Page 18
The INDEPENDENT, April 16, 2009
From the Sheriff’s Desk…
by Jeff Dickerson, Sheriff
Columbia County
We have to work
together
One of the volunteers training
with us to help the sheriff’s office
told me recently that she was as-
tonished at how little she knew
about the role of the sheriff in our
county and the magnitude of our
public safety mission – particularly considering the rel-
atively few sworn deputies available to respond to
calls.
The truth is that your sheriff’s office will never have
the number of deputies needed to provide the same
level of public safety response as you would expect
within the narrow confines of the cities. Neither would
you want us to be that large.
While it is also true that we really need a few extra
hired hands to help us in our mission to conserve the
peace in the 640 square miles of our county, the fact is
that there will never be enough to rely on hired help
alone. But that’s what the concept of “sheriff” is all
about, in my opinion.
For hundreds of years, the sheriff has relied on the
good will of the citizens he or she serves to work to-
gether to help solve the problems we face. It is my job
to coordinate a county-wide effort to conserve the
peace. The more we work as a community to solve our
problems, the more we realize that the difficulties we
face are not just the sheriff’s problem – they are prob-
lems we share as a community seeking to peacefully
live together and preserve the freedoms we hold dear
as Americans.
We just finished training 22 volunteers in the first
phase of academy training to help our regular staff
with the varied assignments that contribute to the ac-
complishment of our mission. Those volunteers are
Please see page 21
Tony Johnson Construction
DALE WOODWORKING
N
I
A
.CO
NT
U
O
SPECIALIZING IN REMODEL & REPAIR
M
M
Service Directory
C ABINET D ESIGN & M ANUFACTURING S INCE 1976
J OEL T EMPLIN
CCB #43965
503-429-5504
503-429-5436
V ERNONIA , O R 97064
FALL CREEK
WOODWORKING
WOOD FLOORS
INSTALLED &
REFINISHED
503-429-4351
•
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•
•
Excavating
Septic Systems
Site Prep
Underground Utilities
Driveways & Roads
Trenching
Cory Colburn
11561 Keasey Road, Vernonia, OR 97064 • CCB #79876
PO. Box 65 Vernonia CCB 166815 DEQ 38649
Be here when they need you.
STORAGE, TOO
TUES-FRI 11-7 • SAT 9-5 • SUN 12-4 • CLOSED MONDAYS
The INDEPENDENT Service Directory
is the ONLY Service Directory in the
Upper Nehalem Valley.
Call 503-429-9410 for information.
PAT’S SEPTIC SERVICE
Septic Tank Pumping
1-503-397-4632
LOW, LOW PRICES
24-HOUR SERVICE
LOCATED IN
ST. HELENS
RV STORAGE
ENCLOSED STORAGE
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OR
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UTILITY SHEDS
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Office (503) 429-7009 • Cell (503) 989-9109
All About Gutter
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Specializing in Metal Roofing,
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503-336-0926
Email: allaboutgutter@comcast.net
Gaston Oregon 97119
Fax 503-746-6730
CCB 177418
DENNIS ELECTRIC, INC.
FREE ESTIMATES
503-429-8930
1-800-439-8930
OUTSIDE PORTLAND METRO AREA
Reliable Commercial and Residential Service
Dennis Electric is a family owned & operated
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New Construction
and Remodeling
Additions, Kitchens,
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Jim Morrison Jr.
General Contractor
Licensed & Bonded • CCB No. 19808
Dennis & Schann Nelson • P.O. Box 412 • Vernonia, OR 97064
(503) 429-0154
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
CCB# 112057