WE'RE HARD AT WORK TO SERVE YOU! |
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The Enhanced Sheriff's Patrol District (ESPD), approved by voters since 1987, was established to provide urban residents who live outside city limits a mechanism to receive city-level law enforcement services.
The ESPD serves approximately 214,000 residents in the urban unincorporated areas of Washington County, including Bethany, Cedar Mill, Cedar Hills, Aloha, Cooper Mountain Reedville, Garden Home, Metzger, Rock Creek, Raleigh Hills, Bull Mountain, Bonny Slope, West Slope, Oak Hills, and more.
- A rapid response to 911 calls in nearly half the time of the national average.
- The county's Mental Health Response Team which pairs a deputy and clinician to respond to people in crisis and divert them from the criminal justice system.
- Advanced training in crisis intervention and de-escalation for deputies to use when working with individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
- Deputies connecting people experiencing homelessness with community resources.
- A public safety response to the increased overdoses and abuse of Xanax, OxyContin, Fentanyl, and other drugs in the community.
- Maintaining current levels of policing services similar to neighboring cities.
Communities interested in learning more about law enforcement services available in your neighborhood can contact us to schedule a public safety meeting to find out more. |
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MENTAL HEALTH AND CRISIS INTERVENTION |
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Washington County's Mental Health Response Team (MHRT) pairs a skilled deputy with a Master's level clinician to provide a rapid response and immediate intervention for calls with a behavioral health component. Locally recognized and committed to best practices, MHRT uses their crisis intervention training to connect individuals in crisis to treatment and divert them from the criminal justice system. This team has served the community for over 11 years, delivering crisis care and ensuring the safety of responders, the community, and the person experiencing a mental health or crisis need. They strive to connect individuals experiencing mental health concerns or emotional distress to a safety net of services for ongoing help.
Since the onset of the pandemic, MHRT has noted an increased need for in-person responses due to the limited availability of mental health services. Numerous sectors continue to experience extreme strain as they mitigate COVID-19 impacts. Limited resources have led to an increased demand for follow-up calls. With broad community and partner agency support, in 2021, MHRT expanded and became an interagency team, with the addition of Hillsboro, Beaverton, Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin, and King City Police Departments.
Click here to learn more about Washington County Crisis Services.
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WCSO is proud to partner with Washington County Behavioral Health and Lifeworks NW to help community members access mental health and addiction care at the Hawthorn Walk-in Center. The pandemic has severely impacted the health care workforce, including the behavioral health system. Because of this, hours of operation, capacity, and wait times at Hawthorn may vary. We ask community members to call the Washington County Crisis Line at 503-291-9111 before going to Hawthorn.
The crisis line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and staffed by trained masters-level clinicians. They will listen, help problem solve, and determine the best options for the most appropriate help. Crisis line staff stay up-to-date on Hawthorn's hours and availability and can help you access their services when necessary. Calling the crisis line first can save an unnecessary trip.
If you or someone you care about is feeling depressed or anxious, thinking or talking about suicide, or struggling with alcohol or drug use, the Crisis Line is a valuable resource. Call 503-291-9111 any time, day or night. You are not alone!
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Encountering people in crisis is not uncommon for law enforcement, and the appropriate intervention training can play a pivotal role in the outcome of these situations. De-escalation is a foundational part of certified officer training and is reinforced through scenario-based instruction.
All WCSO deputies receive focused crisis-intervention training in addition to de-escalation instruction:
- Upon hire, all deputies undergo a 16-hour introductory class called "Crisis Intervention Skills Training."
- Annually, staff complete ongoing crisis intervention education, including:
- Responding to mental illness
- Four-eight hours of scenario-based training, with an emphasis on de-escalation
- Sixteen hours of defensive tactics training with an underlying de-escalation component
A strong commitment to crisis intervention and de-escalation training provides the most effective approach to keeping our community safe. To find out more about our crisis-intervention training, visit bit.ly/WCSO_CIT. |
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WELCOME NEW EXECUTIVE STAFF MEMBERS |
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Our executive team expertly guides all Sheriff's Office operations. Made up of division heads and office leaders, their cumulative experience and knowledge helps us best serve our communities. Please welcome and congratulate our newly promoted executive staff members! |
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CHIEF DEPUTY ERROLL MCCREA |
Chief Deputy Erroll McCrea now joins the Executive Division as one of two chief deputies overseeing the Sheriff's Office. Chief Deputy McCrea has a military background beginning from when he was 17 years old! After 10.5 years in the US Navy, including serving in the Military Police, Chief Deputy McCrea joined the San Diego Sheriff's Office as a Corrections Deputy. Shortly after that, he transferred to the San Diego Police Department, where he served more than five years. |
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During a road trip, Chief Deputy McCrea discovered and fell in love with Oregon. He applied to join the Washington County Sheriff's Office to relocate here in 2002 and accepted a Deputy position. In 2006, he was promoted to Sergeant, where he worked in Patrol and later in the Professional Standards Unit. While working as a Sergeant in 2008, McCrea joined the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, Inc, dedicated to eradicating policing issues that directly impact our communities of color. His membership and work on this important issue continues to this day. In 2016, McCrea was promoted to Lieutenant and became dual-certified to work in both Patrol and Jail Divisions. Chief Deputy McCrea was then promoted to Commander in 2019, where he oversaw Patrol and then the Investigations Division. As of February 2022, he now serves as the Chief Deputy overseeing the Jail and Services Divisions of the Sheriff's Office.
Chief Deputy McCrea is gearing up to attend the FBI National Academy in April for a 10-week course that serves to improve the administration of justice in law enforcement agencies. He is thankful to have experience in each of the Sheriff's Office divisions, which provides multiple perspectives and further supports his knowledge-base when making decisions.
McCrea teaches Criminal Justice courses at Portland Community College during his off-duty time, and enjoys family dinners, game nights, and traveling with his wife!
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Recently promoted Commander Tim Tannenbaum oversees all investigation teams at the Sheriff's Office. Commander Tannenbaum comes from a paramedic background, previously working for AA Ambulance (now AMR). After a friend joined Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, Commander Tannenbaum was encouraged to jump into the law enforcement field. In 1998, he started as a Recruit Deputy, bringing his paramedic skills to his new role in Patrol. |
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Commander Tannenbaum has influenced the office throughout his career by excelling and growing each program and team he joined. He was the first full-time DUII car assigned to the Traffic Team in 2002. That same year, he became a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and, by 2005, a DRE instructor. In 2004, Tannenbaum promoted to Corporal and then to Patrol Sergeant. While in his Sergeant position, he proved his leadership skills by supervising the Interagency Gang Enforcement Team and the Traffic Team. In June 2017, Tannenbaum was promoted to Lieutenant, where he served in the Patrol Division for a time before transferring to Investigations. As of February 5 this year, he began his new role as the Investigations Division Commander.
Commander Tannenbaum hopes to continue providing support to the Investigations Team while offering the best assistance possible to crime victims and our community. His innovative skill sets will allow him to continue pursuing new tools and methods for investigators to combat evolving criminal behaviors.
Commander Tannenbaum spends his time outside work cooking, skiing, traveling with his wife, and hanging out with his grandkids.
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As the new Services Division Commander, Commander Matt Frohnert oversees various units, including Training, Concealed Handgun Licenses, Records, Forensics, Property and Evidence, Professional Standards, Backgrounds, Civil, and Recruitment. Growing up in a military family, Commander Frohnert was destined to follow in military footsteps. The experience he gained during his time with the US Army helped prepare him for his role in law enforcement. |
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Valuing the structure, camaraderie, and organization of the military, he intentionally sought to join the Sheriff's Office. Commander Frohnert's career began as a Jail Deputy in October of 1997. He was in one of the last groups hired at the "old" jail on Lincoln Avenue in Hillsboro. Soon he transitioned to the newer Law Enforcement Center, home of the current jail. In 2003, Frohnert was promoted to Jail Sergeant. He spent ten years in this role overseeing many teams and assignments, including the Corrections Emergency Response Team (14 years on the team; 9 as team leader), Court Security, Jail Population Management, Work-in-lieu-of-jail Program (WILOJ), and Classifications. While managing WILOJ, Frohnert expanded the work crew program to assist the Department of Forestry and the Oregon Department of Transportation. In 2013, he was promoted to Lieutenant, where he served in both the Jail and Services Divisions. Frohnert served as Jail Commander from 2016-to 2018, and from July of 2019 until recently, he oversaw the Training Unit and helped transition to the new state-of-the-art public safety training center, which opened in 2019. Commander Frohnert began his role as Commander over the Services Division on February 5.
While away from the office, Frohnert dedicates his time to his wife and kids. He enjoys watching his kids play sports, which keeps him very busy on the weekends!
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COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING |
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Jan 31, 2022 - Sergeant Jesse Baker responded to WCSO's records lobby to aid a member of the unhoused community turning themselves in on several low-level arrest warrants out of Multnomah County. Sgt. Baker confirmed the warrants were valid and obtained a court date and time for the individual to appear in Multnomah County. The individual asked to be lodged in the jail seeking shelter relief because there were no available beds in Multnomah County. The winter shelters in Washington County were on a two-week pause due to two separate COVID outbreaks and were scheduled to reopen the following day. The individual was not a danger to themselves or others but purported to have been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Sgt. Baker, wanting to help, registered the individual with Housing Services and arranged for the individual to check in at the Severe Weather Shelter the following day when they reopened. He also provided the individual with other resources to connect with Project Homeless Connect, Open Door, and Washington County Housing Services. Sgt. Baker coordinated with Jail Sergeant Werder to provide the individual with a hoodie and jacket as the temperature that evening was 37 degrees. Sgt. Baker provided the individual with two Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) and a Max pass at the individual's request to get back to Portland.
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SERIAL FRAUD: CASE PROGRESSION |
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July 13, 2021 - WCSO deputies responded to a call in the Cedar Mill community. The caller reported that $60,000 was taken out of her bank account. The victim did not have any suspect information and reported the fraud to her bank.
July 21, 2021 – A dental office reported that someone using the identity of the previously mentioned victim came into their office saying they needed significant dental work done, costing $60,000. In the meantime, the victim's bank noted that more attempts were made to access her bank account.
August 25, 2021 - The victim told investigators that the suspect, a previous in-home care provider, had applied for various loans in her name and charged thousands of dollars on her credit cards. Several more attempts were made to transfer money from the victim's accounts, change her account information, and open new credit accounts over the coming weeks and months.
December 20, 2021 - A Washington County Grand Jury heard the details of this case, and, as a result, a warrant was issued for the suspect, Jobee Rene McCann.
February 16, 2022 - Ms. McCann was arrested and lodged in the Washington County Jail on the following charges:
- Aggravated theft in the first degree (x2)
- Theft in the first degree
- Aggravated identity theft (x4)
- Identity Theft (x7)
- Criminal mistreatment in the first degree (x4)
- Unlawful possession of heroin (x2)
- Unlawful possession of methamphetamine (x2)
- Endangering the welfare of a minor (x3)
February 26, 2022 - Detectives obtained a search warrant for McCann's residence and found more evidence of fraudulent activity, including social security cards, credit cards, passports, and driver's licenses from 21 additional victims. Detectives also found evidence of drug use in areas where it was available to three young children.
Detectives believe there may be more victims of Ms. McCann. She previously worked as an in-home care provider. If you have any information about further criminal activity involving Jobee Rene McCann, please contact WCSO at 503-629-0111.
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LUCK OF THE BELGIAN MALINOIS? |
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March 17, 2022 – While on patrol, Deputy DeHaven saw a male he knew had a felony warrant. As the deputy turned around to contact the wanted subject, the man ran. Several deputies responded to the scene to help locate the individual, including Sergeant O'Reilly and his canine partner, Radar.
After a short canine track, Radar located the male hiding in a nearby shed. The male was taken into custody without incident and later lodged in the Washington County Jail.
Shortly after, deputies received a tip from a community member that a wanted felon was hiding inside a different home within the Enhanced Sheriff's Patrol District. Deputies surrounded the house while Canine Radar searched inside. Radar narrowed the search down to a locked bedroom where the wanted subject was hiding. Deputies took them into custody without incident and later lodged them in the Washington County Jail.
Even though these incidents happened on St. Patrick's Day, two captures for Radar and Sergeant O'Reilly in only a few hours is more than just luck!
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Last month was busy for your Sheriff’s Office Traffic Safety Unit (TSU)! In February, deputies worked with the Hillsboro Police Department for a pedestrian safety mission which resulted in 54 stops, including 41 warnings and nine citations.
February also featured a two-week safety belt enforcement with 100 total citations. Those included safety belt infractions, distracted driving, speeding, and more.
In March, WCSO joined with local police agencies throughout Washington County to pay special attention to speeding. Focused missions continued all month long.
Speeding is dangerous. At increased speeds, you expose yourself and everyone else on the road to unnecessary risk.
Thank you for driving safe!
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March 29 - Deputy Howell stopped a driver going 115 mph on I-5. He also stopped and issued a citation to another driver for going 109 mph. A citation for driving 100 mph or more has a fine of $1,150 and carries a minimum license suspension for 30 days if convicted. |
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The Washington County Sheriff’s Office invites you to participate in a virtual Community Workshop with Sheriff Pat Garrett, and Dr. Jonathan Wender from Polis Solutions, on Tuesday, April 5 beginning at 5 PM.
Over a year ago, the Sheriff’s Office hired Polis Solutions, an independent outside consultant, to review our Use of Force practices, policies, and training. In December, we received their final report, containing 71 recommendations. We are excited about their recommendations and insight to help us continue learning and improving as we serve our community.
This event will be livestreamed for anyone interested in learning more. The livestream is limited to viewing only.
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Join and engage with us during our next LIVE Sheriff's Showcase as we interview subject matter experts and explore the many ways the Sheriff's Office promotes public safety.
Wednesday evenings at 7 PM, from April 13 through April 27. Live on Facebook - no account or registration required.
Schedule:
Wed, April 13:
Sheriff Garrett, Patrol Commander Bennett, and Recruitment Sergeant Shaddy will each share how their teams work to ensure rapid 911 responses and continued levels of policing services for our community.
Wed, April 20:
Hear from our Training Department, our Mental Health Response Team, and our Tactical Negotiations Team to learn how we respond to people in crisis and divert them from the criminal justice system when appropriate. Explore our advanced de-escalation and crisis intervention training to ensure proper law enforcement response to all types of calls.
Wed, April 27:
Learn what our School Resources Officers, Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN), and Houseless Outreach Programs and Engagement (HOPE) Teams are doing to respond to houselessness and overdoses within Washington County.
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K9 Trials competition: 11 AM – 1 PM
Safety Fair: 10 AM 12:00 PM
Vendor Fair: 10 AM – 1 PM
The Washington County, K9 Trials competition is almost here! Join us for a FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT as police K9 teams from throughout the region compete for the "Top Dog" title during the 2022 Washington County K9 Trials at Hillsboro Stadium.
In partnership with WCSO and the Sheriff's Office Foundation of Washington County, this event provides an excellent opportunity for the public to connect with local public safety agencies and learn about the talented K9 units protecting our communities.
Don’t forget to stick around for the meet-and-greet with the K9s after the competition!
- Food and drinks available for purchase.
- Please leave pets at home (service animals are welcome).
General questions about the K9 Trials? Contact us!
*Subject to change based on Washington County guidelines for large gatherings.
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SEARCH AND RESCUE INFO SESSIONS |
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Are you a Washington County resident between the ages of 14-17 with an interest in law enforcement, emergency medical response, or community service? Apply now for our Search and Rescue team! Join this crew of exceptional youth who genuinely impact our community. No experience necessary!
Want to find out more?
Join one of our upcoming information sessions at our West Precinct, 215 SW Adams Ave, at the following dates and times:
- April 4 at 6:30 PM, or
- April 16 at 10:00 AM
APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 22, 2022
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The Better Business Bureau is a great resource to stay on top of circulating scams. Review their tips to avoid falling victim to tax scams this season:
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The best way to avoid tax identity theft is to file your taxes early. File before a scammer has the chance to use your information to file a fake return.
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The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text message, or social media to request personal or financial information. This includes PIN requests, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.
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Only deal with trustworthy tax preparation services. Not all tax preparers have the same level of experience and training. See tips for finding the right tax preparer for you.
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Ensure you access the actual IRS website when filing your taxes electronically or inquiring for additional information.
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If you are the victim of tax identity theft in the US, contact the IRS at 1-800-908-4490. You should also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov/complaint or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP. The FTC also offers a personalized identity theft recovery plan at identitytheft.gov.
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Treat all tax information carefully, including electronic correspondence or documents sent from your employer or another entity. Safe-guard your information by downloading it onto a password-protected computer.
Report fraud or stay up to date on common scams circulating in our area through the BBB scam tracker. |
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Washington County Sheriff's Office is hiring Patrol and Jail Deputies. If you or anyone you know is interested in making an impact in Washington County, check out our available positions! Visit joinWCSO.com for information on requirements, testing, the application process, and more.
Some essential skills needed to serve the community in a law enforcement position include de-escalation, unconscious bias, excellent communication, community policing, and equitable approaches.
If you have additional questions, please contact our Recruitment Team or call (503) 846-6369. |
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CRIMINAL RECORDS SPECIALISTS |
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We are actively recruiting for Criminal Records Specialist I/II positions!
This role is an opportunity to apply your best skills in a broad array of administrative responsibilities and receive comprehensive, on-the-job training. This role provides vital support to law enforcement officers, criminal court operations, and other jurisdictions. Additionally, you will create and extract law enforcement data and provide administrative customer service to the public, attorneys, or insurance companies related to bail, fees, towed vehicles, or expunction of records.
If you are looking for a dynamic and fun position and would like to join our support team, apply today! |
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PROGRAM COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION SPECIALIST |
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Our Community Outreach Team has an opening for a Program Communication and Education Specialist. As part of the Public Affairs Unit, this position will produce internal and external materials that communicate Sheriff's Office goals, policies, and programs.
While deputies respond to calls for service or react to crimes, Community Outreach works with community members, businesses, and allied agencies throughout Washington County to minimize and strategize crime prevention. This is accomplished through program education and community policing strategies. Our team tailors numerous educational presentations to community and civic groups in English and/or Spanish.
Applications for this position are due by April 3, 2022.
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