Sheriff's Office News
 
A Letter to Our Community


Good Day Washington County Residents,

This month, I have a special request; I ask for your support and rely on your resilience.

Since the national elections, I have heard from many community members in Washington County who feel vulnerable. The demonstrations that interrupt traffic, the school walk-outs, and the media coverage can be overwhelming to some. The community concerns are not limited to minority residents, the elderly, or our youth - the effects reverberate through the community as a whole.

Now is the time to show our support for all the diverse communities of Washington County. I ask you to join me in speaking out against harmful actions or words that promote prejudice. Go out of your way to share a smile, say hello, or show concern to all members of our community.

If you feel vulnerable or fearful, rest assured our deputies are doing all they can to conserve the peace and help people feel safe throughout our county. We will continue to take time to invest in trusting relationships we have with our multiple, wonderful communities. We are stronger when we work together and there is little we cannot solve or overcome.

Please do not hesitate to report any crimes via 9-1-1 or non-emergency dispatch at (503) 629-0111.


Many thanks,

Sheriff Pat Garrett
Do You Have One Warm Coat to Spare?

Brrrrrr . . . as the temperatures drop and the winter season finds its way here, many people in our community will need coats to keep warm. Do you have one warm coat to spare?

Between now and December 2, we ask you to search your closets and donate clean, gently used coats and jackets of all sizes at any of the following locations:

Any day, 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sheriff's Office Headquarters, Hillsboro

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
Sheriff's East Precinct, Beaverton
Cornelius Police Department, Cornelius
Public Services Building, Hillsboro
Land Use and Transportation, Hillsboro

Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sheriff's Bethany Precinct

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Banks City Hall, Banks

All donated coats will be given to Foster Closet, who will distribute them at no cost to foster children and foster families. Thank you for spreading the warmth by supporting the One Warm Coat project!  Details.
Free Dinner and Cold Weather Shelters

Community Dinner in Cornelius, November 19
Your Sheriff's Office and Centro Cultural of Washington County are joining several community partners in offering a free, hot meal for members of our community who are in need. Dinner will be served Saturday, November 19, from 5 - 8 p.m. at Cornelius Grade School. All ages are welcome. Thank you to our local churches, businesses, and community members for their generosity in making this event possible. Read more about this event.

Help Someone Find Holiday or Meal Assistance
To help someone in need find holiday assistance programs, home-delivered meals, or shelters, consider visiting 211info or simply dial 2-1-1, toll free, 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 our county. With temperatures dropping, helping people find shelters near them will be important. 
Increase in Coyote Sightings Around Our County

Local Dispatch has been receiving many calls in recent days regarding coyote sightings all over our county, including urban areas. While a coyote sighting in your local neighborhood can be alarming, deputies are asking the public to refrain from calling 9-1-1 and tying up emergency resources in order to report a sighting.

Most of the time, coyotes are considered to be more of a nuisance than actually a threat. They are by nature wary of humans. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife provides some suggestions for the public to minimize the potential for conflicts with coyotes:
  • Do not leave small children unattended outdoors if coyotes have been frequenting the area
  • Feed pets indoors and do not leave pet food or water bowls outside
  • Supervise pets when they are outside
  • Do not leave cats or small dogs out after dark
  • Secure garbage and garbage cans in an area inaccessible to wild animals
  • Trim and clear vegetation that provides cover for coyotes and their prey
  • Clean barbecue grills regularly
If you observe coyotes in the daytime that show no fear of humans, or if a coyote attacks a person, please do not hesitate to call 9-1-1. You may also report it to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at (503) 947-6000 or 1-800-720-ODFW. Additional information can be found at the ODFW website.  Read the Press Release.
Telephone Scams Continue to Plague Residents

There have been many complaints recently from the public receiving fraudulent calls from scammers. The fraudulent caller is telling people they missed jury duty and need to pay a fine in order to avoid an arrest warrant.

The caller identifies himself as either a Washington County Sheriff's deputy or more specifically, "Lieutenant Troy Stevens, Court Investigator from the Washington County Sheriff's Office."

Some people reported that if they missed the call, the person would leave a message for them to call back at a 503 area code phone number. 

The Washington County Sheriff's Office will never call demanding money for any reason. If someone calls and attempts to convince you there is a warrant for your arrest, you missed jury duty, or have unpaid fees, please call dispatch immediately at (503) 629-0111.

Please, never send money, in any form, to someone you do not personally know or if you did not initiate it. These requests are a scam and the goal is to cheat you out of your money.

Investigators are seeking the public's help regarding similar cases. Please contact us through dispatch at (503) 629-0111 if you are a victim of these suspicious phone solicitations.

Learn more about these scams.
What should you do if you are a victim?
Read the Press Release.

COMMUNITY NEWS
Sheriff's Media Releases





Bandit Paints Himself Orange!
11/08/16 - Deputies responded to an afternoon bank robbery on TV Highway in Aloha. A man handed a bank teller a note demanding cash, and the teller was able to slip a tracking device in the envelope the suspect took. The envelope was later located, with some money left in it, off SW Alexander Street in Aloha. A dog track was attempted but was unsuccessful.

A Sheriff's detective believes this same suspect robbed a bank in Gresham earlier that morning. The suspect is described as a thin, tall, white man wearing a blue and white long-sleeved shirt with khaki pants. Any visible skin on his body was painted orange, and his hair was painted silver. He possibly escaped in a dark blue Jeep Cherokee or Liberty with a roof rack. If you have any information, please call (503) 629-0111.


Late Night Foot Pursuit with a Felon
10/14/16 - At 10:52 p.m., a deputy stopped a male subject after witnessing him commit a pedestrian violation in Aloha. The man provided a fake name, fake date of birth, and became confrontational with deputies at the scene. He suddenly bolted from the parking lot and fled on foot, attempting to hide in a bush at a nearby motel. Deputies were trying to apprehend him but he was not compliant, so after he was tasered on the calf, he immediately complied. Medical personnel assessed the man, and he was determined to be okay.

Once the man was identified, he was confirmed to have a felony warrant on drug charges. He was arrested and lodged in the jail for Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Escape 3, Interfering with a Peace Officer, and a Failure to Appear Warrant for Possessing Methamphetamine. 


Local Road News

Read Washington County Roads to stay up-to-date on the latest road news.
Visit TripCheck for the latest road conditions.


Other News

Concealed Handgun License Holders Can Access Services Online

Apply, Schedule Appointments, Find Forms
Your Sheriff's Office is making it easier to apply and maintain your Concealed Handgun License online. This includes the ability to schedule, change, or cancel appointments.

In addition, downloadable application forms are available for all kinds of CHL transactions. We are here to serve you in person too, so if online is not your preference, always feel free to call us, Monday through Friday, at (503) 846-2761. Click here to apply online.


Where Can You Take a Class on Concealed Carry?
Oregon sheriffs are hosting an online Concealed Handgun License Course that meets all the Oregon educational requirements for handgun safety training to obtain your CHL. The course is divided into eight segments, so you can study at your own pace. You pay upon completion and then follow the application process outlined on your Sheriff's webpage. You can also return to refresh your knowledge at any time. Learn more.
No Shave November for Charity

This year, Sheriff Garrett has authorized staff to participate in No Shave November, a unique opportunity to raise funds to support cancer prevention, research, education, and evoke conversation about cancer awareness. Many at the Sheriff's Office are doing their part by letting their hair grow free and embracing what some cancer patients will lose during their battle.

As a friendly competition, we have created two teams:
This campaign supports programs at the American Cancer Society, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Each of the foundations listed are making great strides in fighting, researching, and preventing cancer.
 
We are just past our halfway point for the month. So far, Team 1 has raised $1,815 and Team 2 has raised $1,315, totaling $3,130. In comparison, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office has raised $3,835 so far.

Click the links above to check out each team's fundraiser page. Let's win this competition for a truly worthy cause! 

Sheriff's Office Court Security Staff Sports Their Best 'Staches!

*** May we add that the authors of Sheriff's Office News are part of Team 1, for your consideration.  :)
Where Have Deputies Been Working? 

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 your city in this format: "Banks, OR" 
  • Click on map markers to view call details
  • Use the Filter to change time periods, add traffic data, etc.
Crime Reports icon
Keep in mind - these are requests for police services, not confirmed crimes.
Crisis Negotiations Unit Earns Top Honors 

Last month, more than 150 law enforcement officers, corrections officers, and dispatch professionals from across the Pacific Northwest, including British Columbia, came together for a two-day crisis negotiation competition.

The competing teams endured two full days of training and scenarios which challenged the negotiators on their intelligence-gathering techniques, analysis of incidents, and strategizing plans.

At the conclusion of the competition, the Washington County Crisis Negotiations Unit (consisting of members from your Sheriff's Office, the FBI, and Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard Police) finished in a first place tie with the Portland Police Bureau!

The Portland Police Bureau has hosted this competition for the past three years, and this is the second year in a row the Washington County Crisis Negotiations Unit has shared the first place honors. The win qualifies the team to participate in a national competition next year in Texas.

The Washington County Crisis Negotiations Unit (known as "CNU") is quite proud to share this honor with Portland Police. As professional crisis negotiators, they all work tirelessly to come together in times of crisis to help resolve incidents in a safe and controlled manner.
Believe it or Not!
Late Night Cravings

A sergeant working graveyard shift was following a suspect vehicle that appeared to show signs of impaired driving. The suspect took off, and a pursuit was underway, until the suspect crashed into a tree in Hillsboro. The driver was an 18-year-old man who was friends with the daughter of the vehicle's owner. He took the vehicle without permission.

The suspect was contacted at the Washington County Jail by the sergeant. When asked why he took the vehicle without permission, he said it was because he was hungry and wanted some Taco Bell.

The man was lodged in jail for multiple charges, including Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Possessing a Stolen Vehicle.

The man will have to wait to get his chalupa-fix until he gets out of jail!

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 headlights also make your vehicle highly visible to others.

Please turn them on whenever visibility is limited, and check to confirm all your headlights are working.
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:

Sheriff's 24-Hour Criminal Records Office at (503) 846-2700, or 
Non-Emergency Dispatch at (503) 629-0111



Wanted flyers are online - click on a photo or visit:
 
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