown Victoria collector car, 1:24 scale. Personalized license plates available. $52.50
O 16 oz. Stainless steel, double steel wall, insulated travel coffee mug. Price is $11.50.
*** Also (not pictured) Leading Edge cordura briefcase with concealed weapon holster (no logo). $60
TO ORDER MERCHANDISE: Call the OSPOA office or e-mail Rhonda at rhonda@ospoa.com.
O
PA G E
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PA G E
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N O V E M B E R
O S P O A
2 0 0 9
Oregon State Police
Officers’ Association
3905 River Road N., Suite B
Salem, OR 97303
Vice President.....Darrin Phillips...........phillips@ospoa.com
Secretary................ Ken Snook................snook@ospoa.com
Treasurer...........Terri Cassebarth.... cassebarth@ospoa.com
Region I Rep............ Tom Hatch................ hatch@ospoa.com
Region II Rep............Bill McGill............... mcgill@ospoa.com
Region III Rep........ Jeff Johnson........... johnson@ospoa.com
Region IV Rep......... Rick Carter................carter@ospoa.com
Region V Rep.... Stephanie Gourley....... gourley@ospoa.com
Office Mgr.......... Rhonda Lewitzke.........rhonda@ospoa.com
Editor, Trooper News
Dave Rzewnicki....................TrooperNews@freedomnw.com
PAID
Salem, OR
Permit #178
The Trooper News is an official publication of the Oregon State
Police Officers’ Association. It is produced monthly for active
and retired ospoa members. Articles and letters appearing
herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the ospoa, its
officers or its editor.
This newspaper is your means of communicating with
other ospoa members statewide. Articles and letters that are
appropriate and in good taste are accepted from members
and nonmembers alike. It is desired that articles be limited
to approximately 500 words except by agreement with the
editor. Advice and publishing guidelines can be obtained from
the editor.
The receipt deadline for articles is the 25th of the
month that precedes the month in which the article would be
expected to appear. Submit articles to:
Editor, Trooper News
3905 River Road, Suite B
Salem, OR 97303
TrooperNews@freedomnw.com
Editor, Trooper magazine
Jeff Dickerson................. osptroopermagazine@comcast.net
TrooperPAC
Political Action Committee of the Oregon State Police Officers’ Association
The TrooperPAC Mission: TrooperPAC will provide financial support to state legislative and statewide candidates
who are seriously committed to public safety, law enforcement and a strong Department of Oregon State Police.
The OSPOA joins a growing number of lobbying organizations who recognize that a well-orchestrated lobbying effort every
other year during the session is no longer a guarantee for success in Oregon’s legislative arena. No matter how powerfully a
lobbying effort might be waged, it will not be successful if the majority of legislators are already either politically or philosophically
predisposed against it.
And, the bottom line for candidates is that it takes money to get elected to public office. Organizations with a legislative
agenda can no longer ignore the reality of the need to participate in the financing of those campaigns. The OSPOA’s State Executive
Committee has determined that the most effective manner for the organization to reinforce its overall government affairs effort is
to make, through a political action committee, contributions to candidates sympathetic with the association’s legislative goals. State
and federal laws allow individuals, unions and corporations to make campaign contributions to TrooperPAC without any restrictions
though they are not tax deductible.
Participating in the political process doesn’t cost that much in comparison with the cost to each state trooper if the organization
is not involved. Please send your contribution to TrooperPAC today!
Your decision to get involved today by supporting TrooperPAC with a donation is critical to
Oregon State Police Officers. Electing the right people can make a difference!
Guidelines for TrooperPAC Contributions
TrooperPAC weighs a variety of criteria to determine which candidates for legislative and statewide office should receive funding,
including: • General interest in and commitment to issues concerning public safety and law enforcement. • Past support of
OSPOA and its issues. • Incumbency, leadership position and committee assignments. • Prior experience in public office and
community activities. • Ability to conduct a viable campaign and likelihood of success.
The PAC is non-partisan, affiliated with the Oregon State Police Officers’ Association and is committed to promoting a strong
Department of State Police in Oregon through its support of quality legislative and statewide candidates.
TrooperPAC Board of Advisors
Sr. Tpr. Jeff Leighty, Chair • Tpr. Dan Swift, Treasurer • Sr. Tpr. Ken Snook
3905 River Road N., Suite B, Salem, OR, 97303 • Telephone 503-393-6535
START EARLY FOR 2009
TrooperPac Contribution Form
The Oregon Political Tax Credit
The Oregon Political Tax Credit is a marvelous device to permit you to provide financial support to political causes of your choice. It is real and it works.
Your contribution of $50 per individual or $100 per couple costs you nothing. It is the one way you can actually direct some of your own tax money in
the way that you choose! If you don’t use it... you will lose it!
Yes, TrooperPAC, I support your efforts
on behalf of public safety and
law enforcement in Oregon
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President...............Jeff Leighty............. leighty@ospoa.com
T R O O P E R
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Enclosed is a contribution to TrooperPAC of:
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Per Oregon state statute, TrooperPAC must report the name, address, employer and occupation of
individuals and corporations whose contributions total $50 or more. If you are married and place
both spouse names on this form, please provide full information on both spouses.
SEND CONTRIBUTION TO: TrooperPAC, 3905 River Road N., Suite B, Keizer OR 97303-4805
Oregon Public Safety Academy graduates 13
new OSP recruit troopers in mid-October
Albany, Astoria (3), Coos Bay
(2), Newport (2), Oregon State
University–Corvallis, Pendleton
(2), and Salem (2) were each
to receive new OSP recruit
troopers following their graduation from the Department
of Public Safety Standards
and Training (DPSST) basic
police training program on
Oct. 16th.
Supt. Timothy McLain noted
that with the support of Gov.
Ted Kulongoski and legislative
leadership during the 2007
and 2009 legislative sessions,
the OSP has been working
hard to hire and train newly
authorized troopers to resume
24-hour coverage at key locations around the state. Last
December, the Central Point
Area Command office was
the first to return to aroundthe-clock coverage. Other OSP
office locations in Portland,
Albany, Salem, Springfield
and Bend have also recently
returned to 24-hour coverage
with other offices set to change
in the coming months.
“This graduation marks
further progress in returning
24/7 state police coverage for
Oregon’s highways and communities,” said Kulongoski.
“I congratulate these graduates and I am proud of their
willingness to serve their state
and local communities.”
The 13 recruit troopers—11
men and 2 women—joined
22 city police and 3 county
sheriff graduating recruit
officers during the morning
ceremony in front of family
and friends. The 12 Patrol
Services Division and one Fish
& Wildlife Division graduating recruit troopers report to
assignments at the following
OSP worksites:
• Albany Area Command–Recruit
Steve Kenyon, age 40 (Patrol)
• Astoria Area Command–Recruit
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
David Herman, age 29 (Fish
&Wildlife)
Astoria Area Command–
Recruit Andrew Morgan, age
34 (Patrol)
Astoria Area Command–
Recruit Greg Schuerger, age
33 (Patrol)
Coos Bay Area Command–Recruit
Josh Mullins, age 25 (Patrol)
Coos Bay Area Command–Recruit
Ben Looney, age 23 (Patrol)
Newport Area Command–Recruit
Adam Shimer, age 24 (Patrol)
Newport Area Command–Recruit
Brian Tucker, age 34 (Patrol)
Oregon State University / Corvallis–Recruit Brittany Phelps
(Patrol)
Pendleton Area Command–
Recruit Chelsea Adams, age 24
(Patrol)
Pendleton Area Command–
Recruit Marcus Burt, age 28
(Patrol)
Salem Area Command–Recruit
Casey Buckingham, age 32
(Patrol)
• Salem Area Command–Recruit
James Ward, age 24 (Patrol)
Starting January 2007, OSP
recruit trooper training has
included both OSP-specific
training unique to the Department and the 16-week DPSST
training program with newly
hired city and county officers
at the Oregon Public Safety
Academy. Following graduation, the recruit troopers’ also
go through a two- to threemonth field training program
with a trooper.
The Basic Police Class No.
314 graduation marks the
completion of the fourteenth
fully-integrated basic police
class facilitated by DPSST—
which provides statutorilyrequired basic training to
newly-hired city police officers,
county sheriff’s deputies and
OSP troopers. It took place
at the Oregon Public Safety
Academy in Salem.
The 220th Anniversary of the U.S. Marshals
Statement by Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr.
For 220 years, stretching back
to the birth of our republic,
United States Marshals and
their deputies have
developed a tradition of professionalism and valor. As our
nation has changed,
so too have the marshals. As the challenges they face have
evolved, so too have the skills
of these remarkable men and
women.
Unchanged however, are the
qualities President Washington
sought as he selected the first
13 U.S. marshals—individuals
who would “discharge their
respective trust with honor to
themselves and advantage to
their country.”
Their primary mission is to
protect the federal courts and
ensure the effective operation of the judicial system,
and their core values are
“justice, integrity and service.” In my experience, there are no finer
public servants than
the men and women
of the United States
Marshals Service.
As a judge with the
District of Columbia
Superior Court, as a U.S.
Attorney and as the deputy
attorney general, I worked
alongside and was protected
by the fine men and women
of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Today I am proud to call them
my colleagues on this, the
220th anniversary of their
founding.