Sheriff's Corner

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 trained as corrections officers as well. Happy Public Safety Telecommunicator Week (April 13-19) to our Wahkiakum County Dispatchers: Vernon Barton, Raedyn Grasseth, JoAnn Barton, Aric Cothren, Dave Davis, Betty Mach, Ed Granger, Kevin Maki, and Brian Hornback.

The sheriff's office now has a Facebook page! Stay connected and updated to your sheriff's office by following us. You will receive pertinent information as to coming sheriff's office events, news, “Be on the Look Out’s” (B.O.L.O.’S), wanted persons, current crime trends, emergency management posts, etc. It is another way we can get the word out quickly in emergency situations.

On April 16, sheriff's deputies and dispatchers along with Wahkiakum school officials and Fire/EMS personnel will be taking part in our first multi-discipline, active school shooter table top exercise. This exercise scenario has been in the planning stages for several months in order to test our coordinated response with the various agencies involved in an active shooter crisis at the schools. There will be two teams consisting of a deputy, dispatcher, school official, fire personnel, and EMS personnel. I am elated to see us progress as a community in a planned and coordinated response in the event we have a crisis of this magnitude at the schools. We need to have a good understanding of each of our roles and expectations in order to respond efficiently, safely, and cooperatively.

Gas and metal thefts are up. The last several months have seen an increase in gas siphoning from vehicles as well as metal theft. Most of the metal has been stolen from yards or property and cashed in as scrap. Most of the thefts have occurred along the Elochoman, up on Greenwood, and along East SR4, and gas siphoning in Deep River as well. Please keep an eye out for suspicious persons on your property as well as your neighbor's. Most of the time we catch the culprits because a citizen calls in a suspicious person that they observe. If you can safely get a license plate that helps us a great deal too!

Have a great start to spring and stay safe.