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MCSO eNewsletter
and Public Safety Agency
Summer 2016
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Sheriff's Message
The below text is taken from Sheriff Reese's address following his swearing in as the 40th Sheriff of Multnomah County.
I'm grateful to have the opportunity to serve as the Sheriff of Multnomah County and thank all of you for your support at this challenging time in public safety.
I have to say that when I put on this uniform a few weeks ago, it made me feel like a young deputy sheriff all over again. As many of you know, I started my law enforcement career with the Multnomah County Sheriff s Office back when dinosaurs roamed the earth in 1989. Prior to that I served as the Director of the Lents Boys and Girls Club, right after graduating from Portland State University. My journey here, 25 years in law enforcement and both paid and volunteer work with non-profits, has prepared me well for this new challenge.
Now back when I began my law enforcement career, Multnomah County and the City of Portland had some serious crime problems. Gang violence plagued inner city neighborhoods in North and Northeast Portland, drug houses destroyed the livability of our community, and violent crime was nearing an all-time high. Working with concerned neighbors, we reduced crime to historic lows and we now have a relatively safe community.
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| Sheriff Michael Reese swearing in by
Multnomah County Presiding Judge Nan Waller |
But it doesn't feel that way to everyone. In some neighborhoods crime is up. Way up. Gang and gun violence take the lives of too many young people. Homelessness and mental health issues are complex and challenging public health and safety problems that people call upon the police and corrections to solve. And while we have adapted to these new challenges, we have missed the mark in some pretty important ways.
Let me give you a couple examples of where we could have done better. During the 1980s and 1990s in response to violent crime, we trained our officers to fear the unknown. This meant that every situation and everyone was a potential threat. Officers were taught to assume the worst possible outcome. We also taught, command and control. Zero tolerance missions were widely adopted meaning everyone gets a ticket or a trip to jail, drug free zones excluded people from certain neighborhoods without due process, and traffic enforcement in high crime neighborhoods designed to stop and search every vehicle or person.
Are these tactics effective in reducing crime? They can be. Did they leave some community members feeling targeted and under siege? Absolutely, particularly communities of color. Here's what I'm promising you and our community that I will do as Sheriff, and what we will focus on at the Sheriff's Office.
First and foremost, we have to treat everyone with dignity and respect. It means listening to people and taking the time to explain why we're taking whatever action we are engaged in. It means training our officers and deputies to be confident and safe, while using better communication skills to connect with people. To create legitimacy for the work we do, we must first create and develop trust with the community we serve. Gaining trust requires that people believe what we are doing is right and just. Building trust also means reaching out to the community, especially those who have lost faith in the criminal justice system, as we develop and adopt new tactics to reduce crime and the fear of crime.
While serving as the Portland Chief of Police, I met with one of our critics to discuss the police response to people experiencing a mental health crisis. During meetings she had been very critical of our approach and I wanted to understand why. Working to find common ground with our critics allowed me to gain a new perspective on our Crisis Intervention Training.
With this new insight and understanding, we created an Enhanced CIT program with volunteer officers, a new behavioral Health Unit to partner police officers and mental health professionals, and a citizen's advisory board to help train and guide our response to people in crisis.
The lesson for me was that we need to listen, especially to our critics. In our detention facilities, we're going to work with our social service partners and public safety professionals to keep our community safe by breaking the cycle of recidivism, especially when it involves addiction and mental illness.
A few weeks ago, I was at the booking facility at MCDC with Chief Deputy Mike Shults. We looked in on a prisoner who was in an isolation cell. He was obviously mentally ill and the staff were letting him calm down before attempting to process him, so that they wouldn't have to use force. He was in custody because he had been running down a busy city street naked in the middle of the day. He had just been released from a hospital, where it was determined he wasn't a danger to self or others. He was arrested for disorderly conduct and brought to our jail.
This isn't a humane and compassionate response to people in crisis. I don't blame the police or the corrections system. This is a failure of our health care system to effectively treat a growing problem. In Multnomah County, we need to stop housing the mentally ill in detention facilities because they've committed low level offenses and the police have nowhere else to take them.
While the much anticipated opening of the Unity Center should help with this problem, we also need to increase the number of health care professionals in our detention facilities, create policies that guide staff on diverting the mentally ill to other options, and provide improved crisis training to our corrections deputies.
As an organization, we will be unflinching in our review of data so our team and the public can see how well we are doing. Transparency and accountability are the core values that will guide the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. We have to be willing to hold ourselves accountable if we are to be trusted to hold others accountable.
We all know our criminal justice system isn't always fair or impartial. We've had recent reports that indicate troubling racial disparities. We're committed to change but it's not easy. The issues surrounding disparity include poverty, education, employment and implicit racial bias to name a few. The criminal justice system is too often the end result of a long list of societal failures and personal choices.
However, I'm proud to work with other committed professionals such as DA Rod Underhill, Judge Nan Waller, DCJ Director Scott Taylor, LPSSC Abby Stamp, Metropolitan Public Defender Lane Borg, Victims Advocate Meg Gavin, CODA CEO Tim Hartnett, Citizens Crime Commission member David VanSpeybroeck and our new Portland Police Chief Mike Marshman who are committed to building a criminal justice system that addresses past inequities and invests resources into long term solutions like diverting low-level drug offenders to treatment instead of jail.
We also have our County Chair Deborah Kafoury, and County Commissioners Diane McKeel, Loretta Smith, Jules Bailey and Judy Shiprack as partners in this effort. It's hard work. However, we are making progress in giving people a second chance while keeping our community safe.
In closing I want to share with you how genuinely excited I am for this opportunity. I feel fortunate to work in public safety, serving and protecting a community I care deeply about. I grew up in Portland and my wife and I have raised our family here. I want my children to raise their families here too...
At the Sheriff s Office I have the opportunity to work with great people, committed to public service. They have the personal courage to do what is right and just regardless of the very real personal and professional risk they face every day. We owe a debt of gratitude to our deputy sheriffs and corrections deputies for the difficult and dangerous work they do every day.
As your Sheriff, I will do my very best to lead this agency through the difficult challenges ahead and to provide exceptional service to the citizens of Multnomah County.
Now let's get to work!
Sheriff Reese also delivered a video message to all MCSO staff shortly after his swearing in, you can view this video by clicking here, or by going to our MCSO YouTube channel.
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Multnomah County Sheriff's Office
Summer Event Participation
Multnomah County Sheriff's Office personnel were in attendance at several Community events this summer including the Good in the Neighborhood, Pride NW Festival, City of Wood Village Nite Out, Corbett Nite Out, Bite of East County, Troutdale Summerfest and First Friday in Troutdale and several smaller events throughout Multnomah County.
At the Wood Village Nite Out and Corbett Nite Out, MCSO SWAT teams were on hand to provide a demonstration and Deputy Weber and his Patrol K9 Ranger displayed their tactical prowess. MCSO Search and Rescue volunteer members talked with attendees about the role they play as part of the Sheriff's Office and about opportunities to become involved with MCSO SAR. The MCSO Training Unit set up their popular shoot/don't shoot simulations at the Wood Village Nite Out and attendees were again able to participate and become the "deputy" within a simulated scenario. MCSO River Patrol brought out some of the equipment they use on Metro waterways to provide enforcement and services to boaters on the water. An MCSO branded booth which debuted at First Friday in Troutdale was also on display at the events and MCSO staff were on hand to answer questions and talk with community members about the Sheriff's Office.
MCSO participates in many community events throughout the year and strives to be accessible and interact with community members on a regular basis. Events such as the ones above and many others deputies stop in and say hello at are a very active and integral part of the Sheriff's Office dedication to community policing and being involved in the communities we serve.
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Rianna Day at DPSST
On Thursday July 28, 2016, DPSST Class #359 hosted Rianna Riegelmann, age 7, of Silverton, OR for a Law Enforcement day experience at the DPSST Academy. Rianna has been undergoing treatment for AML Leukemia and became friends with MCSO Deputy Nick Bohrer, who is also a volunteer with the Children's Cancer Association as a Chemo Pals mentor. Deputy Bohrer was introduced to Rianna through another staff member and visited Rianna at Doernbecher Children's Hospital regularly as she received chemotherapy treatments.
Deputy Bohrer introduced the Riegelmann family to Forest Grove recruit officer Austin Adams who presented the idea of his Academy class hosting Rianna for a visit to DPSST for a day of fun with law enforcement and emergency personnel. The Basic Police Academy class assisted as Rianna participated in a variety of Law enforcement demonstrations and interactive experiences designed especially for her visit. In addition, Lifeflight stopped by for a show and tell with Rianna!
Rianna enjoyed lunch in between her activities with the entire Law Enforcement Academy class sponsoring her visit and finished up her day observing con-sim training on the Range 3000 simulated firing range.
On Friday, July 27, 2016, Rianna continued her adventure with a trip to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office where she was sworn in by the Sheriff and invited along on a River Patrol boat ride with MCSO River Patrol on the Willamette. Fortunately, it was great weather for a boat ride!
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Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Inverness Jail day shift
supporting Red Nose Day 2016 in style!
Money raised during Red Nose Day benefits the Red Nose Day Fund, which supports charities with domestic and international reach aimed at fighting childhood poverty.
Half of the money distributed by Red Nose Day 2016 will be spent right here in the U.S. The other half will be spent in some of the poorest communities in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. All money raised supports projects that ensure kids are safe, healthy, and educated.
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Hansen Building Closure and relocation
The Hansen Building, located at Northeast 122nd Avenue and Glisan Street in Portland, was originally built as a county health clinic in 1956. The building was designed to be used by medical staff and patients until the clinic moved to the McCoy building in downtown Portland. In 1976, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office moved into the Hansen Building as a temporary location until a permanent facility could be built.
Forty years later, the Hansen building's next chapter was announced on June 20, 2016 as staff learned the building would transition to a homeless shelter by July 22, 2016. Most of the staff would be relocated to Portland Police Bureau's SE Precinct location as part of the transition and everyone needed to be out of the building by July 15, 2016. Thus began the monumental process of cleaning out fifty years of accumulated files, memorabilia, historical documents and equipment in a little under three weeks.
Both the City of Portland and Multnomah County had been working together to identify under used buildings/facilities, in their respective agencies, for the purpose of providing housing to our homeless citizens. This need was a result of diminishing options in the area of current spaces available elsewhere. Two potential sites were identified (PPB SE Precinct and the Hansen Building). After an analysis of the two sites it was determined the Hansen Building layout, location and logistics better suits the needs of the intended purpose of housing for our homeless citizens. The areas vacant in SE Precinct would accommodate the large majority of the operations from the Hansen Building and the decision was made.
MCSO units and functions moved to the PPB SE precinct location (4747 East Burnside St) included: SIU, WST, Civil Uniform, Civil Civilian, Cold Case Detectives, SAR, Word processing, Logistics, CHL, Alarms, and IT. Building C along with a small contingent of MCSO employees still occupy a small portion of the basement of the building but everyone else was moved as part of the relocation. The move is intended as a temporary site as efforts continue to move forward in relocating remaining functions of the Hansen Building to East Multnomah County. The HB Relocation project is currently in phase II of a three phase process with a goal date of 2019 for completion.
All MCSO staff worked tirelessly to complete the transition and move as seamlessly as possible for the public and maintain services as much as possible. Short-term closures were unavoidable during the move but the public was still able to complete most business at a satellite location in the downtown courthouse. During the course of the move, thousands of case files, documents and several moving van loads of furniture and equipment were moved from the Hansen Building to the new temporary home of the Sheriff's Office. Several items of historical significance discovered during the clean-up and move were turned over to county archivists for storage until a new permanent location is established and items can be brought back for display.
On July 15, 2016 several retired Sheriff's Office employees, including former Sheriff Bob Skipper, who had worked at the Hansen Building along with remaining staff at the building gathered on the front footsteps for a final picture in front of the Sheriff's Office Hansen Building. As we say goodbye to the "temporary" home of the Sheriff's Office, staff look forward to the day a new location is finalized and the Sheriff's Office finds its new permanent home.
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30th Anniversary Law Enforcement Torch Run
On Friday July 8, 2016 the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office joined together with other metro area law enforcement agencies to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Law Enforcement Torch Run. The Torch Run kicked off at 10:00 a.m. from Lake Oswego High School and ran a special anniversary course to Cook Park in Tigard, OR. Law enforcement runners joined Special Olympics Oregon athletes and coaches as they escorted the LETR Torch as it continued its journey to the Special Olympics Oregon State Games in McMinnville, OR. Over 300 runners participated in this year's run.
A celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Torch Run took place after the run at Cook Park. A barbecue sponsored by Plaid Pantry and a number of other local metro area businesses provided lunch to participants after the run was completed. Agencies that participated in this stage of the Torch run included the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Washington County Sheriff's office, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, Portland Police Bureau, Milwaukie Police Bureau, Gresham Police Department, ICE, Multnomah County Department of Co mmunity Justice, FBI and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) represents a long-standing tradition within the Special Olympics family. During the week of July 7-12, several hundred law enforcement volunteers (Guardians of the Flame) and Special Olympics Oregon athletes relay the Flame of Hope to Summer State Games, their destination being the Games Ceremonies at Newberg High School Stadium.
The Torch Run culminates on Saturday July 9, 2016 LETR officials will convene for the final Torch procession. Led by more than 100 law enforcement officers; athletes and their coaches will parade into the Newberg High School stadium for Games Ceremonies at 7:30 p.m. At the close of ceremonies, a torch bearer and Special Olympics Oregon athlete will escort the Torch around the stadium and light the cauldron.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run began in Wichita, Kansas, in 1981 when Police Chief Richard LaMunyon saw a need to raise awareness of and funds for Special Olympics. He conceived the idea of the Torch Run as a way to involve local law enforcement with Special Olympics and local communities by running the torch in intra-state relays that converge at Summer Games. Now a global event, all 50 states and more than 30 foreign countries participate in Law Enforcement Torch Run. In Oregon, more than 1,500 law enforcement personnel from federal, military, state, county, and local agencies participate in the year-round Torch Run campaign. In 2015 Oregon LETR raised over $600,000 for Special Olympics Oregon!!
MCSO would like to thank the following for their support of MCSO's participation in the anniversary leg of the Torch Run. These include the Skyland Pub, Aramark and the Multnomah County Deputy Sheriff's Association.
About Special Olympics Oregon:
Special Olympics Oregon serves more than 13,000 participants with intellectual disabilities, the largest disability population in the state, year-round through the organization's signature sports programs. Athletes gain self-confidence, social competency and other life skills. They develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. For more info please visit www.soor.org.
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Kidney Kids Camp
MCSO received an invitation to return to the NW Kidney Kids Camp in Turner, Oregon on August 7th, 2016 and visit with the children and families attending the three day camp hosted by NW Kidney Kids. MCSO Deputies spent the morning interacting with the children, providing demonstrations and safety talks and going through a show and tell with some of the tools deputies use in the course of their duties. The MCSO visit occurs on the last morning of the camp which provides an opportunity for children suffering from kidney disease and their families to enjoy a weekend involved in a variety of fun activities designed especially for them and their families.
The Sheriff's Office provided vehicles and staff from a variety of units within the agency to give the families attending the camp a hands on opportunity to learn about the Sheriff's Office and have a fun, positive interactive experience with the MCSO staff participating.
The children and their families were able to tour and check out equipment on the dive team response vehicle, get up close with the MCSO River Patrol jet skis, and a patrol car. Sgt. Bryan White presented a summer safety class to the kids as part of the morning activities and MCSO K9 Deputy Todd Weber and his partner "Ranger" also proved a big hit with the kids as he provided a K9 demonstration. Everyone was also able to watch Ranger as he chased down a volunteer "suspect" and made his capture at the end of the demonstration. Afterwards, the kids were able to say hello to Ranger and talk with the K9 deputy.
Family NW Kidney Kids Camp is for children with chronic kidney disease (either on dialysis or having had a transplant) and their family members. Family Kidney Camp addresses the unmet need of providing no-cost education and emotional support services to children with kidney disease and their family members. For many families, Kidney Camp is their only opportunity to connect with other children having a similar experience and access education specific to kidney disease. Participants receive support and information from professionals who understand the challenges associated with kidney disease and both children and parents offer meaningful support to one another. This is especially important to children who are new to kidney disease.
More information regarding NW Kidney Kids and the amazing work they do can be found at their website, nwkidneykids.org.
The Sheriff's Office was happy to be able to support a very worthwhile event and provide a fun, interactive experience for the kids last morning at the camp.
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Law Enforcement Torch Run Plane Pull 2016
On Saturday August 6, 2016 at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, OR. MCSO participated in the Special Olympics Oregon Annual Plane Pull. The event in its second year, brought together over 200 athletes from Law Enforcement agencies, state Department of Corrections and CrossFit facilities to compete in the plane pull event to help fundraise and support Special Olympics Oregon.
Each plane pull team is made up of six competitors as they try to tow a 35,000 pound plane from a stop and pull it forward twenty feet past the finish line as fast as possible using a tow rope tied to the front of the plane. The sun was glaring down on competitors as each team struggled to pull the plane forward across the finish line. MCSO's team competed hard and at the end of the day, their team finished in sixth place.
As part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) series which includes not only the Torch Run, but Tip-A-Cop and Polar Plunge brings together law enforcement agencies to help support Special Olympics Oregon. In 2015, LETR events raised more than $600,000 for Special Olympics Oregon and included more than 1,500 law enforcement participants.
The 2nd Annual Plane Pull raised over $8,700 for Special Olympics Oregon.
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MCSO participated in the 4th annual Wounded Warrior Softball Tournament held August 20th at the Tualatin Hills Recreation Center in Beaverton OR.
MCSO has fielded a team every year of the event. Despite the extreme heat MCSO Corrections showed up to represent the agency and support this worthy cause. MCSO was the only agency willing to beat the heat as the three other agencies scheduled to play cancelled. The Patriots, a 14-18 year old traveling softball team from the Vancouver, WA area team joined us as we competed in a doubleheader with them. MCSO won both games, capturing the trophy.
Both teams enjoyed the friendly competition and everyone who attended and participated had a great time supporting the Wounded Warrior Project.
Players included:
Sgt Stephen Reardon
Sgt Brandon Pedro
Dep Stefan Streight
Dep Geoffery Williams Jr.
Dep Tamara Levi
Dep Robert Bovey
Dep Jordan Bailiff
Dep Joseph Sullivan
Dep Scott Ruehrdanz
Joseph Hart
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Sustainable Jail Project Update
The Sustainable Jail Project (SJP) has enjoyed another successful growing season at the Inverness Jail garden and continues to make strides in meeting goals and objectives established by the SJP plan. Since the Inmate jail garden was established in June of 2013 over 3,000 lbs of organically grown beets, carrots, cabbage, broccoli and other vegetables have been harvested. Over a thousand pounds of produce have been produced so far in the 2016 growing season. All of the produce has been donated to the Oregon Food Bank.
A job readiness lab opened at the Inverness Jail and now provides a computer lab for in custody offenders. The job lab utilizes a "Road to Success" curriculum to provide employment skills training. A GED test prep program is also available through the job readiness lab.
MCSO continues to work with the Sustainable Prison Project (SPP) Network and is participating in the network to promote and enhance sustainability practices in prisons and jails across the nation. This year the SPP Network new website (network.sustainabilityinprisons.org) highlights efforts from network partners, including MCSO.
One of the SPP Network components is to bring nature elements/imagery inside the jail facilities. MCSO continues to add additional nature imagery when appropriate and recently added nature imagery to the job lab after it opened at MCIJ. The SJP team added a large format nature imagery poster to the lab wall to help create an atmosphere that is more conducive to learning, inmates who were surveyed reported feeling more relaxed because of the nature imagery.
A Treatment Readiness Dorm opened at the Inverness Jail in May of 2016 to provide drug and alcohol treatment to offenders who are required to enroll at rehab upon their release understand how substances have negatively affected their lives. The hope is treatment while in custody will help prepare them for continuation of treatment upon release and the person will be ready to make positive changes and be ready to get clean.
As part of a pilot project the MCSO Sustainability team worked with Multnomah County Facilities and the County Office of Sustainability, to install nature panels and additional sound dampening panels along the borders of the dorm to encourage positive thinking and help with acoustic reduction and stress reduction in the dorm. One Treatment Readiness Counselor stated "The installation is great, I plan to use this in my upcoming therapy class as ways offenders can use these images to help meditate and visualize with an image when they are stressed." Surveys of inmates living in the dorm after the panel installation was completed indicated feeling calmer and the images were a good addition to the dorm. Staff also gave generally positive reviews and liked the addition to the dorm. One staff member said it really broke up the sterile jail environment of the facility. Several staff and inmates have asked if other dorms would receive the panels in the future. As this is a pilot project, that decision has not been made yet, but initial reviews have been good!
The mission of the Sustainable Jails Project is to provide excellent stewardship of public funds by saving money, conserving natural resources, and reducing recidivism rates by incorporating informed, sustainable decision-making and practices into Multnomah County jail facilities, operations, and programming. Since the launch of the Sustainable Jail Project (SJP) in April 2012 the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) leadership and Sustainability Team have worked to make that mission into a reality.
The SJP plan originally published in 2012, set out several objectives and strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of MCSO jails and provided target goals for meeting reductions in energy and waste reduction.
Water use reduction targets for 2015 were met in 2014, ahead of schedule. Water use has decreased 18% from the 2010 baseline year. Much of the savings can be attributed to the implementation of the AquaRecycle system in the Inverness Jail laundry facility. A recently approved ESCO (Energy Services Company) project, a comprehensive water saving project to modernize plumbing fixtures used by staff and inmates at Inverness Jail, is projected to meet or exceed the 2030 goals for water reduction once fully completed.
Total waste generation has decreased 10% over the FY 2010 baseline year and MCSO achieved the FY 2015 goal for waste reduction. The diversion rate has increased 10% since 2011. Efforts to increase recycling and composting rates continue as we strive to achieve the SJP diversion rate goal.
Electricity use at MCSO Jails is down 6% and natural gas use has decreased 12% from the 2010 baseline year. Overall energy use, natural gas and electricity combined, has decreased 9% measured as BTUs. Although the 2015 goal has not yet been met, we anticipate that the implementation of lighting projects will surpass the goal. The jail population has remained stable between FY 2010 and FY 2015.
In 2015, Multnomah County and the City of Portland updated their joint Climate Action Plan. The plan charts a path toward greenhouse gas reductions of 40% by 2030. MCSO is a partner in the 2015 Climate Action Plan through the implementation of the SJP plan.
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MCSO Memorial rededicated at Troutdale Police Community Center
The Sheriff's Office memorial located at the Hansen Building was relocated to the Troutdale Police Community Center, home of the Sheriff's Office Patrol Division, Law Enforcement Command and Detectives after the Hansen Building was vacated by the Sheriff's Office staff. The memorial was dedicated at its new location on August 31, 2016 by MCSO Sheriff Mike Reese and MCSO staff. Fallen Reserve Deputy Mark Whitehead's father looked on as the ceremony was conducted.
Sheriff Reese talked about the history of the memorial and the marble stone it was created from. Originally designated to be part of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. it was donated to the Sheriff's Office for the creation of the MCSO Memorial. They plaque mounted on the marble lists the names of those who have sacrificed their lives while serving the citizens of Multnomah County. MCSO Chief Deputy Tim Moore read off the names of each of MCSO's fallen deputies. MCSO Honor Guard Sgt. Bryan White, laid flowers at the base of the memorial and Chaplain Stelle led the group in prayer as we remembered those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in their service.
The MCSO Memorial will be temporarily located at the Troutdale Police Community Center until the new MCSO Sheriff's Office building is sited and built in east Multnomah County.
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Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue recruiting volunteers for Search and Rescue program
No experience required! The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office will begin enrollment this week in its annual Search and Rescue (SAR) program - open to those interested in volunteering their time. An orientation meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016 and again on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at Menlo Park School located at 129000 N.E. Glisan St. Portland, OR 97230.
Those who enroll in the SAR training program will become members of the MCSOSAR tradition, becoming members of an active search and rescue team that is regularly called to find the lost and care for the injured in the Columbia River Gorge, throughout Multnomah County, and around the state of Oregon. The program will accept volunteers over the age of 14, in good health, who are able to pass a background check. Middle and high school students must be making sufficient progress toward their diploma.
The 9-month program offers training and experience in current search and rescue techniques and culminates in Oregon State Search and Rescue certification. After the first month of training, new members will be able to participate in some searches. After just a few months, they can participate in all search types.
Key elements of SAR training include search techniques; wilderness awareness; outdoor survival skills; evidence identification and crime scene preservation; land navigation using GPS, map and compass; medical assessment and first aid.
This program is unique in that it is specifically youth oriented and provides an opportunity for those under 18 to hold leadership positions within the unit. All ages work side by side during training, missions, and events.
Those interested in joining are encouraged to attend either of the orientation nights. Questions can be emailed to info@mcsosar.org or check out our website at www.mcsosar.org for more information.
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