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A Message From Sheriff Jeff Dickerson |
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Saturday, 03 January 2009 12:10 |
It has been one year since I took office. We have seen many new opportunities to improve our service delivery come to fruition, in this short amount of time. But we also realize we have more to do as we continue to work toward the goal of being the public safety services provider of choice in every one of the services we provide in Columbia County.
Some of the our accomplishments this past year include: 01/2009
| Cutting our Overtime budget in half
| | 01/2009 | Establishment of VIPS - Volunteers in Partnership with the Sheriff
- Jan 10 – VIPS assists flood stricken Clatskanie area
- June – VIPS assists Rainier Graduation with parking lot duties
- July – VIPS assist with traffic control at summer fireworks celebrations in St. Helens and Rainier
- July - VIPS dispatched to assist with traffic control at multi-victim fatal crash on Highway 30 where highway was closed for hours
- Aug. 28/29 - VIPS conducts traffic and crowd control for HOOD to COAST
- Fall 2009 - H1N1 POD crowd control assistance
- Fall 2009 - Established Volunteer Call Center staffed completely by volunteers to render information services to citizens on calls for which no deputy is available.
| | 02/2009 | Personnel Complaint and Investigation manual developed (nothing in place prior) | | 03/2009 | CENT narcotics detective position re-established | 04/2009
| Reorganized leadership in the jail. Eliminated Rank of Corporal, placed sergeants over each shift in the jail. Named a jail commander after interviewing candidates from Oregon, California and Washington.
| 05/2009
| Renegotiated contract with ODFW to have the state fully fund the Law enforcement position on Sauvie Island (after underfunded agreement cost the county more than $50,000 per year)
| 06/2009
| Fought to reinstate general fund dollars cut from the budget after federal jail bed money was diverted away from Columbia County
| 06/2009
| Negotiated temporary pay reductions with organized labor to help balance the budget and save jobs
| 06/2009
| Negotiated extra part-time position with Marine Board to add additional Resources to patrol Columbia River in the spring and summer
| 07/2009
| Enhanced Sheriff’s presence at the Columbia County Fair. Sheriff’s Booth at the fair for first time in recent memory. Volunteers, Patrol, Corrections deputies all took part in the fair. Patrol and Corrections deputies were used to patrol the fair as they were available. SAR assisted with Child ID kits, and sponsored an appearance by the Portland Trail Blazer mascot during “Kid’s Day” at the fair.
| 08/2009
| Sheriff, Undersheriff, deputies, VIPS work in conjunction with MIST/BIRKENFELD FIRE and CRFR to produce large public safety response to HOOD TO COAST event. Praise from all quarters as traffic hazards and event problems mitigated and response reported to be the best yet for Columbia County.
| 09/2009
| Wrote application and obtained $457,000 Grant award from federal government to provide mental health services to inmates at the Columbia County Jail for two years.
| 11/2009
| New Impound forms cut administrative time in half on vehicles impounded by the CCSO
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We have had our share of adversity during this year, but also many times when our relationships with other agencies, our own extended family of Columbia County agencies, and the general public enabled us to provide the kind of service of which any agency would be proud.
Columbia County Sheriff's Deputies have worked hard throughout this past year provide safe, secure and humane conditions for more than 5400 individual bookings into our jail. That's an average of more than 14 custodies per day as we serve our constituency and our fellow law enforcement agencies: Scappoose, St. Helens, Vernonia, Rainier, Columbia City, and Clatskanie police departments, the Oregon State Police and our federal partners.
Our Enforcement Deputies have patrolled thousands of miles of Columbia County roadways in an effort to make the most of our limited staffing. We have responded to major crime events in North, South and West County locations. Our deputies have risked their own personal safety on several occasions -- either because the job required it or it was thrust upon them in an instant. We have made significant arrests and, often with the help of others, solved some very serious and/or prolific crimes. We have also been able to render assistance to others as our resources allow, including conducting unattended death investigations for the cities when they do not have a deputy medical examiner on duty and assisting on warrant sweeps and multi-agency teams.
As a minister of the court we have processed over 1,500 civil matters, including taking civil process to respondents throughout the county. We have also provided security to the courts with a small cadre of paid and volunteer deputies dedicated to this mandated service.
Every Search and Rescue event this past year, I am relieved to say, has ended on a positive note, with the target of our search returning safely into their loved ones' arms.
Our Volunteer base continues to grow and render incalculable support to our paid staff.
And our outreach into the community at fairs, parades, community events and training opportunities (such as our monthly VIPS training and our women's self-defense classes), are opening up new doors of relationship with those we serve.
As your sheriff, it has been my great honor to serve at the will of the people. Everything we do here is to serve the common good so that the peace is conserved and the rights of all are preserved. With your good will and our continued striving toward the goal, I trust 2010 will be a banner year for the Sheriff's Office.
We will continue to struggle with issues and tight budgets, but there is much that can be done with the resources we have, and I am dedicated to getting as much of it done as possible.
Here's hoping your 2010 is a great year for you and your loved ones!
Sincerely,
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Last Updated on Friday, 01 January 2010 19:24 |
