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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2020)
4 Wednesday, October 21, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Candidates vie for sheriff’s position By Jim Cornelius Editor in Chief Sheriff Shane Nelson is running for re-election, challenged by Bend Police Officer Scott Schaier. The November 3 elec- tion comes as the Deschutes County Sheriff9s Office has fully configured its comple- ment of Sisters-based depu- ties and placed Lt. Chad Davis in command at the Sisters substation under its revised contract with the City of Sisters (see related story, page 1). <We9re looking forward to the foot beat and the bike patrol in the City of Sisters,= Nelson told The Nugget. Allocating resources and enforcement efforts in Sisters will be a collabora- tive effort with City govern- ment. Strategic planning will set priorities for law enforce- ment in Sisters and the west- county area. <We listen to their voices (city officials and citizens) and also pay attention to the calls for service we have in that area,= Nelson said. Nelson was appointed to his position from within the DCSO by Deschutes County Commissioners in 2015 and was elected to the position 4 serving one of the fast- est-growing counties in the nation 4 in 2016. He is also leading the sheriff 9s office at a time when law enforcement is under an unprecedented level of scrutiny around issues of race and how it inter- acts with people in distress due to mental health issues. Nelson says he is obviously aware of that scrutiny, but he does not feel that local law enforcement is under pressure. <I don9t feel any pres- sure there,= he said. <I feel support to try different options.= He noted that, <Deputy sheriff9s are problem solv- ers= and that <not every occasion requires a uni- formed person.= He is supportive of efforts to integrate deputies9 response into a broader set of mental health services, including a mobile crisis unit with mental health pro- fessionals and the use of the new county stabilization center, which recently went to 24-hour operations. He noted that there is a behav- ioral health specialist on the job in the jail. <In some cases, it9s bet- ter (to have) medical or behavioral health response, better (to) hand off to more extended services.= He noted that people with mental health and behavioral issues can have a dispropor- tionate level of engagement with law enforcement until other services are accessed. He noted that recently one individual had 200 calls for service. Deputy Evan Kennedy worked to get the person linked up with ser- vices that could address the underlying problems. Nelson said DCSO and other local agencies have been developing <solutions outside the criminal justice system for several years.= Law enforcement profes- sionals themselves face chal- lenges to their well-being 4 physical, mental and emo- tional. Earlier this month, DCSO rolled out a <Health of the Force Initiative (see related story, page XX). <The law enforcement profession is stressful on our deputy sheriffs, and their families,= Nelson said in a release announcing the ini- tiative. <I work with great teammates. We want to do all we can to improve and take care of them and their families in order to ensure successful careers in provid- ing excellent public safety and customer service. This enhanced Health of the Force program will provide addi- tional tools and resources for deputies to care for their physical, mental, and spiri- tual well-being.= The initiative includes enriching of the existing peer support program, and enhancement of the current partnership with the Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplaincy. The Health of the Force Initiative institutes a voucher system for <no questions asked= behavioral health counseling; provides for a sleep study to measure the effects of shift work; and provides means of enhancing Call the Team at Sweeney Plumbing Family Owned • Local • Reliable • Professional 541-549-4349 260 N. Pine St., Sisters Licensed Bonded / Insured CCB#87587 physical fitness/wellness. Accountability of law enforcement is at the fore- front of many citizens9 concerns. Nelson told The Nugget that DCSO is testing body cams in combination with in-car cameras and will, at some point, require them agency-wide. <It will be Sheriff9s Office wide,= Nelson said. <And the Sisters deputies will be included in that.= Nelson9s opponent has stated that, if elected he will institute a position of Undersheriff for DCSO (see story, page 5). Nelson said that he will not change his current command structure, which he says is <working effectively.= <I have three captains who are second in com- mand,= he said. <They are all autonomous with their divi- sion. For me, right now, an Undersheriff position is not needed.= Sheriff Nelson told The Nugget that he continues to be committed to forging <strong relationships with the community (we) work for.= Priorities going for- ward include <keeping the illegal marijuana market at bay= and, in Sisters, mak- ing sure that quality of life is maintained even in the face of growth. PHOTO PROVIDED <Livability is our job,= he said. Nelson noted that home- lessness is a pressing issue countywide, including in Sisters, and an area the sher- iff9s office must continue to work on, in partnership with other agencies, nonprofits and providers. Getting more treatment beds to treat addic- tion is critical to addressing the issue, which he feels needs to be worked on <in more depth.= Despite the pressures of the times, Nelson said that he is buoyed by the spirit of the people coming in to serve in the sheriff9s office, as evidenced by members of a recent recruiting class with whom he talked. <They are all positive about law enforcement,= he said. <That was great input from our new team members.= The new recruits meet what Nelson considers a calling. <I believe in selfless pub- lic service,= he said.