Norris, Grasseth run for sheriff

Three men have announced their candidacies for Wahkiakum County Sheriff.

Undersheriff Jon Dearmore, a 20-year law enforcement veteran, hopes to take the reins of the department he's worked in for 17 years; The Eagle profiled his candidacy last week.

The remaining candidates are Josh Grasseth, a former deputy in the department, and Troy Norris, a former reserve deputy sheriff.

Both speak of moving the department into community policing partnerships with the public. Both would like to see fitness programs for officers, and both said they're willing to donate to department programs. Both would like to set up community forums in which the sheriff and the public could discuss issues and needs.

Here are their profiles in greater detail:

Josh Grasseth

Former Wahkiakum County Deputy Sheriff Josh Grasseth has thrown his name in the race for county sheriff as an Independent write-in candidate.

"I hadn't really intended to run, but after the (candidate) filing period, I had a lot of people encourage me to go for it," he said in an interview this week.

A life-long Cathlamet resident, Grasseth graduated from Wahkiakum High School in 1997. He joined the sheriff's office as a reserve in 2001 and became a full-time deputy in 2003 after completing the state Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy. He served in a variety of capacities, including school resource officer and drug dog handler. He took numerous trainings and became a certified diver.

He was laid off in the county's 2008 budget reduction in force and rehired in 2009 to fill a retirement vacancy. He resigned in the fall of 2009 because of personal reasons.

Grasseth said he's running for sheriff because he has a lot of passion for law enforcement and because he feels he has the vision and leadership skills to take the department in a new direction.

He wants officers to be accountable for their actions and he wants them to treat all citizens equitably.

"I'm passionate about law enforcement," he said. "It's like no other job in the world. Working with people, every day is different. You get to help people; you get to be a role model."

He would like to move the department along the road to community oriented policing in which the members of the department develop relationships with members of the community. This helps them serve citizens with respect and compassion, he said, and it leads to better reporting of crimes and problems by the community who trust the department.

As part of the effort, he would like to revamp the department's website and include functions that allow citizens to make safe, even anonymous, reports of illegal activity.

"We would be proactive, not reactive," he said.

"The county is like a big family. When things get tough, we all come together. People look out for one another. We in the sheriff's office have to have personal relationships with the citizens of the county."

Grasseth also said he knows the office well enough that he could improve the internal climate. Officers need support, especially when they have to deal with some of the unpleasant tasks which law enforcement officers face.

Grasseth acknowledges the county's budget problems continue, but he feels he can find ways to control costs without harming services. He has also written successfully grant applications for the department.

"At all costs, you want to keep the officers and their jobs," he said. "I would support the employees, and be proactive for them."

Grasseth's calls for officers to treat people with respect and compassion come from personal experience.

In 2009, he and his family had been struggling with the emotional repercussions of his earlier layoff. He was arrested in Cowlitz County on a charge of assault in the fourth degree and eventually pled guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.

The experience has taught him valuable lessons, he said.

"I've seen both sides of it now; I've seen how law enforcement treats people," he said.

"I've always been accountable for my actions. I got no breaks. We all make mistakes; it's what you learn from those mistakes that counts.

"I' m much more empathetic and compassionate. I can relate. People can make mistakes; it doesn't make them bad people."

Grasseth and his wife, LeeAnne, have three children.

Troy Norris

Like Grasseth, Norris feels he has the leadership skills to take the sheriff's department into community policing and better relationships with the county's citizens.

Norris grew up along Deep River and was home schooled. He earned a general education degree at Clatsop College and has worked in the construction industry.

He also volunteered in community organizations, including the Wahkiakum Community Network and the Grays River Fire Department, of which he is still a member. He has volunteered as an emergency medical technician (EMT) for 12 years. He also joined the sheriff's department reserve deputy program but resigned after 1.5 years when his first child was born.

"As an EMT, I've seen the importance of community teamwork," he said in an interview this week.

"I'm at my best when I'm working with other people and making an impact in their lives. I want to make a positive change for the community, to not settle for the status quo but to strive to improve."

So far in his campaign, Norris said he has visited 400 homes in the county. People feel disconnected from the sheriff's department and say response to calls is sometimes very slow or unanswered.

"My goal is to answer each and every complaint in as timely a manner as possible, taking into consideration of manpower and what's going on at a particular time," he said.

The department's budget limits expenses, he said, but "I believe we could reorganize or reallocate with the help of the county commissioners to fill the vacancies.

"I want to reorganize and exercise fiscal restraint to maximize service for the taxpayer's dollar," he said. He added that he would donate 10 percent of his salary for outreach programs such as the department's reserve program.

Norris he would work to have the department treat people equitably. He would upgrade and use the department's website to boost communication with the public.

"I would look forward to talking with anyone," he said. "Any and all questions will be answered. I would want the department to have integrity and accountability."

Besides his EMT certification, Norris has completed the regional reserve officers academy and received training in a variety of law enforcement skills.

He and his wife, Becky, live in Rosburg; they have three children.

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