Oregon officer joins sheriff's department

In mid-May, Catherine Hager, 25, joined the Wahkiakum Sheriff's Office.

Hager was raised in Hillsboro, Ore., and has wanted to work in law enforcement for as long as she can remember.

"I like the idea of a team atmosphere," Hager said. "I've always had a sense of wrong from right. I've always had that protective side to me. I love the idea of having a connection with people and getting out into the community and talking to people and getting to know people. This job just came naturally to me."

After graduating from high school, Hager got a scholarship to play volleyball at the College of the Siskiyous, a community college in Weed, Calif. After two years, she transferred to Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Tex., where she got a full ride to play two more years of volleyball. She studied criminology.

Hager worked for the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office for a year.

"It was so busy," Hager said. "It was constantly jail, back to the road, jail, back to the road. It wouldn't be uncommon to go to the jail several times in a night. There was no opportunity to community police."

She spoke to one of her lieutenants about the kind of work she wanted to be doing and he referred her to the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office.

"I've had more of an opportunity," Hager said of her last two months, "even just to connect with victims, to actually sit down and explain the process to people instead of handing them a card and saying call this number. It's been really refreshing and rewarding."

"I've had some good experiences," she added. "I think I'm settling in just fine. Everybody in the sheriff's office is awesome and hilarious and helpful and welcoming. I'm super grateful for that. Everybody has been a great resource at any time of the day. It's a super close community within the sheriff's office."

In her spare time, Hager likes to go to the gym and lift weights. She is also a movie buff and is trying to learn to love yard work.

Local resident Sue O'Connor passed by during our interview and said that she and her husband were pleased to see a woman join the deputies at the sheriff's office. She mentioned situations where a victim might feel more comfortable talking to a woman.

"There are really delicate, unique, diverse situations every time," Hager said in response. "You can have as much training as the next guy, but it's always so different. The more training the better you are prepared to adapt."

"It's good to see you here," O'Connor said to Hager before telling this writer to stay out of trouble.

"You never know, Diana is interviewing me today, I might have reason to interview her tomorrow," Hager told her.

"That's a horrible idea," I said. "Hypothetically, would admitting to jaywalking get me into trouble?"

Hager is the first member of her family to go into law enforcement.