opinion/announcements
Between the Lines: Public Safety, Now
By Randy Sanders
Friday afternoon, January 14,
2011 was the first police memorial I
ever attended and I hope it will be the
last. I did not know Rainier Police Chief
Ralph Painter, I just figured it was the
decent thing to do.
I was awe-struck at the
unshakable solidarity existing between
police organizations and taken a back
at how many arrived and how far they
traveled. KPTV in Portland reported
that the procession stretched nearly
20 miles. Police organizations from
McMinnville, Coos Bay, Seattle, Pierce
County Washington, Pace County
California and of course the Oregon
State Police were there, but also the
Chicago Police Department and the
Canadian Royal Mounted Police.
Numerous Fire Departments and rescue
organizations arrived to pay their
respects as well. The Portland Police
Bureau -- without question -- was
the most represented. They provided
logistics and heavy lifting so their
brethren in Columbia County -- where
Chief Painter lived and worked -- could
concentrate solely on the grieving
process and conduct a precision-sharp,
honorable and remarkable memorial
service, just like he deserved.
About the exact time his
memorial service was getting
underway, Lakewood, NJ police
officer Christopher Matlosz was shot
to death at point blank range, seconds
after conducting a routine, non-
threatening stop. The suspect scurried
into the woods. Just a few weeks
before, Montana State Trooper David
DeLaittre, 23, was discovered shot to
death in his patrol vehicle along the
roadside during a traffic stop. Days
later, in Ohio, County Sheriff’s Deputy
Suzanne Hopper was killed in a blaze
of gunfire while investigating gunshots
in a mobile home park.
As a kid, growing up in
Chicago, I always saw police officers
working in tandem with their partners.
But these days, city councils and
citizens who elect them no longer
support budgets for that. Its no wonder
police organizations stick together so
tightly, it appears that’s the only support
they have.
Officer Matlosz’s murder comes
on the heels of Newark’s decision to lay
off 150 police officers because of what
Mayor Corey Booker calls a “budget
gap.” Other cities in New Jersey like
Trenton, Jersey City and East Orange
have also laid off up to 167 officers
each.
Meanwhile in Oregon, recent
“budget gaps” have reduced State Patrol
making 24-hour coverage impossible.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s
Department have endured three failed
levy attempts in a row, thus reducing
patrol hours. What’s important to
understand is, these organizations not
only patrol highways and rural areas,
they also provide important backup
that’s vital for small forces like Rainier.
We all must assume some responsibility
when horrible things ensue after
we’ve voted against providing funds
necessary for our police to do their jobs
effectively. Without the tools and man
power, it makes our lives less safe and
puts theirs in dangerous and sometimes
fatal situations. Consider also the
profound stress that can weigh on the
officers who incorrectly shoulder blame
because they were unable to provide
backup due to manpower shortages.
Every contact a police officer makes can
turn into a dangerous and potentially
fatal situation.
My grandmother always said,
“God works in mysterious ways,” and
just maybe, Chief Ralph Painter’s death
can be our wake-up call. As we take a
Vernonia School District
47J Town Hall Meeting –
Educational Programs
Thursday, February 10, 2011 6:30-8 PM
The Vernonia School District
will be holding an Educational Town
Hall Meeting on Thursday, February 10
from 6:30-8 p.m. in the District cafeteria.
This Town Hall Meeting will be an
opportunity for parents and community
members to become more familiar with
the programs and projects staff are
working on with students to provide a
comprehensive, well-rounded, effective
education for students in Vernonia.
While planning is still underway,
the District is planning for a number of
breakout sessions, including updates on
the Vernonia Rural Sustainability Center;
the Title I reading programs at WGS,
our District-wide Positive Behavior
Intervention Support Program, Career
Education offerings, Scholarships
application information, and more.
During these sessions, information will
be provided by staff, but there will also
be ample opportunity for questions to be
asked and answered. People attending
the meeting will be able to move from
station to station, to learn more about the
topics that interest them the most.
Babysitting for children of
all ages, and activities for school age
children (K-12) will be provided by
District staff and Vernonia High School
leadership students. Coffee and tea will
also be served.
While there has been a great
deal of discussion about our new school
facilities, there has not been a great
deal of communication on the great
things that are happening in Vernonia’s
schools. This is a great opportunity for
parents and the community to find out
more information about the programs
that are in place to help our youth grow
and succeed.
We look forward to seeing you
there.
PUBLIC NOTICE
A 100-foot tower will be replaced by a
150-foot FCC licensed wireless commu-
nication tower to be constructed at 29350
NW Ridge Road, Buxton, Washington
County, Oregon. The FCC is seeking
public comment on the proposed project
as part of the review process by the Or-
egon State Historic Preservation Office.
Please respond within 30 days of this pub-
lication to: Adapt Engineering Inc., 10725
SW Barbur Blvd., Suite 350, Portland,
OR 97219 Attn: PR89
step back and recognize how toxic our
political differences have destroyed
our economy, we must also look at
what makes our community decent. We
have priorities that set us apart from
lawless and indecent societies. We are
not a Somali community of pirates,
we are not a pack of wolves; we are
compassionate and decent people. Our
priorities are: educating our children,
electing local government and training
police officers to provide law and order.
I’m sure there’s no debating
that the time is now, to properly fund
our County Sheriff’s Department,
it’s how we’ll provide those funds is
the challenge. It’s a tall order asking
struggling homeowners to foot the
bill as their home values plummet.
Therefore, I insist that we all contact
our county commissioners immediately
and urge all of them to work together
to design a package that will provide
the funding. They must agree-- today-
-to move this issue to the forefront of
their agendas. They cannot rest until
the Sheriff’s Department is properly
funded. You must contact them and
insist on their total commitment, now.
Tell them to put together a fair plan
that spreads the burden throughout
the community, not just on struggling
homeowners. And ask them when --
all three of them -- plan to announce
this publicly. Tell them to get creative,
tell them this could be the greatest and
most important work of their lives. Be
respectful, but encourage them that once
it passes, they can stand up proudly and
smile, knowing somewhere in God’s
great heaven, our hero Chief Painter is
smiling too.
january25
2011
3
Publisher and Managing Editor
Scott Laird
503-367-0098
scott@vernoniasvoice.com
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Randy Sanders
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