WCSO 2021 Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 5
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REFLECTIONS
IN 2021 OUR STAFF:
• Took 1,259 reports on domestic violence,
holding offenders accountable while
safeguarding survivors and connecting them
with community-based services. Served 826
restraining orders and 196 stalking orders.
• Investigated 2,860 child abuse reports. Some
of these cases are horrific. These investigations
involve partnerships with various
organizations to find justice for these children
and hold the abusers accountable.
• We worked hard to keep our roads safer
by making 605 arrests for driving while
intoxicated. While it seems routine in this
profession, these investigations can be
dangerous. In 2021, while a deputy was
arresting a drunk driver, another drunk driver
struck that the deputy. Thankfully, that deputy
is recovered and back to work as part of our
team keeping you safe.
• Our Mental Health Response Team responded
with a skilled and compassionate approach to
2,472 calls to support those in our community
with mental illness or in crisis.
• Our tactical negotiations team responded
to over 128 dangerous incidents in the past
12 months; many involved persons who
threatened others with a firearm or fired at
others. Remarkably, our team resolved every
one of these incidents peacefully, including
one standoff that lasted 30 hours even though
the person shot at our deputies and officers at
close range.
• This work amounts to over 111,598
incidents. Over half of these were public
demand calls, meaning someone called
either 9-1-1 or the non-emergency number,
and our deputies responded.
• The Houseless Outreach Programs and
Engagement (HOPE) team worked directly
with community partners while on patrol and
through the Washington Count Encampment
Management Program (EMP) to connect
our unhoused community members with
available resources, conduct risk assessments,
and engage with neighbors to improve the
livability of Washington County.
Operating Washington County’s only jail is no
easy feat during a pandemic, especially while
trying to find the balance of creating an
environment safe from COVID-19 and ensuring
dangerous offenders are not released early
because of overcrowding. For 2021 jail staff
booked 10,585 adults into our facility, only 32
tested positive for COVID, and we are proud to
say we avoided a serious COVID outbreak in 2021
among those in our care, even while our staffing
levels were stretched thin.
The pandemic created significant limits on training, communication, staffing, jail and patrol
operations, and detective work. Our staff overcame obstacles, and they continued to achieve
milestones like:
• Being one of only four public safety agencies
in Oregon earning national accreditation.
• Continuing compliance with rigorous Oregon
Jail Standards since 2001. Our last inspection
was on March 31st, 2021 and we passed with a
99.7% score.
• Maintaining national accreditation for
healthcare we provide to those in jail custody.
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