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MCSO eNewsletter
Your 24/7 Human Services
and Public Safety Agency
NOVEMBER 2009 |
Saying Goodbye
This month has been very busy here at the Sheriff's Office. Not only have we welcomed our new Sheriff, Dan Staton, but we have alsos aid goodbye to Sheriff Bob Skipper.
Sheriff Skipper was celebrated on Wednesday, November 4, after serving the citizens of Multnomah County for over 35 years. He started his career with Multnomah County in 1960 and held the positions of Deputy up through Sheriff. During his career, Sheriff Skipper was appointed Sheriff twice, and elected to the position of elected Sheriff three times.
In his weeks before retirement, Sheriff Skipper made his way around the facilities to say goodbye to as many sheriff's office members as possible and take some pictures.
Here are just a few.
He will be greatly missed but we wish him a wonderful retirement and many more adventures.
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| New Sheriff in Town
Sheriff Dan Staton receives his new stars by daughter Madison
On Thursday, November 5, Assistant Sheriff Dan Staton was sworn in as the Multnomah County interim Sheriff. Dan Staton graduated from Madison High School in 1977 and enlisted in the Air Force in 1978. During his service, he earned the Commendation Medal as well as Medals for Meritorious Service, Humanitarian Service and Good Conduct. He continued to serve his country from 1983 to 1987 in the Air National Guard in Massachusetts as well as Portland, Oregon.
After earning his degree in Accounting and Finance from Salem State College in Massachusetts, Staton returned to Portland and began working for Automated Office Systems as an Assistant Controller and then as their Regional Inventory Manager.
In 1989 Staton was hired by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office as an enforcement deputy. Among his many accomplishments in 20 years of service, Staton has worked in a variety of leadership roles including the HAZMAT/ Drug Lab Response Team, Search and Rescue, Dive Rescue Team, Internal Affairs Investigator, Lieutenant in the Training Unit and acted as a Community Liaison and Resource Officer for the cities of Springdale and Corbett.
Staton has received commendations and citations as part of the Special Unit Hazardous Materials Team 3 by the City of Gresham (2007), a Unit Citation as part of the Special Investigations Unit/Clandestine Lab Team (2005); a MCSO letter of Commendation (2001); a MCSO Unit Citation as part of the Dive Rescue/Recovery Team (2000); another MCSO Letter of Commendation (1999); was given the "National Police Officer of the Year" Award by the Portland American Indian Community for his work on Cultural Sensitivity and Promoting Cultural Awareness (1998); was presented with the MCSO Sheriff's Award for Outstanding Service (1997); was given the MCSO Community Service Award and the Oregon State Sheriff's Association (OSSA) "Life Saving" Award (1995); and, in 1993 was awarded with the iconic "Medal of Valor" Award which has been awarded approximately 14 times in the 155 year history of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. He is considered to be one of the most decorated members of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Staton was named the Assistant Sheriff in September 2009 and sworn into his current role November 5, 2009.
If you would like to read Sheriff Staton's acceptance speech, click HERE
Welcome!
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Search and Rescue Loss
On Saturday October 24, Don Gomez, 57 was participating in a SAR exercise at Larch Mountain when he collapsed. Mr. Gomez was hiking on a trail with another adult and youth volunteers when he was overcome by a sudden medical issue. The team with him included an EMT and two wilderness first responders. The first responders provided CPR and administered the AED while transporting Mr. Gomez via litter to the trail head to meet Fire and Ambulance. Mr. Gomez passed away at the scene; his death has been determined to have been of natural causes. Mr. Gomez had been an active MCSO SAR volunteer for the last 15 years. He was considered one of the cornerstones of the program. Mr. Gomez's roles on the SAR team were that of a man tracker and team advisor. His service and dedication on the SAR Team will be truly missed. The family requests donations be made to Multnomah County Search and Rescue in lieu of flowers. |
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Cold Case Billboards
In October and November the Cold Case detectives started utilizing billboards to assist them in closing unsolved cases. 12 billboards showing the faces of 36 unsolved homicide victims under review were put up all over Multnomah County. This project has been funded at no cost to the tax payers. Space for the billboards has been donated by Clear Channel Outdoor and funds needed to produce the signs were donated by Multnomah County Sheriff's Management Association, Deputy Sheriff's Association, the Corrections Deputy Associations as well as donation from the Sheriff's Office Retiree Group.
We hope this will make the photographs more visible and someone will call in with a tip.
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Work Crews Clean Up the Pig Farm
Over the last 3 months Deputies and inmates work together to clean up the pig farm and 1000 Acre recreational area in a four day sweep.
Multnomah County Deputies Yandell, Atkins, Bergey, Gay, Grazanio, and Read posted the campsites found within the 1000 Acre site on September 3rd and 17th. The following days Deputies assisted the remaining occupants in leaving from the area. On September 18th, Deputies along with Animal Control, Troutdale Police Department, United States Forest Service and Department of Human Services were on hand to assist with the clean up.
The Multnomah County Work Crews joined the cleanup efforts. All the members broke up into teams and identified camps that needed to be removed from the area. The inmate work crews assisted with hauling garbage out of the 1000 acre recreational area and the pig farm. There was so much garbage that one 30 yard dumpster was filled. Due to the large amount of sites and trash workcrews had to return to the site on November 13th to finish the clean up. The work crews hauled more garbage out and 2 more 30 yard dumpsters were delivered by Waste Management of Oregon.
Thanks to Mayor Kight of Troutdale for getting the additional dumpsters. Dumpsters were provided by Waste Management of Oregon. Donations to help feed the crews were provided by the Cherry Park Subway, Wood Village Fred Meyer and Wood Village Wal-Mart. SOLV donated 500 garbage bags that were used for the project.
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| Two Volunteers Become Honorary Deputies
BR Deputy McDowell, Lt Shults, Deputies Yohe, Osborn and Dangler
FR Sheriff Skipper, Viv Feldman, Honorary Deputies John Zeman and Jimmy Hamlin,
Barbara Hamlin, Chief Deputy Moore
Multnomah County Sheriff's Office celebrated last month by naming two of its volunteers to Honorary Deputy Sheriff's status. Honorary Deputy John Zeman and Jimmy Hamlin were honored last month in a simple ceremony that took place in the Multnomah Building. Both John and Jimmy are valuable members of the Sheriff's Office River Patrol donating their skills and time to assisting our deputies in all aspects of our operation. This program is comprised of individuals committed to supporting Law Enforcement throughout the Office of Sheriff and our County. The Honorary Deputy Commission is a special recognition by the Sheriff Bob Skipper, granted to a citizen who has distinguished themselves in the law enforcement and surrounding community through extraordinary deeds or accomplishments which support the mission of the Sheriff's Office. The award of an Honorary Commission by the Sheriff is purely ceremonial. Individuals awarded this honor receive an Honorary Deputy Commission Card.
Joining MCSO in February, 2007 Jimmy Hamlin has contributed more than 500 hours of service and is willing to assist with any task given and would do anything to help others. Being a very dedicated hard worker and his love of boats and the river made a natural fit for his assignment with the River Patrol unit. Jimmy is also noted for having a great sense of humor and wonderful rapport with people and takes great pride in his work.
Since joining MCSO in 2007, John Zeman has logged more than 2,300 hours of volunteer time assisting the Sheriff's Office River Patrol unit with a variety of tasks, including assisting the MCSO Marine Technician with the repair, maintenance, and upgrade of our fleet.
John's expertise in using the side-scan sonar has been invaluable. He has served as an advisor on critical missions and routinely trains new River Patrol staff on the use of sonar equipment. During his tenure, John has assisted in a wide variety of operations and community events, including search and rescue missions, assisting the Sheriff's Office Dive Rescue Team with equipment portage, serving as an on-deck safety line handler, and as a controller/evaluator during the Department of Homeland Security TOPOFF exercise.
John's most recent inspiration and undertaking is the refitting of one of the Sheriff's Office original patrol boats, known as the "Chief Tommy Thompson." The 1980 Glas Ply runabout, redesigned as the "Volunteer Safety Boat", will serve as an excellent platform for educating the public about water safety in the region.
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Warrant Strike Team Updates
OCTOBER 2009
PERFORMANCE MEASURES: TOTALS SINCE INCEPTION (October 2007):
Warrant Service Attempts 84
Warrant Arrests 34
Non-Multnomah County Warrant Arrests 10
Warrants Served 37
Warrant Attempts and Arrests 118
Additional Information:
- Strike Team members were featured on KPTV 12 for a story covering our 1,000th arrest. While the cameras were with us, we arrested Jerry and Cheryl Knight in North Portland for charges of theft I x24 and criminal mistreatment I x18. This was the first major arrest for the newly formed MCSO elder abuse unit. Both stories can be seen at this link; http://www.kptv.com/video/21300333/index.html
- Strike Team members were also featured on KPTV 12 for a story covering our search for David Lashway (a prolific ID theft suspect). The story can be seen at this link; http://www.kptv.com/video/21359297/index.html
- Strike Team members were again featured on KPTV 12 for a story covering our search for Roger Elliot (a known gang member with a history of gun use). The story can be seen at this link; http://www.kptv.com/video/21386952/index.html
- Strike Team members participated in the National Family Violence Apprehension Detail
If you are interested in receiving Tweets from the Warrant Strike Team click HERE and subscribe.
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This month MCSO welcomed 6 new employees.
LE Corrections Techs Charlie Baxter and Christie Kasubuchi,
Deputy Sheriffs Ryan Biggs, Jennifer Ciobanasiu, Steve Castellano, Russell Jewell
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Oregon State Marine Board Recognizes River Patrol
Deputies Lichatowich, Yohe, Quick, Osborn, Smith, McAffee, Dangler, Chief Deputy Moore
The Oregon State Marine Board recognized marine law enforcement officers from around the state for their outstanding performance and contributions during the 2009 boating season at their annual post-season conference on October 13, in Bend.
The Multnomah County River Patrol was recognized for two life saving awards, an outstanding volunteer, and for the Program of the Year, the Marine Board's highest honor.
On December 10, 2008, Deputies Ken Yohe and Ron Osborn were escorting the Christmas Ship parade on the Columbia River when they received a call from the Portland Police Department that a car was located unoccupied about mid-span on the 205 bridge. The Police Department believed there was a person who had jumped into the river. Once the Deputies arrived on-scene, they located a male victim in the water close to the bridge pillar. The Deputies were able to maneuver the boat and successfully deploy a throw bag to the victim, who was barely able to wrap the line around his arm due to the effects of cold water immersion.
The victim's extremities had already gone numb. The Deputies were able to board the victim onto the patrol boat and released him to emergency medical services on shore. The victim suffered only minor injuries, but had he been submerged for much longer, he may have succumbed to hypothermia.
On February 10, 2009, Deputies Steve Dangler and Kevin McAfee were dispatched to Sheppard's Dell Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. A call came in as a "stand-off" between a mental subject and deputies and the subject was believed to be armed. After a tense climb up the steep and dangerous terrain, Deputies Dangler and McAfee reached the uncooperative subject. A line was secured along the slope and the slow descent began. At one point, the subject fell four feet into chest-deep water and was forced under by the current. Fortunately for the subject, both Deputies had recently completed swift water rescue training and were able to retrieve the subject from the waterfall and assist him back to safety. The subject suffered minor injuries.
The Multnomah County River Patrol is also fortunate to have an outstanding volunteer, John Zeman, who contributed 910 hours to the River Patrol. "We hear he has quite a talent for fixing things, and keeps the repair specialist on his toes," said Bill Rydblom, Law Enforcement Manager for the Marine Board. "It goes to show that it takes a lot of highly skilled and dedicated individuals to have a well-tuned marine program.
In addition to being staffed with exceptional law enforcement officers and staff, the Multnomah County River Patrol tallied impressive results on the water during the 2009 boating season. Collectively, Marine Deputies conducted 3,903 boat examination reports, issued 750 citations for boating violations and 1,273 warnings, conducted 261 hull identification inspections, arrested eight individuals for Boating Under the Influence of Intoxicants (BUII). The River Patrol also conducted five boater education classes teaching 171 students. Deputies also completed six stolen motor/boat reports and recovered one. "The River Patrol set out to make a difference out on the water and make it safer for everybody, and their numbers show the value behind what they do,"
added Rydblom.
Other awards presented during the conference included: Most Improved Yearly Program to Josephine County; Most Improved Seasonal Program to Morrow County; Program of the Year -Seasonal to Polk County; Education Award to, Klamath County Sheriff's Office; Education Award -Seasonal Program to Washington County; Officer of the Year to Deputy Daren Krag, Klamath County; Seasonal Officer of the Year to Deputy Jerry Roley, Washington County Sheriff's Office; Boating Under the Influence of Intoxicants Enforcement to Deputy Jason Denton, Jackson County Sheriff's Office; Oregon State Police Trooper of the Year to Senior Trooper Marshall Maher, OSP NW Region; Program Manager of the Year to Sergeant Cliff Harold, Lane County Sheriff's Office; Program Manager of the Year -Seasonal to Deputy Adam Robb, Baker County Sheriff's Office; Special Instructor Award to Deputy Steve Fandry, Lane County Sheriff's Office, Sergeant Tom Turk, Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Sergeant Dean Perske, Southwest Region OSP and Senior Trooper Brad Bennett, Southwest Region OSP; Rookie of the Year, Deputy Ken Berry, Douglas County Sheriff's Office; and Program Administration Award of Excellence to Clatsop County and Coos County Sheriff's Offices.
Congratulations to everyone who received an award.
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Sheriff Staton participates in the Hollywood Veterans Day Parade
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 TRAFFIC SAFETY CORNER
- Lieutenant Mark Matsushima
As we get ready for winter driving, here are a few tips to keep in mind to keep your trips safe. IS THIS TRIP REALLY NECESSARY? As an old grizzled Sergeant once told me, if you don't have to be out then stay home. However, as Sheriff's Office employees, we may be required to drive in the worst of the winter weather in order to fulfill our obligation to insure the safety of the public. Any safe winter travel starts with a bit of prior planning: 1. Is your vehicle ready?
Did you follow your manufacturer's recommendations regarding operating systems, fluids, and care? How about other winter specific needs like tire chains, a shovel, or the regular emergency breakdown essentials like blankets, flashlights, flares/reflectors, etc? 2. Are you ready for your vehicle?Do you know how your vehicle will handle in adverse weather? Drive very defensively, anticipate well ahead, and stay off the brake when you can. 3. Do people know what you are doing?Whenever you travel in winter weather, let someone know where you are going, how you are going to get there, when you should arrive, and any emergency pre-plans. Keep your "safety" contact informed of any deviations from the plan and always check in when you arrive. SOME THOUGHTS ON TIRES AND TRACTION DEVICES:
There are many variations on tires for winter driving. Here is a quick roundup: All Weather Radials
As the name implies, all weather radial tires are designed as a general purpose tire for use year round and a compromise of traction, handling, and roadway noise. M+S (mud and snow) ratings add another dimension with the grooves in the tires generally deeper to keep more of the tire on the firmest part of the roadway surface. These tires work best on snowy or icy surfaces with tire chains. Snow Tires
Snow tires are closely related to all weather radials except often times with a much deeper and more aggressive groove pattern. Many are pinned (pre set up) for studs. While snow tires do handle well in snow, they work best in icy conditions either studded and/or in conjunction with tire chains. H Rated Winter TiresH rated winter tires are similar to snow tires, however specially designed for the tire to grip better as the temperature drops. These types of tires are recognized as a "traction tire", and are designated by a three peaked mountain behind a snowflake symbol. While H rated tires can be put on and left on a vehicle earlier and later than studded tires, they wear much faster than but handle nearly the same as regular tires. H rated tires also tend to be much more expensive than other winter tire options. For extra traction in very treacherous conditions, H rated tires can be used in conjunction with tire chains. Studded TiresStudded tires are usually snow or other aggressive tread tire with aluminum pins embedded in the tread pattern. They offer superior braking and traction in icy conditions. The trade off is a significant loss of traction in regular driving, plus a rapid wearing down of the metal studs and resulting loss of adverse condition traction. Because of the damage they do to roadways, studded tire usage is limited to November to April. Studded tires can be used in conjunction with tire chains in very adverse conditions or for extra traction.  ChainsWhether made out of actual chains or "cable chains", tire chains gain traction by the metal portion across the tread of the tire cutting into the ice or snow. The trade off for this superior traction is heavy wear and significant loss of traction on non-icy or snowy roads, significantly lower travel speeds, and the need to re-check and tighten the chains on a regular basis. REMEMBER YOUR CHILD PASSENGERS - Deputy Robbyn Matsushima
It's time to think about child safety and booster seats before upcoming holiday travel, period!
Things to remember:
- Kids grow fast. Just like the winter jacket you are pulling out of the closet, make sure their car seat still fits and is appropriate for your child's height and weight.
- Is the child secured in the appropriate restraint by Oregon law?
- Rear facing until 20lbs and one year of age
- Forward facing in a five point restraint harness until at least 40lbs or higher if the seat is rated for a higher weight.
- At a minimum children over 40lbs must be in a booster seat until they are 4'9" in height.
 Bulky coats and blankets can interfere with the harness of a safety seat being snug against the child. For infants, put blankets over the top of them after they are secured in their infant seat carrier. For older kids, make sure to readjust their harness to account for take up the space created by the insulating layer of the jacket.
If you have any Child Safety Seat Questions, please feel free to email of any one of your MCSO Child Safety Seat Technicians, Deputy Jessie Volker, Deputy Robbyn Matsushima, or Lieutenant Mark Matsushima.
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 Stats and Facts
It's almost Thanksgiving, a time when we try to show our appreciation for the things we have and a time to be thankful for grace and kindness. It's also a time to celebrate the autumn's bounty with gatherings and shared meals.
On November 26, just like any day in November, the Sheriff's Office will house an estimated 1290 inmates in their jail facilities. But on this day, Thanksgiving, a traditional Thanksgiving meal will be served to the inmates. This dinner will include turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, dinner roll, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin cake. Does that sound like what you'll be having that day, but without the Brussels sprouts and green bean casserole?
The Sheriff's Office strives to maintain and honor the traditions and values that are celebrated and recognized outside of the jail facilities.
In addition to Thanksgiving, traditional holiday meals are served three other times a year: Christmas, the Fourth of July, and Memorial Day. Special medical, vegetarian, and religious diets are also provided in the facilities, per the individual's needs. All meals are approved by a certified dietician and at least one hot meal is on each day's menu.
The Sheriff's Office is thankful to be able to provide care to all people under their supervision, especially during the holidays. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
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Bad Boys
Hold the Anchovies
 On Saturday, October 17, the Corrections Emergency Response (CERT) and the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) were activated to respond to a disturbance at the Multnomah County Inverness Jail. An inmate had barricaded himself at the top of a stairwell in a disciplinary housing unit. The inmate stated he wanted an extra large pepperoni pizza with pineapple. He refused to follow repeated orders given by the Deputies and Sergeants to return to his cell. The inmate had surrounded himself with a cadre of items that could be used as potential weapons including a mop bucket, a broom, a mop and several other cleaning utensils which he placed around the area so that he would have immediate access to them. He also dumped cleaning solution on the floor and stairs to cause a slip hazard for staff if they attempted to approach him.
After failed attempts to gain cooperation from the inmate, the CNT was activated in concert with CERT for immediate response to the facility. The CNT attempted to gain cooperation from the inmate; however, he continued to refuse to return to his cell. CERT entered the unit. At this point the inmate quickly retreated to his cell and barricaded himself inside the cell. The CERT members had to remove various obstacles listed above to gain access to the inmate's cell. The inmate continued to disregard orders of CERT to disassemble his barricade; OC was deployed but had little to no affect. CERT developed a tactical plan to extract the inmate from his cell if he did not comply with their orders. The inmate complied with no further incident after CERT advanced on his cell. This incident was resolved without injuries to staff or the inmate. He did not, however, get his extra large pepperoni with pineapple pizza.
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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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