WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015
LOCAL NEWS
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A3
A sum greater than its parts
Youth services
officer at elementary
schools yields police-
school synergism
By SEAN HART
Staff Writer
Hermiston police and
VFKRRO RI¿FLDOV EHOLHYH LW LV
EHQH¿FLDO WKDW HOHPHQWDU\
school students have some
positive encounters with po-
OLFHRI¿FHUVLQWKHVFKRROHQ-
vironment.
Hermiston’s school dis-
trict and police department
have collaborated for years
to provide a school resource
RI¿FHU ZKR URWDWHG EHWZHHQ
the two middle schools and
the high school. This year, the
two entities expanded their
partnership to provide an ad-
GLWLRQDO RI¿FHU IRU WKH ¿YH
elementary schools.
2I¿FHU (ULFD 6DQGRYDO¶V
role as crime prevention of-
¿FHUZDVPRGL¿HGWRLQFOXGH
new responsibilities as youth
VHUYLFHVRI¿FHU
Chief Jason Edmiston said
with the change the school
district is paying half of
Sandoval’s salary — in ad-
dition to funding 75 percent
RI 6FKRRO 5HVRXUFH 2I¿FHU
Tim Miears’ position. Neither
RI¿FHU¶VUROHLVWUDGLWLRQDOKH
said.
“It’s not about policing the
schools,” Edmiston said. “It’s
about building relationships.
It’s not just relationships with
the kids. It’s relationships
with the staff and the parents.
There is value in this.”
Sandoval said, despite ini-
tial reluctance to the idea, she
loves being in the schools and
the opportunity to make a dif-
ference.
³)RUXVDVRI¿FHUVP\VHOI
and Tim, being in the non-
traditional roles we are in is
going to teach these children,
who will grow up to be adults,
STAFF PHOTO BY KATHY ANEY
Erica Sandoval, of the Hermiston Police Department, eats
lunch with students at Highland Hills Elementary School on
0onday as part of her duties as youth services ofÀcer
young age is a great plus for
us,” Kay said. “It allows Eri-
ca to engage with some of our
youngest, potentially at-risk
kids. She’s absolutely a rock
at that stuff.”
Educating students star Highland
Hills Elemen-
about police
tary School counselor Eliza-
Hermiston School District beth Morgan said it was great
Director of Operations Mike to have a visible police pres-
.D\ VDLG 2I¿FHU 0LHDUV KDV ence in the schools. She said
been a great resource, helping Sandoval is not only a posi-
with truancy issues, criminal tive role model, she can also
matters and monitoring ac- help students have a better
tivities at the middle and high understanding of what police
schools. Those duties, how- RI¿FHUVGR
Sandoval said she occa-
ever, occupy most of his time.
“Just having that extra sionally eats lunch at the dif-
set of boots on the ground is ferent schools. She is present
wonderful with Erica,” Kay when kids arrive and leave for
said. “It allows Tim to be a the day. She visits classrooms
little more in depth with what for special events.
At a Halloween event
he’s doing with relationship
building with the secondary about a month after she start-
ed in her new role, Sandoval
kids.”
Kay said Sandoval is great said students’ parents were
at connecting with the young approaching her, telling her
students. Even before being how much the students were
WKH\RXWKVHUYLFHVRI¿FHUVKH talking about her at home.
³7KDW ZDV VLJQL¿FDQW IRU
worked well with children
through the Hermiston Com- me, because I really didn’t do
munity Accountability Board, anything other than going to
a program that provides juve- the schools and just trying to
niles the opportunity to avoid make a presence there,” she
the justice system through said.
compliance with the board’s
Improving policing
directives.
“Any time you have an through relationships
opportunity to have our kids
Edmiston said when
interact in a positive manner Hermiston School District
with law enforcement at a Superintendent Fred Maiocco
a different way of looking at
the police,” she said. “I love
it, because it’s proactive. It’s
positive. I think it’s a win-win
on both sides.”
STAFF PHOTO BY KATHY ANEY
Erica Sandoval, of the Hermiston Police Department, visited with students at Highland Hills
Elementar\ School on 0onda\ as part of her duties as \outh services ofÀcer
SLWFKHGWKHLGHDIRUDQRI¿FHU
at the elementary schools,
it immediately made sense
from a law enforcement per-
spective.
3ROLFHDQGVFKRRORI¿FLDOV
have together conducted ta-
bletop exercises annually for
several years to prepare for
catastrophic events, he said.
7ZR RI¿FHUV ZLWK ¿UVWKDQG
knowledge of the schools and
district policies would make
the department even more
prepared to respond in a cha-
otic situation, he said.
Through positive po-
lice-student
relationships,
he said many poor decisions
may even be prevented.
“A lot of people may not
see the extreme value in
this,” Edmiston said. “We are
getting into the schools and
having positive interactions,
making positive changes with
the youth, before they real-
ly start getting into decision
making on their own.”
Sandoval said many stu-
dents she met through the
STAFF PHOTO BY KATHY ANEY
Erica Sandoval, of the Hermiston Police Department, eats
lunch with students at Highland Hills Elementary School on
0onday as part of her duties as youth services ofÀcer
Community Accountability
Board maintained relation-
ships with her after they com-
pleted the program. Some
have returned to Hermiston
with college degrees and told
her they chose a new path, so
as not to disappoint her.
Sandoval’s direct super-
visor, Capt. Travis Eynon,
who is also a member of the
Umatilla School Board, said
he believed adding the youth
VHUYLFHVRI¿FHUZDVWKHVLQJOH
PRVWVLJQL¿FDQWDFWLRQWKHGH-
partment has taken all year.
“It’s an opportunity for
synergism with the schools
and the police department,”
he said. “The two parts to-
gether are stronger than the
two parts apart.”
pies, rolls and bread.
Money raised helps pro-
vide scholarships for stu-
dents in medical programs
and miscellaneous hospital
equipment.
For more information,
contact June Rosenberg at
juner1942@gmail.com.
at 2:15 p.m. at 101 Olson
Road, Boardman. The cost
is $5 for adults and $3 for
children and seniors. Ad-
mission includes a bag of
popcorn. Water is available
for purchase.
People are encouraged to
arrive early to enjoy the spe-
cial holiday light show. The
show, which is set to music,
is broadcast on 106.9 FM.
The light display remains
through the end of the year.
The SAGE Center is
open Monday through Sat-
urdays from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. For more information,
visit www.visitsage.com or
call 541-481-7243.
IN BRIEF
Classes provide
driving refresher
course
bers and $20 for non-mem-
bers.
For more information or
to register, call Rose Emer-
son at 541-667-5092.
A pair of AARP driving
classes are offered next
week in Hermiston.
The sessions provide
information on defensive
driving skills, a refresher
for rules of the road and
how to manage age-related
changes in vision, hearing
and reaction time. While
the class is geared towards
older adults, all licensed
drivers are welcome to at-
tend.
The class is available
Thursday, Dec. 10 at 11
a.m. or 6 p.m. at the Bob
Shannon Safety Center, 330
S. First St., Hermiston. The
cost is $15 for AARP mem-
Umatilla chamber
hosts open house
A holiday open house
is planned at the Umatilla
Chamber of Commerce &
Visitor Center.
The public is invited to
enjoy food, fun, friendship
and an opportunity to win
prizes. The free holiday
open house is Thursday,
Dec. 10 from 2-6 p.m. at
the Welcome Center, 100
Cline Ave., Umatilla.
For more information,
contact Executive Director
Karen Hutchinson-Talaski
When they say “It’s Cold Out!”
and you say “You Don’t Have To Shout”
It’s time to call us!
Sound Advantage
Hearing Aid
Center
541-567-4063
at karen@umatillachamber.
net or 541-922-4825.
New Hope sets
Christmas program
A Christmas Special is
planned at New Hope Com-
munity Church.
The event includes
singing Christmas carols,
watching the kids’ Christ-
mas program and enjoy-
ing Christmas cookies.
The music features Louise
Sundvall on piano.
Everyone is welcome to
come celebrate the season
Sunday from 6-7 p.m. at the
church, 1350 S. Highway
395, Hermiston.
For more information,
call Doug Fehrenbacher at
541-561-8327.
Hospital auxiliary
sets bake sale
A sweet selection is avail-
able during the Good Shep-
herd Auxiliary Bake Sale.
The event is Wednesday,
Dec. 9 from 7:30 a.m. to 2
p.m. at the pharmacy lobby
at Good Shepherd Medi-
cal Center, 610 N.W. 11th
St. Items available include
Christmas candy, cakes,
SAGE Center rings in
Christmas
A weekend movie at the
SAGE Center helps rings in
the holiday season.
“The Grinch that Stole
Christmas” is Friday at
7:15 p.m. and Saturday
New H ope
Christmas Special
D ec. 6 th • 6:00 - 7 :00 pm
Join u s in the San ctu ary
405 N. 1st St., Suite #107,
Hermiston
Ric Jones,
BC-HIS
Verna Taylor,
HAS
Forrest Cahill,
HAS
541-215-1888
246 SW Dorion, Pendleton
Come and Celebrate!
Sin g Christm a s Ca rols
Kid s Christm a s Specia ls
E n joy Christm a s cookies
Rachel Dagley
Business
Health
Farm
Life
Lou ise Su n d va ll on the P ia n o
Rachel Dagley
541/276-2302 • 800/225-2521
The Stratton Agency
Pendleton / Hermiston • stratton-insurance.com
Commercial & Farm Agent
C all D ou g Fahren b acher
541-561-8327
