Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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To The Eagle, As Sheriff of this County, I stay away from publicly commenting on Town of Cathlamet politics as much as possible, but on certain occasions and in the name of truth and correcting misconceptions, I must speak. I believe the attack on the current mayor with censorship on his "behaviour" (a Canadian spelling of the word), is misleading at best, and bullying at worst. I have witnessed or have been present on several occasions where the rude, disrespectful, aggressive, and hostile behavior from a councilman was almost too much to...
Lots going on around the county, and in the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office as well these days. First and foremost, I am pleased to say that our theft and burglary cases have plummeted the last couple months. Two burglaries and three thefts were reported in the entire county. Zero thefts or burglaries were reported in the Skamokawa area or areas where we have held neighborhood watch meetings or coffee-with-a-cop meetings. In my experience, wherever there are police/community meetings to talk...
Just a word regarding the murder of Deputy Justin DeRosier and the effect this incident has on our protocols in patrol moving forward from here. When I spoke to Sheriff Thurman in Cowlitz County the morning of this tragedy, I offered to assist our neighbors in any way we could. Expectedly, the sheriff was beside himself but handling the situation with grace and calm. The Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office was available to handle any calls for service that Longview was unable to handle from Coal Creek to County Line Park. Undersheriff Gary...
The Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS) is pleased to announce a new program called “VIPS Visits” that will benefit community members who may need a visit from a caring volunteer. Volunteers are now offering to stop in and check on a loved one, neighbor, or friend who is physically challenged, unable to leave their home, or lives alone and would enjoy a friendly visit on occasion. Like our current “Vacation House Check” program, just sign yourself up or sign up a loved one (with their permission) using o...
Happy new year! Well the new year is getting started with a kick and the Sheriff's Office is abuzz with several new deputies! Two of our new recruits already lived in our county at the time of hire and all of them are excited and dedicated to protecting and serving this county with professionalism and honor, and all have a public servant's heart. Upon graduation from the academy we will be posting their photos, bios, and introducing them to the community. We are looking to fill one corrections/dispatch position and are going to have a local...
May 22-25 is National Boating Safety Week this year. This also coincides with another fishing season and loads of people will be on or near the water. This is the time to remind people of things that are necessary to maximize your security on our waterways. Always wear a life jacket. State law requires all vessels including canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards have one Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person onboard. All children age 12 and under are required to wear one at all times. Bring communication devices. Boaters should...
I am excited to announce that the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office is offering an eight-week Citizen’s Academy at the end of March. It has been several years since we have put on this very informative, interesting, and enjoyable course. Our academy mission is to enhance community partnerships by increasing our citizens’ understanding of the criminal justice system through education. The class takes place in Cathlamet on Fridays from 6-9 p.m. with a graduation celebration at the end. The topics covered during the academy include criminal inv...
On September 19, I joined 18 other sheriffs and police chiefs around the state who were invited to meet with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. I was among a select number of agency heads, including neighboring sheriffs from Pacific County and Cowlitz County, invited to meet with the nation's top law enforcement officer. The Attorney General kept to his word in meeting with local law enforcement wherever he was able, and he took the time to meet with us after visiting family in Bremerton the...
This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Sheriff's Office in partnership with Wahkiakum Health and Human Services will be providing a Drug Take Back event at the Wahkiakum County Courthouse. The take back station will be inside the door near the Superior Court Clerk's office. All prescription and over the counter drugs are accepted. Pills and other drugs should be placed in a zip lock bag with all personal identifiers removed from the packaging. No needles are accepted, however you are welcome...
By Wahkiakum County Sheriff Mark Howie As I witnessed and partook in the activities that unfolded last Friday during our live exercise at the school I was struck with immense pride in the professional, collaborative, skilled teamwork displayed by all of our first responders under the most extreme pressure. Over 160 people participated in one of our county’s biggest mass casualty incident (MCI) training exercises to date. By now many people have heard about the active assailant MCI that has been eight months in the making. What you may not r...
We want to thank all of you who were patient with our recent heightened security measures at the courthouse during our jury trial the last two weeks. For a minute of inconvenience, we maximized the safety and security of the visitors and employees of the courthouse. It is a very rare occasion that we would put that level of security into place. It was a group effort that made it go smoothly and we extend our appreciation for your cooperation and understanding. Remember that the public’s safety is a priority in every decision I make. I have r...
I hope everyone had a safe and peaceful holiday. I am always grateful when I don’t get that call in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve about a major emergency or incident! As far as I can tell our county fared well through the holiday season. While winter settles in, I want to warn residents about scammers that take advantage during the cold weather season. This is a time when door knockers soliciting for work take advantage of those who would easily pay them to do jobs that they don’t finish or don’t even start. There are ways to preve...
Our 6th deputy, Brian Hornback, is now graduated from the academy and on his field training with deputies on various shifts. Deputy Hornback graduated #1 in academics and #1 overall in a class of 30. He was competing against much larger agencies including Seattle PD, Clark County, and Vancouver PD. That is quite an accomplishment. Brian used to work as a corrections officer/dispatcher for the Sheriff’s Office. Now he is a welcomed member of patrol. You may have already noticed we now have deputies working longer hours into the evening and e...
It’s time for a reminder about fireworks safety and especially this year with the extra dry weather, it is extremely important that caution is taken when setting them off. Here are some safety tips from tntfireworks.com: Only light fireworks on a hard flat and level surface to ensure stability. Do not set off fireworks directly on grass. Instead, use a wooden or board of non-flammable material. When selecting an area, make sure it’s clear of structures, vehicles, trees, dry grass, brush and other flammable items. When lighting fireworks nev...
Some good news I have to share is that incidents of thefts on Puget Island have plummeted in the past two months. One theft report of a boat motor was taken on East Little Island Road in May. The Sheriff's Office took only one theft report in the Elochoman Valley area and two theft reports of metal and garden tools in the Deep River area. Deputies have been working with neighboring residents to keep a close eye on people wandering in their neighborhoods or acting suspiciously. After the arrest of two known individuals on Puget Island, there...
This summer turned out to be a pretty safe one as far as crime is concerned. One particular con that cropped up again however was “theft by fraud” through persons acting as contractors promising services that were not rendered or completed. We had three such cases involving pavers who approached home owners, promising to pave their driveways at a low price. When the job was only half finished or shoddily done, they demanded payment of thousands of dollars over their originally quoted price. Feeling powerless and coerced, the victims paid the...
Even great parents can forget a child in the back seat, but caregivers who are unaccustomed to transporting children are especially prone to forgetting. Think about the last time your routine was interrupted. Maybe you forgot something, or were afraid you might forget something. Or maybe you decided to leave your child alone in the car, thinking "I'll just run into the store for a minute." In either case, it's important to know the risks and consequences associated with leaving kids in cars - especially hot cars. Risks In 10 minutes, a car can...
Even great parents can forget a child in the back seat, but caregivers who are unaccustomed to transporting children are especially prone to forgetting. Think about the last time your routine was interrupted. Maybe you forgot something, or were afraid you might forget something. Or maybe you decided to leave your child alone in the car, thinking "I'll just run into the store for a minute." In either case, it's important to know the risks and consequences associated with leaving kids in cars - especially hot cars. Risks In 10 minutes, a car can...
Independence Day is in two weeks already. With that in mind I want to remind folks of the state law that provides the guidelines as to when they may be discharged. Last year we had an increase in the number of complaints regarding the types of fireworks discharged as well as the time they continued beyond what state law allows. Here is the law, RCW 70.77.395 in a nutshell when it comes to consumer use: Consumer fireworks may be used or discharged each day between Noon to 11 p.m. on June 28, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on June 29 through July 3, 9 a.m. to...
You will be seeing the Sheriff’s Office vehicles flying blue ribbons on the antennae this month. May 11–17 is National Police Week, honoring police officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities around the nation. Our Wahkiakum County deputies are a dedicated, hard working group of guys that sacrifice a lot to be protectors, responders, and peacekeepers for the people of our county. Calls at 3 o’clock in the morning take them out of a deep sleep and into the rainy nights to respond to a disturbance or a crit...
I want to start by giving my thanks and appreciation to all the Telecommunicators (911 dispatchers) that work for the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office. They do a fantastic job as the important and vital link on the other end of the call you make in emergencies, urgent medical crisis, or basic direction in times of need. They are the life line for you when you need a deputy, fire fighter, or medical personnel. I applaud the job they all do for the community. Unique to our county, all but one of the Sheriff's Office dispatchers are cross...
Hope the end of winter is finding you safe. I have had some calls recently about the legitimacy of a group called “Law Enforcement Association.” This group solicits donations over the phone and gives the impression that the contributions go to local law enforcement agencies including the local sheriff. This is false. No police or sheriff’s agency will solicit donations over the phone, nor are we associated with this group. If this or any other self proclaimed law enforcement association calls you, ask them to send you information by mail befor...
Greetings from the Sheriff. Here again to share some news and updates from the WCSO. We are happy to say we once again have a deputy at the Johnson Park substation on Tuesdays from 3-5 p.m. If you need to fill out an accident report, vacation house check form, etc., or want to talk to a deputy in person, this is a good time to stop by. Deputy Mark Hake is our newly assigned School Officer Liaison. The Sheriff's Office is dedicated to having a deputy assigned as a liaison officer for the schools and although he is not assigned full time, will...
Editor's note: Undersheriff Mark Howie asked to respond in depth to recent articles and concerns about the department's emergency planning policies and response to recent tsunami situations. We welcome that information. Recent earthquakes and the subsequent tsunami in Japan have re-ignited interest in the state of emergency planning and response in Wahkiakum County. This announcement is to explain the role of the sheriff's office during local disasters or in the event of a large scale emergency. In a local large scale emergency or disaster the...
