Page 20
The INDEPENDENT, October 17, 2002
Letters to the Editor
From page 15
schools open, our prison doors
locked and our elderly and dis
abled safe and cared for. That
will be our opportunity to decide
what kind of Oregon we want. In
the meantime, on behalf of River
side, I want to publicly thank
Representative Johnson and
Senator Dukes for their leader
ship and hard work in the session
just ended.
Sincerely,
Al Soenneker
Warren
County needs Yes
vote on Sheriff’s levy
To the Editor:
Did you know that we have
fewer sheriff patrol deputies on
the road now than we did 20
years ago? If 9-11 showed us
anything, it is that we need to ad
equately staff our local law en
forcement. Our safety depends
on it.
The calls to the Sheriff’s Office
have nearly doubled in just the
last five years to about 15,000 a
year or 40 a day. Population has
increased 21% in 12 years. Yet
we still have fewer deputies to
answer calls than we did 20
years ago.
In 1983-84, the Board on Po
lice Standards and Training said
that Columbia County should
have 24-26 deputies. In 2002, we
have less than half of that. Only
five are patrol deputies.
Deputies answer calls for
help, both emergency and non
emergency, to the Sheriff’s Of
fice. These include everything
from murder to child abuse to do
mestic violence to burglary.
Patrol deputies almost always
work alone covering the county’s
657 miles from Scappoose to
Westport to Vernonia with mini
mal backup.
The impending cuts in Oregon
State Patrol troopers in Columbia
County will only make this situa
tion more critical. Twenty years
ago, Columbia County had 13
troopers. We now have seven. In
January, we will likely only have
four.
Our deputies work hard trying
to keep us safe, but it’s pretty
darn hard to do when they can
hardly get any time off because
they are so short staffed.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking
for a very small tax increase. The
average homeowner will pay
only $7.75 a month.
This very small tax increase
will make us safer. Please vote
yes on Measure 5-109.
Sincerely,
Tony Weaver
Columbia City
Deputies must work
too many hours
To the Editor:
I’m a Columbia County Sher
iff’s Deputy. Being one of only
five patrol deputies covering the
county’s 657 square miles is
challenging.
The days are long, the nights
are longer. Our department is so
short staffed that if I’m not on
duty, I’m on call - 24 hours a day,
7 days a week. And, sometimes,
I’m called a lot.
During one recent 3-1/2 day
period, I worked over fifty hours.
I started at 6:00 p.m., got off at
2:00 a.m., was called back at
3:04 a.m. and got off at 7:00 a.m.
I answered seven calls, including
looking for and finding a child
molester with 12 counts against
him.
After a few hours of sleep, I
went back in at 6:00 p.m. and an
swered eight calls. Four minutes
before my shift ended, I respond
ed to a call - stolen car, assault,
criminal trespass, unlawful entry,
criminal mischief. There were
five suspects. I was alone. I got
off at 3:30 a.m.
I reported to duty at 6:00 p.m.
and worked until 4:08 a.m. After
a ten-hour shift, I headed home.
On my way home, I was called
back at 4:39 a.m. A male suspect
shot five rounds at a female. We
got a search warrant and finished
the call at 3:30 p.m. A 21-1/2
hour day.
The following day, I started at
12:08 p.m. and ended my shift at
2:00 a.m. the next day. I re
sponded to 11 calls, including a
10-person fight in Clatskanie and
a domestic abuse call in Scap
poose. I did manage to get one
day off during the week.
I wish I could tell you this was
unusual, but it’s not. It’s like this
almost all the time. I’m not com
plaining about the working condi
tions. I knew it might be like this
going in.
It’s about public safety - yours
and ours. We need Measure 5-
109 to serve you and keep you
safe. Please vote yes.
Sincerely,
Richard “Mort” Frazier
Columbia City
PUBLIC NOTICE
N O TIC E O F C O U N C IL W O R K S H O P
The Vernonia City Council, in conjunction
with the Vernonia Parks Committee will be
holding a workshop regarding Parks use
policies and fees on Monday, October 21,
2002, at 6:00 p.m., in the Council Cham
bers at City Hall, 1001 Bridge Street, Ver
nonia, OR 97064.
The public is welcome to attend the work
shop; however, public comment will not be
accepted during the workshop.
The meeting location is accessible to per
sons with disabilities. A request for an inter
preter for the hearing impaired or for other
accommodations for persons with disabili
ties should be made at least 48 hours prior
to public hearing to Janelle De Laittre, at
least 48 hours prior to workshop at 503-
429-5291, TTY 1-800-735-2900 or City
Hall, 1001 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR.
The City of Vernonia is an Equal Opportu
nity Provider and Employer
Robyn Bassett
Director of Public Works
Publish October 17,2002
FOR SAFE
COMMUNITIES
0 24-Hour Patrol Coverage
0 Securely Staffed Jail
0 Homeland Security Training
0 Resident Deputy in Vernonia
It will cost the average homeowner only $ 7 .7 5 a moirth-a small price to pay fo r public safety!
Please join Sheriff Phil Derby, former Sheriff Bruce Oester, and your Vernonia neighbors:
Gene & Teri Baska
Ray, Shelley & William Cota
Brian Outright
Pat & Brenda Dean
Jim Gaskins
Tony & Dana Hyde
Claudia Johnson
Dolly & Leslie Keenon
Fred Oviatt
Steven Poetter
Stephen Roberts
Frazier Rohm
Andy Roy
Tony & Ethel Weaver
Donald Webb
Stephen Weller
Darrell Wolfe
Joseph & Agnes Wuest
Jim Walters
VOTE YES ON MEASURE 5 -1 0 9
Five Year Local Option Levy for Law Enforcement
Authorized by the Community Safety Committee, 29993 Maple Drive, Rainier, OR 97048 • 503-556-0939