.11 INK 16. 1978 PAGE 3
RIDE-ALONG PROGRAM
A RIDE WITH A COP
by Roger Stwyer
What is police work really
like?
Well, if you ever watched
“Adam-12” on television, you
would notice that our tribal
police seem to be different. The
television series shows only the
good parts of being a police
officer according to Vicki Still,
former juvenile officer and re
cently hired Tribal Court Coordi
nator and Investigator.
The
policemen in “real life” have
situations that are much more
difficult than depicted on TV.
To get a better view of just
how hard a police officer’s
regular patrol is, I signed up to
take part in the “Ride-Along
Program,” something very sel
dom heard of.
The Ride-Along program is
for those who are curious about
police-work and want to know
what police do on their regular
patrol. It’s a program where
you’re a passenger (rider) in a
police car with an officer patrol
ling the reservation. The rider
To get a front seat view of police work, Roger Stwyer signed up for the “Ride-Along” program,
must be 18 or older, or 17 with
parent’s consent. All partici sponsored by the Warm Springs Police Department. Shown here are officer Lloyd Smith, Jr. and Roger
(CDS photo)
pants of the program are re leaving the notice station.
quired to sign a released form to
free the Warm Springs Tribal
are criticized because people commented that they can drive
Police if anything should happen emergency has passed.
aren’t aware of what they go between Alice’s Restaurant and
Arrangements
for
this
pro
to the rider.
Kah-Nee-Ta junction and never
gram can be made with Ray through in their daily work. It
quit writing out citations. While
Warm might be breaking up a family
If hours are heavy or if the mond Calica at the
argument, investigating an acci I was a rider, a majority of the
policemen have to double up, the Springs Police Station.
dent, detoxing drunks, breaking citations written out were for
After
I
had
completed
this
participant will not be allowed to
up
a fight at the “Front,” crank Speeding, or Violation of the
ride. If an emergency comes up, program, my impression was
or phony calls, or just tolerating Basic Rule. Nearly every oper
such as a gun call, the rider will that police work is much more
ator who received a ticket tried
someone who is totally against
be left at the police station or is difficult than most people take
wheedling
his way out of it. But
police.
let off at a safe place until the for granted. Too often, police
Policemen also stop cars for when you’re caught oh the
■various reasons. One officer radar, there’s no getting out of
SUSPECT ARRAIGNED
FOR RAPE, MURDER
Acting upon an anonymous
telephone tip Wednesday even
ing, the Multnomah
County
Sheriff’s Office arrested a 20
year-old white male suspect
Stephen D. Danforth in connec
tion with the kidnap-murder of
Mrs. Linda Pahlisch who was
found on the reservation June
19.
According to Wasco County
Deputy District Attorney Joe
Larkin, Danforth was transport
ed to Wasco County early yester
day, June 15, where he was
arraigned at 10:20 a.m. on five
counts of murder.
The suspect has been charg
ed with murder by stabbing,
aggravated murder while in the
course of a rcbbery, aggravated
murder in the course of kid
napping, aggravated murder in
the course of rape, and one
count of felony murder.
Danforth has been lodged in
the Wasco County Jail without
bail and is being represented by
a court-appointed attorney from
The Dalles.
According to Deputy Whalen
of the Multnomah County Sher
iff’s Office, the Gresham Police
received an anonymous phone
tip from a man who said he
knew a guy who wears a fake
cast.
The arrest followed at about
8 p.m.
at the Glisan Arms
Apartments in Portland, riot far
from where the victim ’s car had
been abandoned. Danforth sur
rendered without resistance.
The suspect allegedly ab
ducted Mrs. Pahlisch. and her
three-month-old son from
a
Gresham shopping area early
Monday afternoon, apparently
with robbery as his motive.
Mrs. Pahlisch was still alive
when she was found along High
way 26 later that afternoon by a
passing motorist. She had been
raped and stabbed four times
but was able to provide a des
cription of her assailant before
she died enroute to the Madras
Hospital.
The unharmed baby was
cared for at the tribal group
home until his father picked him
up.
The . funeral for Mrs. Pah
lisch was yesterday (Thursday)
in Portland.
The investigation and man
hunt involved personnel from
the Warm Springs Police De
partment, the Oregon State Po
lice, Gresham Police, the Wasco
County Sheriff’s Office, and the
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Of
fice.
The murder site has been
tentatively established as on the
reservation within a half mile of
Highway 26 near milepost 81.5.
Police said that Danforth is
also currently wanted in San
Diego on a first-degree forgery
charge on bail of $25,000. Dan
forth has reportedly been living
in the Portland area with his
seventeen year-old wife for the
past three months.
No trial date has yet been;
set.
it, as many people discovered.
These are a few of the ex
cuses that people used (w hich.
didn’t work):
“My speedometer doesn’t
work.” “I couldn’t have been
speeding, my speedometer read
55 mph.” “How come you guys
are citing us today?” “I thought
the speed limit was 55 mph, not
45.” “I know I was speeding
officer. If you don’t give m e a
ticket I promise not to speed
again.”
A large number of those
stopped were well aware that
they were speeding or had
broken the law in some way. A
few were really nice in the hopes
that the officer wouldn’t give 4
them a ticket, But it’s the ones
who hassle the police when it’s
their own fault that make the
law appear to be harsh or that
the police are not doing their
job. Then to make matters
worse, the police department is
short-handed, so one policeman
often puts in many hours each
week.
But police work isn’t tough
all the time. One officer sug
gested that I ride with someone
at Kah-Nee-Ta on a busy week
end — and do a little sight-see
ing.
Another time, one officer
appeared to be enjoying himself.
He pulled into the Tribal Garage
and one of the employees was
having some friendly fun with
him. “ I ought to have you guys
rotate my tires just for the fun of
it,” threatened the officer to the
employees jokingly. Or in the
police station, they play practi
cal jokes on one another.
If you have free time in the
evenings, I urge you to try this
program. I promise you will be
fascinated by the things that will
happen. It might be chasing a
car at 100 mph, or just listening
to the code they use.
Bidding Open For Confiscated Nets, Boats
Bids are now being accepted
by the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife on a wide
assortment of used
fishing
equipment. Over 100 nets, floats,
lead lines and boats confiscated
by the courts will be awarded to
the highest bidders beginning at
2:00 p.m. June 20.
The equipment was seized
[by authorized law enforcement
officials for being used in viola
tion of the Commercial Fisher
ies Laws, confiscated by the
court and turned over to the
state. Proceeds from the sale
will go to the state treasury.
Bids can be made through
the mail by filling out forms
supplied by the Department and
available at the Tribal Council
Office. Bidders may inspect the
goods by appointment only at
4444 S.E. 27th Avenue, Portland,
Oregon. Call the department at
229-5501 for an appointment.
A refundable bid security of
ten percent or more, or the full
amount if the bid is less than
$20, must accompany a bid.
Successful bidders must make
payments within ten days of
notification and must remove
property ten days following pay
ment.
Waiting patiently to parade through the Memorial Coliseum, Miss NAICA Aurolyn Stwyer chatted
with Larry Bourland. Decked out in a white riding outfit, a flank bouquet of roses and carnations, and a
big smile, Aurolyn braved the many blocks of crowds in the chilly rain, her enthusiasm (plus outfit)
slightly dampened five miles later.
CDS Photo