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MCSO eNewsletter
Your 24/7 Human Services and Public Safety Agency
JULY 2009 |
Canine Crisis Response Team
The Sheriff's Office is delighted to announce its use of a Canine Crisis Response Team. These teams, made up of a dog and a handler, will assist in helping comfort and offer compassionate support to survivors, their families or bystanders, inmates, deputies and other staff during and after a traumatic incident. The teams will be available for dispatch twenty-four hours a day. Beside providing comfort, these teams will also attend public relations events, jail and patrol briefings, jail services, hospice services, ride-alongs, chaplaincy support call-outs and support for search and rescue or other command posts. Washington County and Clackamas County are also participating in this program.
These therapy dogs will be certified via the Delta Society, certified in Animal Assisted Crisis Response and insured under Cascade Canine Crisis liability insurance. Teams will undergo orientation and training specifically for Multnomah County via our volunteer program.
If you are interested in becoming involved or to learn more, please click here to view the Cascade Canine Crisis Website. |
Everyone Loves a Parade
The Sheriff's Office participated in several local parades and community events this past month. These events are an enjoyable experience and positive way to show support for the community and our Sheriff's Office.
Our staff participated in the Pride Parade, Good in the Neighborhood Parade, Maywood Park 4th of July Parade and the Corbett Community 4th of July Parade.
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Undersheriff Sent to Jail
Undersheriff Tom Slyter went to jail to help raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
I was honored to be "arrested for good" and help the Muscular Dystrophy fund raising campaign in Portland. It is indeed a personal pleasure to be able to do good for others, in this case, "Jerry's Kids" as well as others afflicted with various neuro-muscular diseases. The majority of the funds raised in Portland stay in Portland. I would like to personally thank those individuals publically who generously donated nearly a $1,000.00 to the cause on my behalf. Of course they had the choice of donating to raise my bail and subsequent release or to donate to keep me in! I'm not sure which reason raised the most! This was the most friendly arrest one could imagine. I was arrested at the office by a volunteer for MD. Now the paddy wagon I was placed in for transport to the jail at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse was not a typical paddy wagon! It was a stretch limousine donated by JMI Limousine! After arrival at jail, we individually had a mug shot taken while in black and white stripped jail shirt. We were then provided nourishment of breakfast pastries, fruits, juice and coffee to ensure we maintained our strength to make phone calls to raise bail. After spending about 1˝ hours in jail I had to face the Judge. He must have been sympathetic to my cause as he released me on probation and allowed additional donations to be made! I was then transported back to my worksite in another limo having experienced the most positive jail experience imaginable.
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From Drugs to Mugs©
The latest drug education effort from MCSO made its official debut at Gresham's Sam Barlow High School on June 4th. Over two days, Deputy Bret King gave eight presentations to Barlow's sophomore health students in response to last December's tragic overdose and death of 18 year old Rachel Daggett, a Barlow student.
From Drugs to Mugs© is similar in many ways to Faces of Meth©, but directs it's attention away from one specific drug and addresses a wide range of substances prone to abuse by young people. The 48 minute long documentary includes interviews from incarcerated substance abusers and the professionals who have frequent contact with them.
The creators of the program, Deputies Bret King and Curtis Sanders, enlisted the help of nearly 500 high school students in East Multnomah County in order to formulate the interview questions. The documentary also includes statistics gathered from a volunteer survey and a criminal history investigation of 300 inmates at Multnomah County's Inverness Jail.
Like Faces of Meth©, From Drugs to Mugs© also includes mug shot comparisons of documented substance abusers who have come into custody in recent years. If you are interested in having From Drugs to Mugs© presented in a school near you or if you have comments, please go to www.facesofmeth.us where a preview of From Drugs to Mugs© is soon to come. | |
Bad Boys
Time For Change
A suspect stole the telescope and its stand from the Vista House in the Columbia River Gorge. Deputies posted the suspect's vehicle pictures hoping someone would recognize the vehicle and it worked. Deputy Gay recognized the vehicle and made contact with the vehicle owner. The culprit made a full confession including the location of the stolen telescope. The telescope was retrieved from a lake in Milwaukie. The telescope was stolen for the quarters. The $23 in quarters have provided him with another life change, with some time in jail.
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Shoplifting is the theft of store merchandise during business hours. The usual shoplifting method is concealing items in clothing or bags. There is no 'typical' shoplifter and they often work in pairs or groups to divert attention while they steal. As a matter of fact, much shoplifting is opportunistic, meaning shoplifters are often little different than a regular customer. Shoplifting is a difficult crime to detect and police data tend to seriously under-represent the extent of shoplifting. One report suggests that only 1 in 150 shoplifting incidents leads to apprehension and police action. In 2008, the Portland Police had over 4800 reported offenses of shoplift. Most occurred on a Saturday. During the same time period, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office responded to 214 reported offenses of shoplift. Most of these were in Troutdale and Wednesday was the day of the week with the most incidents. Although often considered the 'cost of doing business,' there are reasons why actions should be taken against this crime:
- Shoplifting is often regarded as an entry crime from which juveniles graduate to more serious offenses
- Shoplifting can be said to fuel the drug trade, as it may provide income to addicts
- For smaller retailers, shoplifting can seriously erode profits and cause such businesses to fail
The following tips will help prevent shoplifting: Protective Measures
- Make the shoplifters feel watched.
- Post signs warning against shoplifting. Emphasize that you will prosecute.
- Require receipts for merchandise returns for cash.
Display Strategies
- Minimize the shoplifter's access to merchandise without inconveniencing customers.
- Keep display and clothing racks away from entrances and exits to discourage "hit-and-run" thieves.
- Keep small and expensive items out of reach or in locked display cases.
- Arrange merchandise neatly to make it easier to detect missing items.
Educating Employees: Train Employees
- Watch for people with loose or baggy clothing inappropriate for weather, and people with large bags or other props that can easily conceal merchandise.
- Be aware of shoplifter's tactics to confuse and distract.
- Be attentive to customers.
- Be especially alert at when the store is crowded.
- At checkout, check the lower racks of shopping carts, watch for switched labels, look inside items that can also be used as containers for lifted items, and check for factory seals on boxed items.
- Be familiar with the store prices. This can help prevent price switching.
- Watch for customers lingering in one area, loitering near stock rooms or other restricted areas, or wandering aimlessly through the store.
Stopping a Shoplifter If you suspect that someone may be considering lifting something, approach the person and ask "Can I help you?" or "Can I ring that up for you?" If you suspect someone has lifted and concealed something, keep him or her in sight and notify a manager or security personnel immediately. If you are working alone, request the assistance of another worker. Plan a "buddy system" for your own safety and as a witness. Source: San Diego Police Department and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
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Free gun locks available from Sheriff's Office
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office is distributing free cable-style gun locks and safety information to residents at its office at 12240 N.E. Glisan St.
A thousand locks are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Locks may be picked up from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays until they're gone.
The locks are provided through a partnership with Project ChildSafe, a national firearm safety education program.
More information: www.projectchildsafe.org.
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The Green Hornet is Taking a Little Vacation
The Green Hornet is taking advantage of the good weather with a little time off. We will be back, well rested, in September! Enjoy the rest of your summer |
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; recent news articles or updates you may have missed.
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Your opinions, questions and concerns are important to us. If you would like to comment on any of MCSO service(s), or any article you have read in this newsletter please click HERE. Or Email us HERE |
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