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A Message from Sheriff Pat Garrett
Dear Washington County Residents,
 We often say that charity begins at home, but it can also start at work, in school, in kind words to those around us, through firm and fair encouragement to inmates in our jail, empathy for victims we encounter, and as a result of crisis. There are so many ways we can help one another - a few are offered below in this month's issue. I also want to share a huge team effort this month by my entire staff. Sheriff's Office employees and volunteers raised $4,300 through the Charitable Giving Campaign for the benefit of the Court Appointed Special Advocates program (CASA). CASA volunteers visit abused and neglected children who are involved in the court process. They interview family members, teachers, neighbors, and foster care providers to help children access support and social services. They also advocate in court for the child's needs and best interests.
Washington County is a warm and caring community. I hope you will join us in the One Warm Coat project, give to a local food bank, or perhaps contribute to a local charity. Together, we can make the season brighter and a little easier for people who are struggling. Sincerely, Sheriff Pat Garrett |
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My Computer is Being Held Hostage!
This week a citizen reported that her computer was being "held hostage" by a virus. She had accidentally enabled a virus that was preventing her from using her computer until she paid "ransom." If this happens to you, DO NOT pay to unlock your computer - it will likely lead to fraud and identity theft.
This type of "ransomware" is called Cryptolocker. It works by encrypting all the files on your computer. Don't panic though - there are some simple ways to free the hostage computer. The easiest solution is to take your computer to any reputable repair shop; they should be able to identify the virus and apply a utility to fix the problem.
You could also try re-installing Windows or research the virus yourself and find a free utility on the Internet to remove it. Of course, these options require you to have a second computer handy and that you are careful when downloading the solution.
Be careful as you read your e-mail, and only click on links when you know the sender. For more ways to avoid downloading Cryptolocker, visit the FTC website.
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Inmate Work Crews Support Local Veteran
Inmate work crews from the Washington County Jail have quite a reputation. They work hard on projects that matter to the community free of charge. The jobs vary by season and some are uncommon. Recently, several hardworking inmates joined forces with Homes for Our Troops to make life easier for a local veteran.
U.S. Marine Sergeant Josh Sweeney lost both legs in combat in Afghanistan in 2009. This month, Homes for Our Troops is building a home for his family. Many community volunteers, including several Sheriff's Office employees, have worked on the project. It was natural for our Inmate Work Coordinator, Deputy Jerry Shamoon, to offer inmate help. They p erformed site maintenance and dug ditches, impressing the project manager with their work ethic and dedication.
 Deputy Shamoon wanted to take the project a step further by volunteering to build a fence as well. So he went looking for donations for materials at Rick's Custom Fencing in Hillsboro. To his surprise, Rick's not only donated chain link fence materials (over $11,000), but also offered employees to install it, free of charge. Sergeant Sweeney and his wife were caught off guard by this huge donation and are truly grateful for the community's outpouring of support. While a large expense, the fence was needed to keep their two dogs out of the nearby roadway. This is just one case where our community comes together to make big things happen. We are so proud our inmate work crews could also contribute. What can you do in honor of Veteran's Day on Tuesday, November 11th?
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Neighborly Assist - Country Style
 People often use yard tools and equipment to solve daily issues. They like to keep things simple, and that's what happened on October 29. A person called dispatch to report a man, who appeared to be drunk, on the hood of a crashed vehicle in a ditch in Tigard. Then, as he watched, a second man approached the crashed vehicle with a wheelbarrow. He scooped the man right off the hood and into the wheelbarrow . . . and hauled him away from the crash scene.
With the help of neighbors, deputies were able to track down the suspect. He was highly intoxicated and had a felony warrant for his arrest in another county. So deputies scooped him up once more and wheeled him away in a patrol car . . . to the Washington County Jail.
And you thought wheelbarrows were just for yard work!
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Do You Have One Warm Coat to Spare?
Brrrrrr . . . as the temperatures drop and the windy weather returns, many people in our community will need coats to keep warm. Do you have one warm coat to share?
 Between now and December 1, we ask you to clean out closets and donate clean, gently used coats and jackets of all sizes at one of the following locations:
Any Day, 8:00 am to 9:30 pm
Sheriff's Office in Hillsboro
Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sheriff's East Precinct, Beaverton
Cornelius Police Dept, Cornelius
Public Services Building, Hillsboro
Walnut Street Center, Hillsboro
Special Hours
Banks City Hall, Banks, Monday-Friday, 8 am - 1 pm
Cruise In Diner, Hillsboro, Wed-Sun, 11 am - 9 pm
The coats will be distributed by charities in our area, such as the Hillsboro Family Resource Center, to children and adults in need. Thank you for supporting the One Warm Coat project! |
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Free Community Thanksgiving Meals and More ...
Dinner in Cornelius on Monday, November 24
Your Sheriff's Office and Centro Cultural are joining several community partners to offer a free hot meal for members of our community who are in need. Dinner will be served on Monday, November 24, from 4 to 7 pm, at Cornelius Grade School. All ages are welcome. Printable flyer.
This event is made possible by donations from area churches, local businesses, and the generosity of local citizens.
Help Someone Find Holiday or Meal Assistance
To help someone in need to find other holiday assistance programs, home delivered meals, or shelters, consider visiting 211info or simply dial 211 from anywhere in the county.
Access the County's Severe Weather Shelter List for Homeless Persons
Washington County regularly updates a list of Severe Weather Shelters and Warming Centers available for homeless people in Washington County. With temperatures dropping to 35° next week, helping people find shelters near them will be important.
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Suicide Calls for Help - How to Respond
Deputies recently responded to a home where a person was threatening suicide. The person sent a photo by text to a friend showing she had physically injured herself. Deputies forced entry into the home and found her in a tub of water with serious injuries. Although she resisted any help, three deputies were able to remove her from the tub and apply a tourniquet to save her life. She was safely transported by ambulance to a local hospital.
This life was potentially saved because a friend took her threats and signs of self harm seriously, and because three very level-headed deputies were able to devise a plan to move her to safety and provide much needed emergency care.
 Please pay attention to the people in your life, and learn how to call for the help they need. Your Sheriff's Office is having remarkable success with its system of mental health services that begin in patrol, continue into the jail, and supports people in the long term.
Our deputies are trained to recognize a person who is a danger to themself or others and when they need to be taken to the hospital for mental health treatment. We have built an entire system response centered on avoiding tragic outcomes and focusing on solving mental health issues at the earliest possible time in a crisis.
You have many opportunities in Washington County to access mental health and emergency services. If you feel your safety or the safety of someone else is threatened by suicide or mental health crisis, please call 911 to report the emergency. In non-emergency situations, you can refer a person via an e-mail to our Mental Health Response Team or call the Crisis Line that is always available.
The Washington County Crisis Line is available all days all hours at (503) 291-9111.
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Are Drones in Our Future?
How would you feel about police using a drone (a small unmanned flying robot) to search if your child were missing in a wooded area, or what if it could search a building where hostages were being held? It is not hard to imagine the lifesaving potential for small unmanned aerial vehicles (sUAV) in tactical or search and rescue situations.
This technology can be deployed with cameras to search an area or building and then relay critical information to a command post. The small aircraft can also photograph crime scenes beyond the ability of humans using photogrammetry technology. In simple terms, hundreds of photos taken over a small area can be "stitched together" to recreate a 3-D view of a crime scene. There are many other
examples where even highly restricted use could help save lives.
 With all new technology, preserving personal privacy must be a priority. In fact, laws are already in place to govern their use in Oregon (ORS Chapter 837), including some limits that do not apply in other states. (Oregon was one of the first states to pass sUAV legislation.) Washington County has not secured funding for this type of technology, but that does not stop the techies on the Sheriff's robot team from looking into the future. As food for thought, our ROVT folks asked to share this article with you, "Why Your Newest SWAT Team Member is a Drone" by PoliceOne.com News.
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Rules of the Road - This Time for Pedestrians
 Last month, we focused on driver behaviors to keep pedestrians safe. Many of you were surprised to know you must stop when a pedestrian shows an intent to cross (by looking at cars waiting for traffic to clear).
Many more of you asked if pedestrians can be cited (the fine is $110), and that we address pedestrian responsibilities for safety.
Dear Pedestrians,
Washington County drivers want you to know that although we must yield to you in crosswalks, you also share responsibility for your own safety. You cannot suddenly step into the path of a moving vehicle if it is so close, it is a hazard. Vehicles cannot stop instantly.
We also want you to know the Rules of the Road for Pedestrians:
- Use crosswalks at intersections.
- Follow pedestrian signals - be aware of traffic when in a crosswalk.
- Yield to traffic on the road if you are crossing at a location other than a crosswalk.
- Look both ways for oncoming traffic before crossing any street.
- Walk on the sidewalk next to the road.
- Use jogging paths when provided and wear plenty of reflective clothing.
- If there is no sidewalk, walk or jog on the left shoulder facing oncoming traffic.
- Walk as far as possible from the roadway edge.
- Yield to motor vehicles when there is no sidewalk or shoulder.
- Walk to the nearest exit to get help on a freeway. Pedestrians may walk in either direction on the side of the freeway where the vehicle is disabled.
We also ask that you make yourself as visible as possible when you are near a roadway. Wear bright and reflective clothing and use flashlights and other illumination devices in dark and foul weather.
Sincerely,
Sergeant Tim Tannenbaum
On Behalf of Washington County Drivers
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Is This Your Stolen Property?
Items Seized Near Beaverton
On October 23, Sheriff's Detectives served search warrants on a home on SW Butner Road and a storage unit on Murray Boulevard. As expected, they found hundreds of items they believe were stolen during burglaries, package thefts, or car clouts. They seized power tools, a comic book collection, action figures in their packages, electronics, bags and purses, bicycles, and many items a person would typically store in their vehicle. Many items have been returned to their owners, but detectives need to account for hundreds of items that remain.
To help investigators identify suspects, time patterns, and the areas in the county that were targets, we need you to share this link with anyone who has been a theft victim of these types of items. Owners should claim their property even if they do not want the items back.
Please visit www.helpidproperty.com to view photos and to access online claim forms. The process only takes a few minutes. We invite all Washington County residents to view these photos.
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Community News  Released Inmate Involved in Shooting in Under an Hour
On October 28, two males drove by in a vehicle and fired a gun toward two people outside the Community Corrections Center (across from the Sheriff's Office). Deputies quickly matched the suspect description to an inmate released from the jail less than an hour earlier. The suspect was taken into custody and charged with two counts each of Unauthorized Use of a Weapon, Menacing, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person. Additional charges are under consideration. Fatal Crash on Farmington Road in Aloha On November 1, just after midnight, deputies were dispatched to a rollover crash at SW Farmington Road at SW Riggs Road. A Honda Civic left the roadway, striking a dirt embankment, rolling several times and landed on all four tires. The driver was fatally injured and his passenger was transported to a local hospital. It appears alcohol was a factor in the crash. Press release. No Such Thing as a "Routine Traffic Stop" #1 - Metzger At 8:00 pm on October 18, Tigard police responded to a restaurant robbery off Highway 99. The victim reported a male suspect whom displayed a handgun and knife and took several thousand dollars in $20 bills.
About midnight that evening, a deputy stopped a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Metzger for a traffic violation. He noted a black airsoft gun on the passenger seat. The driver was arrested for driving on a suspended license and was taken to jail, where all his property was inventoried and put into storage. He had $2,000 in cash on him - most of it in $20 bills. His car was also impounded, and when deputies inventoried the personal property inside, they found 10 ounces of meth and a bandana which matched the Tigard robbery suspect. To review, that's Driving While Suspended, Possession and Delivery of Meth, and potentially, Robbery. Not bad for a traffic stop.
No Such Thing as a "Routine Traffic Stop" #2 - from Beaverton to Buxton A deputy tried to stop a vehicle on NW Cornell Road on October 17; he ran the plate and learned it was a stolen vehicle. The driver failed to stop and continued onto Highway 26 westbound, reaching speeds over 100 mph. The driver crashed at milepost 44 and all airbags deployed. The passenger reached inside and pulled the driver out the passenger side window. The driver was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Unauthorized Entry into a Motor Vehicle, Attempt to Elude Police, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Possession of Heroin, and Criminal Mischief II. The passenger was charged with similar crimes, except he was in Possession of Meth and Heroin.
More Sheriff's Office Media Releases
11/02/14 - Raleigh Hills Homicide Investigation
10/29/14 - Woman Befriends People and Steals Their Money
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Because We're Neighbors
Updates from Your Crime Prevention Team
 This link to Crime Reports automatically opens with a view of all requests for police service (except traffic) in unincorporated Washington County during the last 30 days. - Click on this link
- Enter your address to view your area
- If you live in Banks, Cornelius or Gaston, type in your city in this format "Cornelius, OR"
- Click on map markers to view call details
- Use the Advanced Search to change time periods, add traffic data, etc.
Keep in mind, these are requests for police service, not confirmed crimes.
Visit the Sheriff's Community Calendar for seasonal celebrations, FREE Training, and safety events.
Ask Your Question |
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Hey Everyone - Lights on Please! 
With darker days and foggy mornings, many drivers are forgetting to turn on their headlights.
Most people remember lights help them see the road in the dark, but they also make your vehicle highly visible to others.
Please turn them on whenever visibility is limited, and check to confirm all your lights are working. |
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Dumb Crook
This month's Dumb Crook drank some beer, sang karaoke, then wanted to play some video poker. He went to a nearby deli, but it was closing. So what did he decide to do? Well, how about if he puts on a
 disguise - his work mask - and sneaks up and attacks the employee with some type of object, leaving her badly beaten and bloody. Then, as he went inside, video surveillance recorded him casing the business, slowing to admire the cash register . . . no wait, scratch-it lottery tickets!
Excited with his treasures, he ran off, dropping stuff along the way, including his fingerprints. When being interviewed a few days later, investigators asked what he used for a weapon. Oh, it was this - a lucky metal socket still in his pocket . . . (the one with blood on it).
At least he had the excitement of WINNING $300 on scratch-it tickets . . . but then, they were reported stolen and not redeemable. Good news for cops, his fingerprints matched those found at a local bank robbery, so our crook will likely spend time behind bars, instead of in them.
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This Month's "Most Wanted"
The following people are wanted for committing crimes. Do not approach them. If you see them or have information to share with law enforcement, please call the Sheriff's 24-Hour Records Office at (503) 846-2700 or non-emergency dispatch at (503) 629-0111.
For more details on the crimes they committed or their physical description, click on any photo to visit:
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