Oregon State Sheriffs' Association

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The Counties of the State of Oregon

OSSA President
Rick Eiesland

Chief Executive Officer
Holly Driver Russell

PO Box 7468
Salem, OR 97303

503-364-4204
1-800-624-4405

Contact the Columbia County Sheriff's Office
&
Sheriff Jeff Dickerson

Office Phone:	(503) 366-4611
FAX Phone:	(503) 366-4644
Address:	901 Port Avenue St. Helens, OR 97051

OREGON SHERIFF Magazine News

Jeff Dickerson was elected Sheriff in 2008 after a 20-year career with the Oregon State Police. Sheriff Dickerson's immediate goal has been to establish a new vision for the sheriff's office and its employees, leading the agency toward becoming a more efficient and effective peace conservation team.

Immediate changes to the sheriff's office have included:

Lengthening the patrol schedule to cover more hours in the day
Streamlining the command structure of patrol and the jail to produce a more efficient system
Renewing a commitment to patrolling the Columbia River, adding an extra, seasonal deputy position with additional state funds
Updating and revamping the policies and procedures that govern day-to-day activities
Cost cutting measures designed to save jobs and keep more deputies on the road
Setting the groundwork for, and building a solid team of volunteers to help ease the burden on the agency's short-staffed operations
Building a new image for the sheriff's office with a new look in uniforms and patrol cars that speak of professionalism, assurance and preparedness in uncertain times
Rebuilding the agency from the ground up in the areas of training, discipline, management and administrative direction
Maintaining a positive outlook, even in difficult budget times -- not allowing our financial woes to affect our commitment to service or our devotion to duty

These are trying times for public safety, and local sheriff's offices are struggling to provide all the services mandated to them by state law. We are working hard to find ways to maximize our limited resources for the good of the citizens we serve.

Winter, 2009 -- The Sheriff's Office is making the most of the three deputies currently available for patrol. Major investigations include: a child sexual abuse case (multiple victims), the interdiction of a pill-extraction meth lab, and the investigation of burglaries in the Vernonia area. In those burglaries, volunteers in partnership with the sheriff helped log the calls and enter them into our system when no deputy was available. After a suspect was identified, a deputy was assigned to the case to help with the investigation. Search and Rescue volunteers also searched successfully for a missing hiker and a downed aircraft October.

Columbia County

Sheriff Jeff Dickerson

Columbia County Sheriff's Website