NOVEMBER 15, 2015
S moke S ignals
9
Tribal Elder hangs up badge for the final time
By Paul Daquilante
Yamhill Valley News-Register
Deputy Buddy White, who
worked his final shift the last week
of October with the Yamhill County
Sheriff’s Office, escorted an inmate
from the jail to Judge Cynthia East-
erday’s courtroom for a probation
violation hearing.
White seated her in the jury room
until the proceeding took place.
After it finished, he returned her
to jail.
As a member of the court security
staff, it’s the kind of work White’s
been doing for more than 16 years.
White began his law enforcement
career in January 1974 as an un-
paid reserve with the Willamina
Police Department. Five months
later, when a full-time patrol posi-
tion opened, Chief Bill Hale added
White to the force.
“I rode with him for one day,” said
the 77-year-old White, who also is
a Grand Ronde Tribal Elder. “He
showed me how to write a ticket. I
bought a gun from my brother and
learned on my own. I look back on
that time and say, ‘Good grief.’ ”
White underwent 280 hours of
training as part of the Bureau of
Police Standards and Training
class No. 52.
New officers are introduced to
more formal and extensive training
nowadays. The Department of Pub-
lic Safety Standards and Training,
successor to the BPST and head-
quartered in Salem, requires 640
hours of training.
However, on-the-job training
worked for White. His career
spanned 41 years, the last 37
with the Sheriff’s Office, where
he worked patrol and then court
security.
White was born in McMinnville.
He was raised in Grand Ronde by
his grandparents, Sam and Clara
Riggs.
His grandmother instilled a
strong work ethic, something White
has always appreciated and re-
spected.
“I’ve worked my entire life,”
White said. “I was in the berry
you just don’t know.”
White said he enjoyed
the daily interaction with
court security.
Mosiman said White’s
“perfect demeanor” en-
abled him to function at a
high level as a court secu-
rity deputy.
“I supervised that unit
when I came back as an
administrative sergeant,”
Mosiman said. “He has the
perfect personality. He’s
low key, talks to people
calmly, is aware of what is
going on and reacts quick-
ly. He’s sharp and aware of
his surroundings.”
Mosiman said White had
the ideal mixture of ex-
hibiting a restrained per-
sonality while remaining
Courtesy photo by Rockne Roll/News-Register
tactically aware of what’s
Yamhill County Sheriff’s Deputy Buddy White, who is also a Grand Ronde Tribal Elder,
going on around him.
escorts an inmate to her probation hearing at the Yamhill County Courthouse in
“He’s been a great guy to
McMinnville on Wednesday, Oct. 28. After working in law enforcement for 41 years,
have up there,” Mosiman
said. “He’s been a staple.”
White retired the last week of October.
Chris Schlegel, former
gardless.
fields when I was 6 years old.”
commander of the Benton
“He was a natural community
White was born into a law en-
County Jail in Corvallis, recently
policing officer before that catch
forcement family. His father, Or-
retired from the court security staff.
phrase was even around,” said
rin, worked for the Salem Police
Sheriff Tim Svenson said a de-
Capt. Jason Mosiman, who coordi-
Department. A brother, Murch,
cision has already been made on
nates court security in conjunction
worked for the Port of Portland Po-
Schlegel’s replacement and he is
with his job as jail commander.
lice Department and the Portland
moving to replace White, too.
White said he was talking to Sgt.
Police Bureau.
“It wouldn’t matter what day it
Jim Wager, who encouraged him to
White attended Grand Ronde
was, he was always there,” Svenson
apply for an opening in the depart-
Elementary School and Willamina
said of White. “Rarely did he miss
ment. Then-Sheriff Bud Mekkers,
High School. He dropped out at 17
a day of work. You knew in the
one of six sheriffs White has worked
and enlisted in the Air Force.
morning he was going to be there,
under, hired him in May 1978.
After serving four years, White
no questions asked. He did an ex-
“Patrol was my niche,” said White,
returned to the West Valley and
cellent job. He was a dependable
who, like all deputies, worked
worked at a variety of jobs, never
employee.”
throughout the county that was
staying in any very long.
Svenson said White always inter-
divided into quadrants at the time.
“I was bored in a plywood mill,”
acted well with the courtroom staff,
Deputies rotated from one quad-
White said. “I went into city hall, I
which includes judges John Collins,
rant to another.
think to pay a water bill, and the
Easterday, Ronald Stone and Ladd
Retired Sheriff Jack Crabtree
chief was there. He was looking for
Wiles, and their judicial assistants.
said White had a big heart for the
reserve officers.”
Svenson’s predecessor, Crabtree,
West Valley – Grand Ronde, Sher-
White went on to serve the Wil-
said White has been discussing
idan and Willamina.
lamina department for four years.
wrapping up his law enforcement
“His real strength, and I think he
During that period, White held
career for quite a long time.
would confirm this, is that he loved
the rank of sergeant and even in-
“Whenever I’d see him, he would
working the West Valley,” Crabtree
terim chief. However, those were
tell me, ‘I’m about to retire,’ ”
said. “He felt best out there. It was
working positions, not desk jobs,
Crabtree said. “I’d say, ‘I think you
a strength of his, working the West
so he spent his days on patrol re-
should retire, as soon as I leave.’ He
Valley.”
was a steady hand. He always had a
White spent one year with the
calmness and cool head to him. He
detective division, which consisted
never looked for any more trouble
of one sergeant and one deputy at
than he had to have.”
the time. Its scope has expanded
Parole and Probation Officer Lisa
greatly since then.
Settell walked into the control room
This is White’s second retire-
on the morning of one of White’s
ment. Early retirement initially
last days on the job.
occurred on Dec. 31, 1998.
“Buddy’s got a lot of life stories,”
At the time, Deputy Steve Man-
she said, after giving him a hug.
ley was helping the Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Bill Lane, retired from
launch the court security program.
the Federal Correctional Institu-
So, White put his uniform back on
tion in Sheridan, is a member of
and returned to work.
the court security staff.
Court security deputies transport
“You want some stories on Bud-
inmates to and from other facili-
dy?” Lane said. “They don’t have to
ties, escort them to and from court
be true, do they?”
appearances and monitor them
White said his decision to retire
during courthouse visits. Their
“feels like I’m doing something
office is a control room on the first
wrong.”
floor of the courthouse.
He and his wife, Anna, have been
White definitely loved his years
married 32 years. They have five
spent on patrol and thoroughly
children, and many grandchildren
enjoyed the years he served on the
and great-grandchildren. He’ll
court security staff.
surely have more time to spend
“I enjoyed meeting people (on
with all of them now. n
patrol). They’re not all bad. I like
helping people. I don’t know if I
Reprinted with permission from
could do it today. It’s almost scary
the Oct. 30 issue of the Yamhill
Ad created by George Valdez
out there. You stop someone and
Valley News-Register.