The Siuslaw news., May 21, 2016, SATURDAY EDITION, Page 1, Image 21

SALUTE TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ❚ SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016
1
In the line
of duty
Each year during May,
National Police Week pays
special tribute to those law
enforcement offi cers who have
lost their lives in the line of
duty. Ceremonies are held in
Washington, DC, and in com-
munities in Oregon and across
the nation. Visit our “In the
Line of Duty” section to learn
about the brave 28 men and
one woman Oregon State
Police troopers who lost their
lives in the line of duty. For
a list of fallen offi cers go to:
www.oregon.gov/OSP/memo-
rial.shtml
Chief Turner began with the Florence Police
Department in May of 2015. h e City of Florence
has approximately nine thousand residents. h e
City Police Department has a total of 2S employ-
ees, 15 sworn personnel, 1 Corrections Oi cer, 7
dispatchers, and Administrative Staf . We provide
for 24 hours a day police services, dispatch, and a
municipal jail.
Prior to this Chief Turner was the lane County
Sherif from 2011 until the Chief appointment in
2015. Lane County has a population of three
hundred and i t y thousand people. As Sherif he
was the Chief Executive Oi cer for a full service
law enforcement agency with over 350 employees
that included Adult Corrections, Patrol Services,
and Prisoner Transport/Court Security. h e lane
County Sherif ’s Oi ce has over 600 volunteers;
from Search and Rescue to the Mounted Posse.
He joined the lane County Sherif ’s Oi ce in 2006
as a Captain, then promoted to the Undersherif
in 2007. As Undersherif , 2nd in Command, he
was responsible for Human Resources, Training,
Emergency Management, Labor Relations and
Professional Standards. He was appointed to the
Sherif s position in January of 2011.
His career began as a Reserve Oi cer for the
City Of Eugene in 1981. In 1982, he accepted a full-
time position with the Lane County Sherif ’s Oi ce
as a Resident Deputy based in Florence, Oregon.
As a result of budget cuts, at er six short months
on the job, he let the Sherif ’s Oi ce and became a
Police Oi cer with the Eugene Police Department.
For the next 23 years, Chief Turner served the
City of Eugene as a Police Oi cer, Police Agent
(corporal), Sergeant, and Lieutenant. He spent 19
years with the Special Operations Division start-
ing as a SWAT operator and bomb technician;
ultimately becoming the lieutenant of the Division.
Chief Turner’s training and education include
thousands of hours of training and multiple certi-
P OLICE C HIEF – C HIEF T URNER
i cations, including a DPSST Executive Certii cate
and graduate of the FBI National Academy. His for-
mal education includes a Bachelor of Science and a
Master’s of Business Administration. Chief Turner’s
professional memberships include the Oregon
Chiefs of Police Association, Oregon Education
Association, Oregon State Sherif ’s Association,
National Sheriffs Association, International
Association of Chiefs of Police,
FBI National Academy Associates, the National
Tactical Oi cers Association, and the Police
Executive Research Forum.
Chief Turner was born and raised in Oregon,
married to wife Collin for 26 years, with three chil-
dren, ages 12 to 23.
J.D. E NTERPRISES E LECTRIC
P.O. B OX 31,000 • 541-997-6977 • CCB # 23013
Commander John Pitcher
Commander John Pitcher has served the City of Florence as a police offi cer
since February, 1988. He came to Florence PD after serving in the US Air Force.
John and his wife Diane raised their sons in Florence, both of whom graduated
from Siuslaw High School and have gone on to law enforcement careers of their
own. Son Michael Pitcher (center) is a Deputy with Douglas County Sheriff. Son
Aaron Pitcher is an offi cer with Toledo (Oregon), Police Department. John enjoys
spending time with his family and LOVES being a Grandpa.
Pictured from left, Toledo (Oregon) Offi cer Aaron Pitcher,
Douglas County Sheriff Deputy Michael Pitcher,
Commander John Pitcher
W IND D RIFT G ALLERY
1395 B AY S TREET • 541-997-9182
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