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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 2003)
S ' O U R PRAYERS ARE W ITH YOU Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters and Medics honored those who died in the collapse of the World Trade Center after a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 9-1-1 Levy renewal on ballot The Columbia 9-1-1 Com munications District will place a request to renew its Operating Fund on the November 4, 2003 ballot. The proposed Operating Levy rate will be two cents less than the current 9-1-1 Operat ing Levy, which was approved by voters in 1998. The 9-1-1 Operating Fund is due for a five-year renewal since the current levy expires next year. With people through out the district demonstrating strong support for the 9-1-1 service, the District’s citizen Board of Directors voted unani mously to place the request on the November ballot. In order to maintain continuity and quality of service, the District recog nizes that the time to renew the Operating Fund is now. This is not a new tax, it is a renewal of the Operating Fund that will maintain this essential and reliable service to every one in Columbia County,” said Dae Wooley, a Clatskanie resi dent and president of the board fo ' the district. “The substantial upgrades we committed to are nearly complete, providing a blanket of uninterrupted radio service for all fire, emergency medical and law enforcement agencies throughout the coun ty. And we were fortunate to be able to do that using grant funds from outside the county. The District has been efficient while improving services. As a result, the rate will decrease slightly for the renewal.” The 9-1-1 District has ac complished what it said it would do by improving essential equipment while at the same time increasing reliability and service. The number of calls to the district have more than dou bled in the last ten years. Plus, the construction of the county wide microwave/radio system will be complete in October. “District 9-1-1 dispatchers han dle more than 10 calls an hour, or more than 240 calls a day,” says District Administrator, Sal ly Jones. “We successfully con nect 16 different emergency service agencies with people who need their help. 9-1-1 is a vital link for the safety and liv ability that our neighbors de serve, and receive.” The Columbia 9-1-1 Com munications District Operating Fund supports all ongoing func tions of the 9-1-1 call center, in cluding 24-hour staffing, train ing and coordination with local and state emergency opera tions. The five-year renewal will maintain the level of service cit izens throughout Columbia County now receive. For more information on the Operating Fund renewal or the Columbia 9-1-1 Communica tions District, contact Sally Jones, District Administrator at 503/397-7255, ext. 223, or sjones@ columbia911.com, or District Board members. UNLIMITED 56K INTERNET For information call 503*429-2701 www.agalis.net Did You Know... By Chief Michael J. Cahill Vernonia Police Department The role of American law en forcement is to detect and deter law breaking. Police officers are enforcement officers repre senting their specific govern mental areas. In Vernonia, law enforcement officers obtain their authority through the city Charter and State Law. These officers enforce both local and state laws. Let’s first talk about “detec tion” of crime and law breaking. Officers go about this several ways. One is to patrol the com munity. The officer can utilize this time for more than one ob jective. For example while pa trolling a school zone the officer can look for minor vehicle viola tions that many drivers may not know exist. Such as burnt out brake lights, stolen license plates, and many other minor violations. By using the time to reduce speeding in the school zone the officer is also provid ing a preventive service that could eliminate problems for drivers later. Most criminals get around CREATURES PET SHOP 756 Bridge St., Vernonia (505) 4Z9-PETS O ffering... Flea Products PREMIUM EDGE" Total Pet Nutrition Pet Grooming Also Available the same way we do. In a car. By far, more violent and dan gerous criminals are appre hended by patrolling police offi cers than any other means. Oregon’s largest single drug ar rest was on a lonely state high way in Harney County. A lone state trooper pulled over a car with pounds and pounds of co caine in it. The drugs had made their way from the country of Colombia only to be stopped in rural Oregon by a traffic officer. The reason for the traffic stop was a minor vehicle violation. Crime deterrence is another aspect of police work. Deterring crime means several things to police officers. It can mean set ting up stings that are highly publicized either before or after a sting, and sometimes both before and after. The stings create a public awareness that law enforcement personnel are selectively enforcing a particu lar law during a particular time. C lin t Vandehey C arp et & U p h o lstery Your One Stop Decorating Shop • Mohawk • Wilsonart • Shaw • Pergo • Congoleum • Hunter-Douglas FREE Estimates FREE Loaner Samples 1X10 Basallna • Cornelius 505*557*4424 • a t . io s m ■ N aan The Three Flags program we often see in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon is a good example of a highly publi cized sting where law enforce ment selectively enforces speeding, seat belt usage, and drunk driving while patrolling specific targeted highways. Generally, stings are associat ed with problematic holidays or events that have a history of public injury or reduction in quality of life. Other stings may be completely secret until they have succeeded in meeting their goal, and then a press re lease is written to inform the public. Drug investigations for example. Upcoming “Did You Know" topics; “How much do you weigh when you come to a sudden stop at 25 m ph?” “Who has the right o f way when there is no painted cross walk?" Twere CHEAPER\ THAN HOME DFPÛTI
