Press release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office honors staffers, hero citizens at 2007 Awards Banquet
[ VIDEO, PHOTOS AVAILABLE: High-def video and photos from the awards ceremony can be uploaded directly to media outlets. For more information, contact Det. Jim Strovink. ]
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Pictured at left: Sheriff Craig Roberts honors Joan Smith, the retiring executive director of Oregon Impact, at the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office 26th Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday. Smith was recognized with a Public Service Award for her commitment to the fight against drunk driving — which includes elaborate crash reenactments staged at local high schools.
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A team of medical pros. A fearless woman in Colton. A Cash Connection employee whose small observation cracked a multi-million-dollar case.
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office honored deputies and citizen heroes during its 25th Annual Awards Banquet -- held Feb. 23 at the Jantzen Beach Red Lion.
Following is a complete, detailed list of the evening's winners.
2007 CLACKAMAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
AWARDS BANQUET:
Complete/Detailed List of Winners
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SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Legacy Transplant Services
John Niemetz, Manager
Dr. John Ragsdale
Dr. William Bennett
Dr. Thomas Batuik
Dr. Kevin McEvoy
Laurie Pharr, RN
Jenny Aman, RN
John Fallgren, RN
Leslie Meyer, RN
An extraordinary real-life story of brotherly love unfolded in Clackamas County last spring.
In October 2006, Corrections Deputy Jeff Manley went on dialysis after both his kidneys failed. His brother Joel -- a 10 year-veteran of our Patrol Division -- donated one of his kidneys to save his older brother's life.
The surgery took place April Second at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital in Northwest Portland -- and it was a complete success.
Joel's kidney ended up being an uncommon perfect match for Jeff across six factors.
According to Jeff, the brotherly bond was close even before the surgery. Last year, Joel told Jeff, "What do you need me to do?... This isn't your problem -- this is OUR problem."
After the surgery, Jeff told us, "I have three live-saving medals from the Sheriff's Office, and then my brother saves me. What goes around comes around, I guess."
Joel and Jeff each had their own team of doctors, kidney specialists, two surgeons, nurses, financial planners -- even social workers to help them handle the emotions of the process. The transplant procedure required four surgeons -- two for each brother -- and the teams had to coordinate their transplant with clockwork precision. The donated kidney was only outside a body for about half an hour.
Jeff has nothing but praise for Legacy's team. In a letter he wrote to them, he said: "The entire Legacy Transplant Services staff made my family and I feel like we were part of their family. Your commitment and dedication to excellence is unsurpassed. You have changed my life."
Now we want to honor Legacy's team tonight with a Special Recognition.
To Joel and the Legacy Transplant Team: Thank you for saving the life of a deputy -- and a brother -- who's saved many lives himself. He can now go on to save many more.
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PUBLIC SERVICE AWARDS
The Public Service Award may be given to a member of the public who distinguishes him- or herself by highly commendable or unusual acts or have made a lasting contribution to the law enforcement profession.
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Public Service Award:
Rhonda Banks
Rhonda Banks is a forensic scientist with the Oregon State Police Crime Lab in Clackamas. In 2007, she was a key player during two of our most critical murder investigations.
The detective who nominated Rhonda for the award put it beautifully: "The unbelievable depiction of forensic science on TV's 'CSI' pales in comparison to the reality of the long, exhausting hours of work put in by Ms. Banks." These two cases might not have been solved without her thorough, professional efforts. We're honored to give her a Public Service Award.
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Public Service Award:
Harmony Gelowicz
Harmony Gelowicz is fearless.
In November 2003, she organized a neighborhood group in the Colton area to monitor crime on her street. For the last four years, Harmony kept in constant touch with us -- via hundreds of e-mails, meetings, and organized letters from neighbors. She provided us with real-time information that was instrumental in helping us bring a drug dealer and neighborhood bully to justice.
It wasn't an easy task. Harmony's courage made her the target of this criminal and his associates. She was the victim of crimes -- including a car arson next to her home. But she refused to back down. As the nomination letter says: "She was basically the mouse that stood there and said, 'I am not going to take it any more.'"
It would take hours to list everything Harmony Gelowicz has done for her community. We can sum it up as follows: Because she cares about her neighborhood, Colton is a much safer place today. We're delighted to give her a Public Service Award.
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Public Service Award:
Sportsman's Warehouse
One of the best crime-fighting teams in Clackamas County can be found in the Sportsman's Warehouse on Southeast 82nd Avenue.
Manager Tom Carpino has a crew that includes Mike Cushman, Skye Whaley and Jake McCrutcheon. They run some amazing surveillance cameras. And they're always eager to help when we have calls in the area. In fact, our deputies often ask dispatch to call the Sportsman's crew for help.
Sportsman's Warehouse constantly calls in drug activity witnessed in their lot. And their information is solid -- often including descriptions and license plates. They even write a narrative and provide a CD with surveillance footage to help prosecutors.
The deputy who nominated Sportsman's for the award offered several examples of the help she'd received: "Just today, thanks to Sportsman's, I got an amazing arrest," she wrote -- "a drug dealer with 11.5 grams of heroin in 25 balloons. I'm sure there are many, many cases initiated by this crew."
Tom Carpino and his crew go above and beyond to keep their community safe. We're extremely grateful -- and we're honored to give you a Public Service Award.
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Public Service Award:
Special Agent Jim Cole
Erin Kitselman
Last year's "Operation Cyber Sting" was a huge success. Seven potential predators thought they were going to a Wilsonville home to meet up with a 13-year-old; instead, they were arrested. The mission got a lot of public attention, and it was the springboard for the formation of our new INTERCEPT inter-agency task force.
We couldn't have done it without Special Agent Jim Cole or Erin Kitselman.
Special Agent Cole works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He basically taught us how to do a Cyber Sting. He met with detectives from several agencies, and provided the framework we used to organize the mission. During the operation last February, he was at the decoy house in a crucial advisory role. And throughout the complicated mission, he had a positive, can-do attitude.
As the nomination letter for Agent Cole put it: "Without the training we received from him, we would not have had a clue."
Meanwhile, Erin Kitselman had one of the toughest jobs in "Operation Cyber Sting": She had to pretend she was a 13-year-old girl while talking on the phone to potential predators.
Lt. Dixon Andrews had a lot of praise for Miss Kitselman's work -- which included training one of our cadets to perform the same role.
In his commendation letter to Erin, Dixon wrote:
"This mission would not have been successful without your participation. We were amazed at your poise and your ability to think so quickly on your feet when talking to potential suspects. I commented at one point that you really should get an Academy Award."
"The three days you worked with us were long -- from the early afternoon until the early hours in the morning. I know you weren't getting paid for this, and took time away from your family, friends, and job to assist us. This mission would not have been successful without your participation."
The streets are safer and the public is smarter because of the efforts of Special Agent Cole and Miss Kitselman. We're honored to give them Public Service Awards.
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Public Service Award:
Steve Orchard
Steve Orchard works for Verizon. And he made an extraordinary effort to get our new Wilsonville station connected to the Sheriff's computer network.
Due to an ordering error, our connection was installed at our old Wilsonville location. We were initially told that fixing this mistake would take 8-10 days.
But Steve Orchard didn't accept that.
Within an hour of hearing about the problem, he had the new Wilsonville station connected -- to the network, to Wi-Fi, and to the video roll call.
Our network helps us fight crime faster and more efficiently. Thanks to Steve, it was up and running days ahead of schedule. We're delighted to give him a Public Service Award.
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Public Service Award:
Greg B. Smith
On Sunday afternoon, December 30th, Greg Smith was in the Oregon City Cinemas parking lot with his family when a victim told him about an attempted carjacking in the lot.
He went looking for the suspect in the shopping mall, and eventually found him near the front of the Danielson's Thriftway -- locked in a violent struggle with off-duty Sgt. Ed Mura.
Sgt. Mura had caught the suspect biting the arm of retired Sheriff's Office Sgt. Willis Headrick. The suspect was savagely trying to force Headrick out of his car so he could steal it.
The suspect got away. Greg Smith helped Sgt. Mura chase down and tackle the suspect. Smith and Mura held the man down for several minutes, until Oregon City Police arrived.
Smith's courageous response to a dangerous situation not only resulted in the suspect being placed in custody for several felony crimes: It also prevented injuries to Sgt. Mura and the suspect -- and very likely prevented more felony crimes from occurring. We're proud to recognize and commend his extraordinary act of bravery.
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Public Service Award:
Joan Smith
Oregon Impact works with scores of volunteers to offer community education, prevention, and awareness activities that help curb drunk driving. Joan Smith is the Executive Director of Oregon Impact. She started there in 2003, and will be retiring later this year.
Finding someone with her energy and commitment levels is going to be hard.
In Clackamas, over 47 percent of 11th-grade students and over 27 percent of 8th-grade students reported having at least one alcoholic drink within the past 30 days. Alcohol use is linked to some of Clackamas County's most significant social problems -- crime, homelessness, domestic violence, suicide and vehicle crashes. Oregon Impact focuses on drunk driving -- but Joan understands the crisis begins long before the car keys turn.
That's one reason Joan introduced a broader series of speakers to Oregon Impact's victim panels. She also persuaded more high schools to get involved in Oregon Impact's crash reenactments -- a shocking and powerful educational tool. She's also helped the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office by serving on the Work Group and Advisory Board for our Safe Communities Program. As Program Coordinator Patty McMillan put it in her nomination letter, "Joan's help has been instrumental in our growth and success."
We're delighted and grateful to give Joan Smith a Public Service Award.
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DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS
The Distinguished Service Award may be given to members of the public for an action of extraordinary heroism or bravery. The action must be directed towards the preservation of life and safety, at the risk of personal injury.
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Distinguished Service Award:
Timothy L. Harphan
On Aug. 28, Deputy Nashiff was involved in a shooting incident on Highway 212, in front of the Damascus Safeway. Timothy Harphan was working at the nearby Union 76 station, and witnessed the entire incident.
Immediately after the shooting stopped, Mr. Harphan sprang into action. He stepped into the middle of the street and stopped traffic on Highway 212 -- because, as he put it, "I didn't know if any more shots were gonna be fired." He went up to a dozen cars and personally explained the situation, and held traffic for at least 15 minutes until backup arrived.
His selfless actions kept the crime scene safe from secondary injuries -- and preserved the evidence. We're incredibly grateful to Timothy Harphan for stepping up to help -- and we're honored to give him our Distinguished Service Award.
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DEPARTMENT COMMENDATIONS
A Department Commendation may be awarded to a member of the Sheriff's Office for an outstanding act or achievement that brings credit to the department, which involves performance above and beyond their basic assignment.
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Department Commendation:
Sgt. Lynn Schoenfeld
Detective Dave Kennell
Deputy Mitch Beyer
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Public Service Award:
Audra Kelley-Mungo
Carole Byrum
Audra Kelley-Mungo was working at the Cash Connection store last May when the man came in. He had striking blue eyes and a strange request: He wanted to use Texas ID to wire money from Oregon to Russia.
The next day, the man came in again, this time to receive money from Russia. But Audra noticed something important: He used a different name -- and presented a different Texas driver's license.
Audra called the Sheriff's Office. Little did she know it, but her small observation had just cracked open a massive case.
Sgt. Lynn Schoenfeld and Deputy Mitch Beyer arrived, and learned the suspect had wired thousands of dollars to Russia over the past several days. He had several counterfeit Texas driver's licenses in his wallet. Recognizing this as more than just a simple forgery case, Sgt. Schoenfeld requested assistance from Detective Dave Kennell. Detective Kennell obtained a search warrant for the suspect's car and found a total of 37 fake licenses, $80,000 in cash and dozens of re-programmed credit cards.
Detective Kennell continued the investigation and contacted the Secret Service -- who learned the credit cards had been reprogrammed with numbers from Wells Fargo Bank. Then Carole Byrum with Wells Fargo joined the case -- and cracked it even wider.
Carole ran the numbers -- and found that dozens of bank accounts were compromised. She spent countless hours putting together spreadsheets. She linked the suspect to additional Bay Area crimes.
The case went to trial. Audra and Carole spent two full days at the courthouse testifying. Thanks to their testimony and hard work, the suspect was found guilty on 33 counts of money laundering and ID theft.
But that was just the beginning: The Secret Service and IRS linked him to an investigation in New York that went on for two years. In November, they indicted the suspect, 16 other individuals and one corporation in a massive case involving global trafficking in stolen credit card numbers, cybercrime and identity theft. They estimate the suspect may have laundered $14 million over the last several years.
Without Audra's observation at Cash Connection, this case might never have come to light. Meanwhile, Mitch and Lynn were able to see the Cash Connection transfers might be the tip of a very large iceberg. And then Dave and Carole did legwork that linked the suspect to more criminal activity.
This is an incredible example of deputies and citizens working together. We're proud to give Audra and Carole our Public Service Award, and Lynn and Mitch and Dave a Department Commendation.
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Department Commendation:
Sgt. Jeff Grahn
Deputy Earl Middleton
This has been an intense year for our Civil Division -- and Sgt. Jeff Grahn and Deputy Earl Middleton have been there every step of the way.
Jeff and Earl handle security for the Clackamas County Courthouse. They've had to do this job during an extensive remodel -- which creates a tremendous amount of extra work. For example, they had to monitor and run background checks on well over 100 remodeling contractors.
But Jeff and Earl have only strengthened their reputations for being deeply committed. For example, they looked for opportunities within the remodel -- suggesting various security upgrades to go hand in hand with the Courthouse upgrade.
Sgt. Grahn also supervises transportation to and from the Courthouse, and he's worked miracles with a limited staff. He posts overtime. He has enhanced communication between the Sheriff's Office and judicial and legal staffers. He expanded the use of plans, mission sheets and briefings to improve security.
Thanks to their efforts, once the Courthouse was completed, it wasn't just an upgrade of a building -- it was an upgrade of an entire system. The public and Courthouse staff are safer because of Sgt. Grahn and Deputy Middleton, and we're proud to give them a Department Commendation.
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Department Commendation:
Sheriff's Administrative Specialist Tammy Manley
Tammy Manley has been employed with the Sheriff's Office since the '80s, when she started as a temporary employee. Over the last two decades, she's worked her way up to a supervisory role in our Jail Video Court unit. And she's become an invaluable addition to our team.
I'd like to quote from the nomination letter for Tammy, because it puts everything so beautifully.
"Tammy shows incredible consistency in the quality of her work. She has saved the Jail countless lawsuits by correcting mistakes as she found them. She is always the promoter of holiday cheer, decorating the drab office surroundings. She also promotes a family connection, by organizing Secret Santas and birthday celebrations.
"Her work on our Banquet Committee is a plus, too.
"She has great character and fosters great office relations. She's not shy about stepping in, getting organized, and getting the job done right."
Tammy, your decades of dedication mean a lot to us and to everyone in the Sheriff's Office. You're a tremendous asset to our organization, and we're honored to give you a Department Commendation.
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Department Commendation:
Sergeant Kevin Thies
Kevin Thies was promoted to Corrections Sergeant last September. With his history of community service, he's no stranger to taking on extra work.
For example: He's become one of the best Field Training Officers in our Corrections Division. He also supervised the Corrections policy-review process, completing it with professionalism and efficiency. He's a real asset on the CERT team -- bringing up new training topics and ideas. And he's a leader in and out of the Sheriff's Office: He teaches career development to new employees and speaks to students at local schools.
The nomination letter for Kevin says it all: "He's dependable, diligent and an integral part of the Corrections Division. There are few employees who rise to the level of his performance."
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Department Commendation:
Deputy Robert Wurpes
Deputy Robert Wurpes had one heck of a first year in our Marine Patrol.
He successfully completed the Marine Board's Law Enforcement Academy, Drift Boat and Jet Boat Schools.
He took over co-leadership of our Dive Team and worked to integrate it with Search & Rescue.
He developed a water-safety presentation geared to high-school students. He gave 90 hours of instruction to 28 classes and 1,650 students, and got a lot of praise for his efforts.
One teacher e-mailed Robert afterward with the following letter of praise: "Frankly, it scared the crap out of me -- and hopefully did the same for my students."
He also spent nearly half his time on boat patrol -- and exceeded expectations by 64 percent. This was critical in helping us meet our contractual obligations to the Oregon State Marine Board despite manpower shortfalls.
Robert identified teenagers as an important at-risk group. His riveting program was a major factor in last year's dramatic increase in water safety. We're honored to give him a Department Commendation.
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Department Commendation:
Property Specialist Scott Lapp
In February 2007, our Property & Evidence Unit underwent a huge remodel and expansion. It would have cost us a lot more if it weren't for Property Specialist Scott Lapp.
Scott helped plan the remodel. He made sure the remodel was safe and secure. He moved furniture. He moved evidence and property. He supervised contractors. And he saved the county thousands of dollars in moving costs. The savings went back into the project -- to make Property & Evidence even more efficient.
We want to thank Scott Lapp tonight with a Department Commendation.
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Department Commendation:
Office Specialist 2 David Conlee
David Conlee works at the Clackamas County Jail in our mail room. Since April 2006, David has monitored mail at the Jail for information related to murders, attempted murders and aggravated murders. This requires him to review, copy and make available to investigators hundreds of letters.
David is so good at his job, inmates have been inspired to threaten him on two different occasions.
He once intercepted a letter that was an attempt to extort money from an elderly physician. We also recently made a successful case against an inmate for Solicitation to Commit Murder, based largely on mail being monitored by David. Several other cases were also initiated because of David's efforts. Today, he monitors mail for inmates charged with the most serious felonies.
His work keeps the Jail safe and secure. But he's also an enormous help in our ongoing investigations. We're honored to give him a Department Commendation.
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Department Commendation:
Deputy Matt Gray
Deputy Matt Gray works with the training staff at our Public Safety Training Center. The list of what he accomplished to earn tonight's award is as long as your arm. But here are a few highlights:
We could go on and on. Matt's work for the Public Safety Training Center receives a tremendous amount of praise -- from inside and outside the Sheriff's Office. We're proud to give him a Department Commendation.
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Department Commendation:,
Community Service Officer Rose Parkhill
CSO Rose Parkhill goes the extra mile. She currently works on our Gang Task Force, coordinating meetings and putting together an e-mail newsletter for our deputies. And, she does incredible work on fraud and identity-theft cases. Here's just one example:
In 2006, a civil attorney contacted us; he was representing victims of a subject who had defrauded a church. One of our detectives asked Rose to "take apart" our original report on the case. She tore apart the inquisition -- and filed several criminal charges against the subject.
It was an amazing investigation, and it showcased the sort of hard work that led us to give Rose a roll-call award for her efforts. Now we're giving her a Department Commendation. Congratulations, Rose!
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Department Commendation:
Reserve Deputy John Michael Belcher
Reserve Deputy Melissa Williams
The Sheriff's Reserve Organization has been part of our Sheriff's Office for over 50 years. We couldn't do our job without them. Here's a perfect example of why:
Last August, Deputy Bill Rowlands was in Molalla with Reserve Deputies John Belcher and Melissa Williams. Bill asked them to act as his backup on a DUII call.
Bill located the intoxicated person and brought him back to the patrol car. Bill asked Reserve Deputy Williams to watch the suspect while he went to look for witnesses.
Then Bill heard a scuffle.
He turned around and saw Deputy Belcher and a Molalla PD officer wrestling the suspect to the ground. The suspect had pulled a knife on Deputy Belcher after being asked for ID. After the suspect was subdued, Deputy Williams secured and searched the vehicle's passenger -- using good verbal commands all the while.
John and Melissa did everything right that day. They exhibited excellent use-of-force judgment, and got the situation under control quickly and safely. As Deputy Rowlands told us:
"Both reservists' actions in this incident showed me their abilities to handle situations under pressure far exceed what I have seen from some full-time deputies. They resolved a potentially deadly situation without anyone receiving serious injuries. Their actions speak highly of the training of the Reserve Organization, and the discipline of both of these exceptional deputies."
We couldn't agree more. For their clear-headed action under pressure, we're proud to give Reserve Deputies Belcher and Williams a Department Commendation.
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MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
The Meritorious Service Award may be awarded to a member of the Sheriff's Office or other county employee who distinguishes him- or herself in the performance of duty through actions that further our efficiency and professionalism.
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Meritorious Service Award:
Evidence Technician Greg Martin
Criminalist Greg Martin is the very definition of "dedicated." He's a man with a passion for doing things right, and he always goes above and beyond to get the job done.
Greg is always available for any major crime or officer-involved shooting. He has cancelled many family functions during his career in order to respond to an urgent incident. He goes out of his way to cover deputies on calls. He volunteers for calls when Patrol is short.
Greg is also an accomplished and respected firearms instructor. He makes sure our deputies are safe, trained and have their firearms loaded before returning to their districts. It makes all the difference in critical confrontations.
We'd like to quote from the letter that nominated Greg for this award:
"It has been a pleasure and honor to work with Greg all these years. I want to thank him for the job he does and the person he is. He will be missed by all when he retires in a couple of years. Those will be big shoes to fill."
We couldn't agree more. Greg loves catching bad guys, and we love him for it. And we're proud to give him a Meritorious Service Award.
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Meritorious Service Award:
Deputy Stephen Steinberg
The apprehension and arrest of impaired drivers is a top priority at the Sheriff's Office. Traffic crashes are the number-one preventable cause of death in Oregon. In 2005, there were over 29,000 fatal and injury crashes in Oregon; of the 488 killed in those crashes, 177 deaths were alcohol-related. The economic impact of impaired-driving crashes on Oregonians has been estimated at $900 million annually.
Which brings us to Deputy Steve Steinberg.
Steve is a front-line warrior in the fight against drunk driving. He helped simplify the process for documenting DUII arrests. He's developed computer programs for deputy laptops. He provides SFST training during briefings. He's always available to answer DUII-related questions.
His drunk-driving arrest record is incredible. Deputy Steinberg has made literally hundreds of DUII arrests since starting here in September 2001. During 2005, for example, Deputy Steinberg arrested 105 drunk drivers during the course of his normal patrol duties. This number is three times higher than the Deputy with the next-highest number of DUII arrests. He also made 188 DUII arrests in 2004, 79 in 2006 and 97 in 2007.
Drunk driving is a scourge. And Steve is finding new ways to fight it. We're honored to give him a Meritorious Service Award.
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Meritorious Service Award:
Lt. Kevin Layng
In February 2006, then-Sergeant Kevin Layng left his Patrol supervisor post to lead our Homicide and Violent Crimes Unit.
Since then, he's made Lieutenant -- and he did a terrific job leading the HVCU detectives.
He directed detectives as they investigated officer-involved shootings. He created a positive team environment -- one that helped the HVCU resolve almost every case it received.
He's proactive. He responded on every call-out regardless of time or day. He responded on a call by himself last Christmas -- so the rest of his unit could have the holiday off.
Kevin is selfless. He's attentive. He has demonstrated care, compassion, and excellent judgment in complex circumstances. We're proud to give him our Meritorious Service Award.
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LIFE SAVING AWARD
The Life Saving Award may be awarded to a member of the Sheriff's Office who performed an action that resulted in the preservation of life.
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Life Saving Award:
Deputy Richard Jacobs
Marine Service Officer Andrew Garrison
Last October, Dick Jacobs and Andrew Garrison received a "Life Saving Award" from the Oregon State Marine Board. They were honored for the way they handled a life-threatening situation on the Willamette River.
Tonight, we're going to do the same.
It was June 30, 2007. Deputy Jacobs and Marine Safety Officer Garrison were patrolling the Willamette River, near Meldrum Bar.
They saw two people struggling in the water, about 50 yards from shore.
One screamed for help and disappeared below the surface. Suddenly, he broke the surface and thrashed violently, gasping for breath and trying to shout for help. There was another person also trying to get air -- and both men were pulling each other underwater.
Deputy Jacobs grabbed the first man by his swim trunks and hair and pulled him into the boat. He was nearly limp from exhaustion.
Meanwhile, Garrison tossed a throw bag to the other person, and he and Jacobs pulled him into the boat.
Suddenly, there was an unexpected twist. One of the men began yelling that he wanted to get back into the water. The deputies physically restrained him and attempted to calm him, unsure of the reason for his behavior.
After they got to shore, the full story was revealed: The two men were part of a group outing -- with three autistic persons and three caregivers. The autistic man broke away from the group and entered the water. A caregiver went in the water after him in an attempt to bring him back to shore. But once in the water, they were both in need of rescue.
Had the deputies not taken immediate action, it is likely that one or both men would have drowned. We're proud to give Deputy Jacobs and Marine Safety Officer Garrison our Life Saving Award.
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Life Saving Award:
Deputy Jeff Boone
At nearly 2 a.m. on May 19, an inmate at the Clackamas County Jail tried to kill himself. He slashed his wrist with a standard-issue inmate comb.
Corrections Deputy Jeff Boone checked the cell on a monitor, and saw that the floor was covered in blood. He went to the cell -- and found a horrible scene. The inmate was lying on a bunk, bleeding profusely. He had a weak pulse. He was not breathing.
Deputy Boone stayed calm -- and saved the man's life.
He grabbed a towel, elevated the slashed wrist, and applied pressure. The inmate gasped for air. Jeff told the control room to call an ambulance. The inmate fought and said "Just let me die." But Deputies and medical personnel were able to secure the man and get him to OHSU.
Afterward, Jeff's uniform was so covered in blood, he had to put it in bio-hazard bag and throw it away.
Deputy Boone stayed calm and acted quickly in a high-stress situation. His cool head represents the best ideals of our Corrections Division, and we couldn't be prouder.
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Life Saving Award:
Sergeant Shane Strangfield
On Nov. 28, a little after 6 a.m. on a foggy morning, then-Deputy Shane Strangfield arrived at the scene of a hit-and-run.
A woman in a wheelchair was struck, and lying in the southbound lane on McLoughlin Boulevard in Milwaukie. A lone man was conducting CPR, trying to keep her alive. He had found her not breathing, with only a faint pulse.
This lone man was paramedic Mike Alderman. He was on his way to work -- and didn't have his equipment with him.
Shane made a decision. He retrieved a rescue breath mask from the trunk of his vehicle, gave it to the paramedic, and then started giving chest compressions. Medical personnel arrived a few minutes later and took over.
The woman later died as a result of her injuries at OHSU. But Shane helped give her a fighting chance at life. She would have died before paramedics arrived if it hadn't been for his quick thinking and preparedness. We're proud to employ a deputy -- now a Sergeant -- who always looks for ways to go above and beyond in a crisis situation. And we're proud to give him a Life Saving Award.
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Life Saving Award:
Deputy Jeff Manley
On Jan. 14, a Clackamas County Jail inmate tried to kill himself. He had hung himself from the bunk in his cell, using a pillowcase fashioned into a noose. When deputies ran into the cell, he was lifeless and purple, without a pulse. His cellmate was trying to hold him up.
Three other deputies entered the cell and cut the inmate down with the help of a cellmate. Jeff Manley was the fourth deputy to enter the cell, and he brought that inmate back to life.
After checking his pulse and airway, Jeff grabbed the inmate by both arms, dragged him out of the cell, and began CPR. The chest compressions sparked the inmate's breathing. Six minutes later, medical personnel took over and the inmate was treated at OHSU.
Deputy Manley didn't just save a life; he handled himself calmly, professionally, and with a great deal of common sense. We're honored to give him a Life Saving Award.
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SHERIFF'S MEDAL OF MERIT
The Sheriff's Medal of Merit may be awarded to a sworn member of the Sheriff's Office -- or a law enforcement officer working with the Sheriff's Office – who performed actions showing extraordinary dedication to the profession and community. Such actions must be directed towards protection of life and safety in the face of personal danger.
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SHERIFF'S MEDAL OF MERIT
Sgt. Lyle McCuistion
Deputy Tony Killinger
On October 30th, Sgt. Lyle McCuistion and Deputy Tony Killinger confronted a male subject armed with a shotgun in the bar at the Courtyard By Marriott Hotel.
A manager at the Marriott called us reporting that a subject expelled earlier from the hotel was back -- brandishing a shotgun and glaring at front-desk personnel.
Lyle and Tony arrived on the scene. While waiting for back-up and approaching the front entrance, they came face-to-face with the armed subject. He was standing near the registration desk in the lobby.
The subject ran down a hallway holding the shotgun. Rather than waiting to assemble a standard four-person contact cell, Lyle and Tony followed -- and discovered the subject in the bar area, fully loaded shotgun in hand. They moved in fast -- and took him into custody without further complications.
We later learned the subject was present in the same bar the night before, and had been denied alcoholic beverages. He reportedly told the on-duty bartender, "We'll just take care of this tomorrow," and had engaged in other disturbing behavior.
We also learned the subject had pointed the shotgun directly at five different hotel employees.
This is as dangerous as a law enforcement situation can get . It could have turned into an active-shooter situation at any moment. But it didn't -- because Lyle and Tony were well-trained, and moved quickly with the utmost professionalism. Lyle and Tony's rapid action and textbook handling of the situation saved lives -- including the suspect's. We're proud to award them our Medal of Merit.
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DEPARTMENT UNIT COMMENDATIONS
A Department Unit Commendation may be awarded to a group of individuals, members of the Sheriff's Office, members of the law enforcement community, or members of the public who have performed an outstanding act or achievement which brings credit to the this department or law enforcement in general.
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Department Unit Commendation:
Clackamas County Community Environment
Ken Spiegel
Andrea Hall
Kim Priest
Kim Benthin
Dean Brown
In late 2005, the Sheriff's Office was facing a serious problem. Homeless camps were overwhelming the Springwater Corridor and the land around the North Clackamas Aquatic Center. For example: In the 90 acres around the Aquatic Center, there were 40 active and inactive camps.
Citizens walking, jogging or biking on the Springwater Trail risked intimidation and stepping in garbage -- or worse.
The Sheriff's Office needed help. So we turned to the County's Community Environment Division.
Over the next two years, their Code Enforcement Team worked tirelessly. They helped us clean the camps from the Aquatic Center area and the Springwater Corridor. They helped remove hundreds of tons of garbage. And they helped develop a humane approach to Clackamas County homeless -- thanks to a recently approved camping ordinance.
Today, citizens can walk through these areas without fear. We want to thank the Community Environment team for setting a new standard on a sensitive issue. We're honored and grateful to give you a Department Unit Commendation.
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Department Unit Commendation:
SWAT / HNT / EDU Team
Lt. Kim Klusmann
Sgt. Lyle McCuistion
Sgt. Lynn Schoenfeld
Sgt. Tony Kollias
Deputy Tim Beard
Deputy Chris Cate
Deputy Brad Helzer
Deputy Matt Jamison
Deputy Tony Killinger
Deputy Dennis Kishpaugh
Deputy Jeff Miller
Deputy Jason Nall
Deputy Mark Nikolai
Deputy Clint Pierce
Deputy Dan Steeves
Deputy Steve Strickland
Deputy Matt Swanson
Deputy Paul Wade
Reserve Deputy Dr. Seth Izenberg
Sgt. Wendi Babst
Deputy Joel Manley
Deputy Terry Cuddeford
Deputy Jeff Murray
Deputy Bill Rowlands
Deputy Barbara McCullough
Deputy Dave Willard
Detective Kim Timeus
Deputy Danny Dea
Deputy Gale Schrepfer
Our SWAT team, Hostage Negotiation Team and Explosive Disposal Unit have never asked to be recognized. But tonight, we want to offer special thanks to a group of professionals who can always be counted on to show up when it absolutely, positively must be done right.
Our SWAT team is on-call 24/7. Many deployments begin at 3 a.m., and pull team members away from their families. Working a full shift or training for 10 hours and then responding to a call-out is common.
If there is a call-out, all of SWAT responds. There is no whining. There is no complaining. There is no compromise.
SWAT trains constantly with high-tech equipment. Physical fitness is a requirement. Team members built their own obstacle course, on which all team members must qualify. Training is not optional, and it is not easy. But the results are extraordinary -- our team's mental, physical and tactical preparedness, along with its professional patience, is crucial to ending confrontations without loss of life.
Our nomination letter states: "It is absolutely amazing how many criminals SWAT has returned to prison alive and well after they swore they would never return to prison alive."
This group sets the bar for professionalism at the Sheriff's Office. And tonight, we're proud to salute the integrity, professionalism, skill, knowledge, dedication, commitment, teamwork and loyalty of this group. You've done us proud. And we're honored to give you all a Department Unit Commendation.
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THE "BIG EIGHT" AWARDS
(Commentary for each award by Sheriff Craig Roberts)
Our "red book" of rules and regulations establishes the criteria for each of these awards. And although the candidate pool for each award is different, the qualifications for each award are the same.
The employee must demonstrate a continuing pattern of excellence. They must earn the respect of their peers. And they must work well beyond the level expected of their rank or position. This employee must be honest, hardworking, loyal and reliable.
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RESERVE DEPUTY SHERIFF OF THE YEAR
John Michael Belcher
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NON-SWORN COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Carla Swigart
SHERIFF ROBERTS COMMENTS: You've more than earned this honor, Carla. You've been steadfast on the job as a behind-the-scenes clerical staffer for over two decades. You've done your job extremely well, pleasantly and without complaint -- no matter what's been asked of you.
I'm told you shy away from these sorts of compliments, but it's important that you know how much we appreciate your dedication and relentless service. I'm proud to honor you as our Non-Sworn Community Corrections Employee of the Year.
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NON-SWORN SHERIFF'S EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Julie Bliss
SHERIFF ROBERTS COMMENTS: Julie, you do a tremendous job juggling a host of crucial behind-the-scenes duties in Support Services. You provide administrative support to the division captain. You prepare and maintain occasionally sensitive files, lists and reports -- often on strict deadlines. You write. You schedule. You coordinate. You help develop the vision for our Support Services Division, and then you help prepare the budget to make that vision a reality. I've heard you described as the "Mother of the Building" -- acting as liaison on maintenance and repairs for South Station. You also coordinate our Citizen Informational Sheriff's Academy (CISA) -- a marvelous educational tool that strengthens the connection between the Sheriff's Office and the community it serves by showing citizens first-hand the day-to-day challenges faced by our deputies.
In 2007, you updated our Attrition Plan, our Continuity of Operations Plan and the tracking of our Affirmative Action goals. You helped the Gresham Police set up its first Citizen Academy. You created a useful spreadsheet to supplement the DES tracking system. You enhanced our recruiting process at a time when we're aggressively pursuing new hires. You were critical in helping document TOPOFF4. And as a community-service volunteer, you were responsible for a Muscular Dystrophy fundraiser.
Julie, these are just a few of the duties and accomplishments presented as we considered you for an award. You've absolutely proven yourself to be honest, hardworking, loyal and reliable. I'm honored to name you our 2007 Non-Sworn Sheriff's Employee of the Year.
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COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS OFFICER OF THE YEAR
Doug Moline
SHERIFF ROBERTS COMMENTS: Throughout your nearly nine years in Community Corrections, you've consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and a willingness to take on complex tasks -- all while providing superior customer service to citizens and other law-enforcement agencies.
You've worked night shift during most of the past two years. This meant you had the additional duty of responding to after-hours calls from community law-enforcement agencies. You've demonstrated superior knowledge during this after-hours shift by assisting patrol deputies with quick contact from Parole & Probation supervisors. You've actively responded to more than 80 calls received each month for law-enforcement after-hours and detainer requests.
During your years with Community Corrections: Residential Services, you've served as a field training officer -- and received a special commission designation from the Sheriff's Office. You've developed a professional rapport with local agencies while working closely with law-enforcement personnel on the Facility Absconder Recovery Team.
In short, you've been continuously honest, hardworking, loyal and reliable. I'm proud to honor you as our Community Corrections Officer of the Year.
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PROBATION & PAROLE OFFICER OF THE YEAR
Pat Foley
SHERIFF ROBERTS COMMENTS: You've more than fulfilled the criteria for this award, Pat. You've helped pioneer the Women's Team -- and kept its newsletter going. You're a terrific communicator with Probation & Parole clients and employees. I'm also told you spend time making the office a pleasant place to work -- by planting flowers around the building, among other things.
In short, your performance is the very embodiment of a continuing pattern of excellence. I'm grateful for your hard work, and I'm proud to name you the 2007 Probation & Parole Officer of the Year.
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INVESTIGATIONS DEPUTY SHERIFF OF THE YEAR
Det. Dan Kraus
SHERIFF ROBERTS COMMENTS: You served as the lead investigator in the murder of Mohamed Jabbie. It wasn't unusual for you to talk with the victim's family members several times a week after being assigned the case over two years ago. You developed a MySpace Web page that generated many comments -- and, most important, kept the story of Jabbie's murder current alive in the community. Your dedication and drive are why we were able to arrests two suspects in December 2007.
That isn't the only tragic case you helped bring to a successful conclusion in 2007. In July, the murder of 15-year-old Dani Countryman brought national media attention; there was incredible pressure to quickly resolve the case. The suspects did not speak English, and you stepped up -- interviewing them and even translating during interviews with other detectives. You spent four hours talking with one suspect and translating questions for the other detective until we finally got admissions that will be crucial in prosecuting the case.
In addition to showcasing top-notch investigative skills, you're always looking for ways to train and inform your co-workers. You made all the arrangements to host a free search-warrant-writing class that was attended by agencies from all over western Oregon and extremely well-received. You've also built an incredible network of contacts with members of other local and federal law-enforcement agencies. We constantly draw on the expertise of these contacts.
You're an incredible asset to the Sheriff's Office, Dan. We're honored to name you our Investigations Deputy Sheriff of the Year.
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CORRECTIONS DEPUTY SHERIFF OF THE YEAR
Barbara McCullough
SHERIFF ROBERTS COMMENTS: You were nominated for Corrections Deputy of the Year several times, by several different people. Here are just a few of the compliments you received in those written nominations:
I couldn't agree more. Your work -- whether as Corrections Division training coordinator, as an acting shift sergeant, as an unofficial contributor to our peer support group, as a supervisor for the Explorer Cadet program and a participant in the Law Enforcement Challenge, or as a sought-after member of our Hostage Negotiation Team -- is the very definition of excellence. I'm proud to have you on our team. And I'm delighted to honor you as 2007 Corrections Deputy Sheriff of the Year.
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DEPUTY SHERIFF OF THE YEAR
Shane Strangfield
SHERIFF ROBERTS COMMENTS: The Banquet Committee was presented with no fewer than six commendations and letters of praise you received in 2007. Among them:
You're a second-generation employee of the Sheriff's Office who has served us in our Corrections and Patrol Divisions, and as a defensive-tactics instructor and Field Training Officer and member of our Honor Guard. You've earned a reputation as someone who always exceeds standards -- bringing a pleasant, professional attitude (and a neatly maintained uniform) to work every day. You've also struck a good balance in life -- volunteering in your church, coaching soccer, and teaching self-defense at Canby High.
I'm proud to honor you as our 2007 Deputy of the Year. You've more than earned the distinction.
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