Polk County Voices Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 5, 2017 4a How to Contact Officials EDITORIALS Turn Polk County blue for prevention April is Child Abuse Prevention month. Though journal- ists aren’t typically the kind to jump on an “awareness” month bandwagon, Child Abuse Prevention is something we feel strongly about here at the Itemizer. Child abuse is one of those things that sticks around like a bad gene in a DNA sequence. It can get started some- where along the generational line, and, like a freight train, slam through generation after generation until it feels nor- mal. People who grow up in abusive homes may turn into abusers themselves — and may not even realize that their behavior is not normal — or they may turn into victims who then seek abusers as partners, because being a victim is what they know. It’s what’s comfortable. Even when someone has the realization that they are being abusive, or being abused, it is difficult to get out of the situation and throw the breaks on that freight train, but help is out there. Polk County offers resources for parents, from the In- door Play Park to Mid-Valley Parenting classes to the twice- a-month respite care offered by Family Building Blocks. If you need help to be a better parent or partner, seek it now. But what if you’re not a parent, or the child isn’t yours? Sure, you can volunteer at a variety of agencies or hot- lines, but the first — and perhaps simplest — step is to put your cellphone in your pocket or purse and listen to what is going on around you. Befriend your neighbors. Don’t be quick to judge someone’s actions, but listen to what he or she is going through. When someone is in an abusive family — children or adults — it can feel isolated and alone. From the outside, the escape route seems clear: Leave your abusive spouse. Take the kids and leave. From the inside, it can feel like being locked up in Alcatraz. Reach out a hand to a stranger and offer to listen with- out judgement. Let them know there are resources avail- able through Polk County programs. Be the light in some- one’s darkness. When it comes to preventing child abuse, it starts with us adults. PUBLIC AGENDA Public agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov- ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County. To submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via email (ionews@polkio.com). — wEDnESDay, aPRIL 5 • Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725. • Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. • Independence City Council — 6:15 p.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212. THuRSDay, aPRIL 6 • ash Creek water Control District Board of Directors — 7 a.m., J’s Restaurant, 220 N. Pacific Highway, Monmouth. 503- 838-1212. MOnDay, aPRIL 10 • Hops and Heritage Festival Commission — 6 p.m., Inde- pendence Elks Lodge, 289 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838- 1212. • Dallas School Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of- fice, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594. TuESDay, aPRIL 11 • Independence City Council — 7 p.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212. • Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, BOC office, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. wEDnESDay, aPRIL 12 • Monmouth Tree advisory Board — 7 p.m., Monmouth Senior Center, 180 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725. • Independence Heritage Museum Commission — 4 p.m., Independence Heritage Museum, 112 S. Third St., Independ- ence. 503-838-1212. • Monmouth Library advisory Board — 7 a.m., Monmouth Public Library, 168 Ecols St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725. • Monmouth Parks and Recreation Board — 7 p.m., Volun- teer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725. • Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. • Polk Soil and water Conservation District Board of Di- rectors — 6 p.m., 580 Main St., Suite A, Dallas. 503-623-9680. GOVERNOR Gov. Kate Brown (Dem.) 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-378-4582 Email: via website, http://governor.oregon.gov/ — STATE LEGISLATORS Sen. arnie Roblan (District 5, Democrat) S-417 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1705 sen.arnieroblan@state.or.us www.oregonlegislature.gov/roblan LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the biplane pilot on March 28 Who was that lunatic in the yellow biplane who buzzed/terrorized south Monmouth for an hour around 8 a.m. on March 28? He or she must have made 40 to 50 runs across town at treetop level — every one louder than a muffler that would have gotten a ticket on a street. Is that legal? Truman Price Monmouth A WORD FROM INDY POLICE Report suspected abuse April is Child Abuse Awareness month here in Polk County. I hope that the information provided as follows will help educate individuals regarding the types of child abuse, gen- eral facts pertaining to child abuse, as well as the preven- tion of child abuse. Most importantly, I hope that this information will also em- p o w e r those in our com- munities to report any sign of c h i l d abuse, as reporting is Scharf the most crucial (and often underuti- lized) aspect of child abuse. The following information is drawn from my own per- sonal experiences as a patrol officer, as well as a general de- tective, and includes the on- going training I have received while employed by the city. I should note that I am currently assigned to “De- tectives” and although I will investigate any type of crime, the vast majority of my cases consist of child abuse and sex abuse (often sexual abuse of children). To start, I think it is im- portant to know what con- stitutes child abuse, and what is prosecutable by law. For the purposes of this article, I will only focus on what information law en- forcement can use to build an investigation, however, it is important to note that other agencies, such as DHS, may have different protocols or standards. For law enforcement to investigate claims of child abuse, the alleged abuse must consist of child sexual abuse, child physical abuse, or child neglect. Child sexual abuse and physical abuse are often dif- ficult to detect, as many chil- dren react differently when victimized in this way. Some children may have noticeable injuries, while others will show no physical or emotional signs of abuse. Most often, the perpetra- tor or alleged offender is known to the child — it is very rare that the offender is a stranger. Those who offend often prey upon children whose life circumstances make them more vulnerable. Of- fenders may be either adults or older children. Many offenders will take advantage of their unsuper- vised access to the child, and can even be vested members of our community; church members or leaders, coach- es, daycare providers, and school volunteers are only a few examples of members in our community that may take advantage of their role to victimize a child. Other times, the offender is a fami- ly member, or someone else who has access to the child within the home. To create an even bigger challenge, children rarely tell others that they have been or are being abused. Furthermore, when chil- dren do tell, they often ini- tially only tell parts of the abuse, and the entire event(s) are gradually disclosed over time. Children who are re- moved from the alleged per- petrator are also more likely to make disclosures. Per Oregon law, child neg- lect occurs when a child is left unattended in a place for such a period of time that the health and welfare of that child is endangered. Child neglect can also occur when a child is left at, or allowed to stay in, a place where drugs are sold, deliv- ered, or manufactured. Child neglect can also occur when a child is left at, or allowed to stay in, a home that is not fit for use (no power, water, etc.). It is not uncommon for children victimized in this way to miss several days of school, unexcused, or to ap- pear unreasonably hungry, tired, or unkempt. Some children, however, are able to adapt to their cir- cumstances, and show no signs of neglect at all. All of the above informa- tion can seem discouraging and overwhelming, yet there are preventative measures that can be utilized by any community member. First, become aware of the facts; child abuse is preva- lent in all communities, and often unreported. If officials do not know about the alleged abuse, no action can be taken. Report- ing is the simplest preventa- tive measure that can be taken, however, reporting must be done upon the first sign of abuse, or initial dis- closure by a child. Reporting may be done, even anonymously, by call- ing 1-855-503-SAFE, or by calling your local law en- forcement agency or De- partment of Human Services representatives. Once reported, law en- forcement and DHS can work collaboratively on the investigation. Simply being present in youth activities, such as vol- unteering in churches, schools, and sports, or drop- ping by unexpectedly when your child is spending time with older children or adults, are all ways to become a positive mentor, and proac- tive in reporting any signs of child abuse. Monitoring devices such as computers, tablets, and phones, is also important, as the exploitation of children on the internet and social media is rising. In closing, some adults may find themselves in a position in which a child is reporting abuse directly to them. It is imperative that the adult does not question the child at all, but simply lis- tens, and displays minimal emotional responses. Although it may be chal- lenging, confronting the al- leged suspect is never a good idea, as it can interfere with the potential investigation. It is important to remember that children rarely lie about such matters; if a child men- tions any form of abuse or neglect, the disclosure must be reported to law enforce- ment or DHS immediately. Sen. Jackie winters (District 10, Republican) S-301 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1710 sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us www.oregonlegislature.gov/winters Sen. Brian Boquist (District 12, Republican) S-305 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1712 sen.brianboquist@state.or.us www.oregonlegislature.gov/boquist Rep. David Gomberg (District 10, Democrat) H-471 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1410 rep.davidgomberg@state.or.us www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg Rep. Paul Evans (District 20, Democrat) H-281 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1420 rep.paulevans@state.or.us www.oregonlegislature.gov/evans Rep. Mike nearman (District 23, Republican) H-378 State Capitol 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1423 rep.mikenearman@state.or.us www.oregonlegislature.gov/nearman — U.S. CONGRESS Sen. Ron wyden (Dem.) 221 Dirksen SOB Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: 202-224-5244 Fax: 202-228-2717 Salem office: 707 13th St. SE, Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503-589-4555 Email: via website, www.wyden.senate.gov — Detective Sarah Scharf Sen. Jeff Merkley (Dem.) 313 Hart SOB Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: 202-224-3753 Fax: 202-228-3997 Salem office: 161 High St. SE, Suite 250, Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503-362-8102 Email: via website, www.merkley.senate.gov Rep. Kurt Schrader (Dem.) 108 Cannon HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-5711 Fax: 202-225-5699 Salem office: 544 Ferry St. SE, Suite 2, Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503-588-9100 Fax: 503-588-5517 Email: via website, www.schrader.house.gov — POLK COUNTY Board of Commissioners 850 Main St. Dallas, OR 97338 Phone: 503-623-8173 www.co.polk.or.us — CITIES Dallas 187 SE Court St. Dallas, OR 97338 503-623-2338 www.ci.dallas.or.us Falls City 299 Mill St. Falls City, OR 97344 503-787-3631 www.fallscityoregon.gov Independence 555 S. Main St. Independence, OR 97351 503-838-1212 www.ci.independence.or.us Monmouth 151 W. Main St. Monmouth, OR 97361 503-838-0722 www.ci.monmouth.or.us HOW TO REACH US nEwSROOM Emily Mentzer ..............Editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com Vol. 142, No. 14 (USPS) - 437-380) The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875 Winner of 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 General Excellence Awards from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Periodicals postage paid at Dallas, OR, Independence, OR and Monmouth, OR. Published weekly at 147 SE Court Street Dallas, Oregon 97338 Phone: 503-623-2373 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Polk County — One Year $35 Other Oregon Counties — One Year $40 Outside of Oregon — One Year $45 POSTMaSTER: Send address changes to: Polk County Itemizer-Observer, P.O. 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