South Bend, WA. – Today at approximately 12:53 PM, the Pacific County Communications Center received a call from an anonymous person with a male voice stating that at 1:00 PM an explosive device was set to go off at the Pacific County Courthouse. The caller further advised that two additional explosive devices would detonate every 45 minutes after the first. The call is believed to have been made from an untraceable cellular phone number.

Employees and bystanders within the courthouse were alerted to evacuate.  Law enforcement personnel from the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office and the Raymond and South Bend police Departments assisted with the evacuation and also searched the courthouse for any explosive devices. Medical aid was notified.  No explosions occurred nor were any devices located. The incident appeared to be a hoax.  Courthouse employees and visitors were allowed to resume normal services. The incident is being investigated.
 

On August 7, 2018, local law enforcement and first responders will be hosting National Night Out at the South Fork Landing Park located at Alder Street and Highway 101 in Raymond (next to the Carriage Museum). The event will kick off at 5 PM and run until 8 PM.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors, law enforcement and first responders while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police, first responders and other partners together with neighbors under positive circumstances.

Millions of neighbors take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide on the first Tuesday in August.  Neighborhoods host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and various other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, exhibits and much, much more.

Many agencies and organization plan to participate in this year’s event, including: the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office, the Pacific County Communications Center, the Pacific County Emergency Management Agency, the Raymond Police Department, the South Bend Police Department, the Raymond Fire Department, the South Bend Fire Department, the Crisis Support Network, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Teen Advocacy Coalition, Community Watch/Neighborhood Watch, Community Emergency Response Team, and Pacific County Guns and Hoses. Please mark your calendars and stop by for a fun-filled evening!
 
 

After several months of collaboration between several key people, the Sheriff's Office online jail inmate register has been restructured and improved to help provide a more streamlined source of information to our public. 

The register can be accessed on our website under the" Corrections Division " at www.pacificcountysheriff.com.  Drop down arrows are located to the left of each inmates name. To see what charges or bail amounts that each inmate may have,  just click the corresponding arrow.

Sheriff Scott Johnson announced today the initiation of a Community Watch/Neighborhood Watch Program (CW/NW) for the Long Beach Peninsula.   The Sheriff named Howard Chang as Program Coordinator (volunteer).  Howard, a retired Chief Information Officer, managed Information Technology and physical security operations at the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle for 12 years.
 
“CW/NW promotes an interactive program of crime prevention between the community and law enforcement. I helped establish a similar neighborhood block watch program in the Tokeland/Grayland area of our county in 2014. That program exists still to this day and the citizens connected are steadfast with their involvement.  Watch programs have reduced the crime rate in communities across the U. S., which is why I’ve decided to initiate another chapter on the Long Beach Peninsula.” Sheriff Johnson noted.
 
Training and materials will be provided for this vital program, but Chang noted that the community must work with law enforcement, rather than solely relying on them to fight crime.  Neighbors watching out for each other become the eyes and ears of law enforcement and make a reduction in crime achievable.
 
The initial phase includes residents and businesses with mailing addresses in Oysterville, Nahcotta, Ocean Park, Long Beach, Seaview, and Ilwaco.  Depending on community interest and available resources, future phases may include other cities and towns in Pacific county.
 
To residents and businesses in the above cities and towns - If you are ready to dedicate a couple of hours or so per month to help fight crime in your neighborhood, email your name, mailing and physical address (if different), phone number, and email address to pc.cwnw@outlook.com.  Note that a Block Captain is needed to coordinate each block’s activities.     
 
Existing Neighborhood Watch groups on the Peninsula are requested to contact Howard through the above email address to enable the PCSO to support your efforts. 
 
Sheriff Johnson says he’s optimistic about the program’s potential to become an important part of our crime prevention efforts and he encourages concerned citizens to step up to the plate.

Pictured Below left to right:  Howard Chang (Volunteer Program Coordinator), Charlene Nelson (Tokeland/Grayland Volunteer Block Watch Coordinator and Shoalwater Bay Tribal Council Chairperson),  Sheriff Scott Johnson and Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Matlock at a recent Neighborhood Block Watch meeting in Tokeland.
 
 
 
 
 

National Correctional Officers and Employees Week was first proclaimed
on May 5, 1984, by President Ronald Reagan when he signed Proclamation 5187,
creating National Correctional Officers Week to recognize the men and women who
work in jails, prisons and community corrections across the county.
 
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week became the official
name of the first full week in May when in 1986 the U.S. Senate officially changed the
name.
 
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week has been designated
as the week of May 7-13, 2018, by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau
of Prisons.
 
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week honors the work of
correctional officers and correctional personnel for their service with honor, respect and
integrity.
 
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week raises awareness of
the duties, hazards and sacrifices made by correctional workers.
 
Sheriff Scott Johnson stated, “I am very grateful for the role that our corrections officers play in safeguarding the citizens of Pacific County by providing safe, secure and humane incarceration of those within their custody. Sheriff Johnson added, “I want to thank and recognize our employees in the jail for the services that they provide on a daily basis 24 hours a day and seven days a week”.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7th, 2018
 
Writer/Contact: Pat Matlock, Chief Criminal Deputy
Pacific County Sheriff’s Office
(360) 875-9398 or pmatlock@co.pacific.wa.us
 
 
 
 
PACIFIC COUNTY, WASHINGTON—MAY7th , 2018—Pacific County was selected as one of seven Stepping Up Innovator Counties in the United States for its expertise in collecting data and using it to improve systems of care for individuals with mental illness in the Pacific County Jail.
 
Millions of times each year, people who have mental illnesses are booked into jail across the country. The number of people who have mental illnesses in jail is three to six times higher than that of the general public, and housing people with mental health needs in county jails strains local budgets. However, many counties face challenges in counting how many people in their jail have a mental illness, making it difficult for county leaders to track progress and to develop a comprehensive plan to address the problem.
 
As an Innovator County, Pacific County’s efforts will be highlighted as part of a new push from Stepping Up: A National Initiative to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails.  Pacific County will help other counties throughout the nation, improve their data collection efforts by participating in training sessions, taking part in presentations, and sharing information and their experiences through the Stepping Up website, among other activities. The seven initial Stepping up Innovator Counties are: Calaveras County, CA; Miami-Dade County, FL; Champaign County, IL; Douglas County, KS; Johnson County, KS, Franklin County, OH; and Pacific County, WA.
 
Sheriff Scott Johnson stated, “I am proud of the hard work put forth by core team members Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Matlock, Justice Mental Health Collaboration Program Coordinator Rosanne McPhail and Pacific County Health and Human Services Deputy Director Katie Lindstrom. The three teamed up over two years ago to launch an effort that’s beginning to transform Pacific County in profound ways. Stepping Up is a national effort to transform the way we deal with people with mental illness and substance use disorders in the justice system and specifically in our jail but its’ impacts are even more far-reaching
 
Stepping Up was launched in May 2015 by The Council of State Governments Justice Center, the National Association of Counties, and the American Psychiatric Association Foundation. Since that time, more than 425 counties—including Pacific County—in 43 states, representing 40 percent of the U.S. population, have committed to the Stepping Up goal.
 
Pacific County joined Stepping Up in 2015 and has taken significant steps toward reducing the number of people who have mental illnesses in their jail, including establishing a jail based substance use treatment program, developing a mental health diversion program, and hiring a jail based case manager who coordinates service referrals and assists inmates with re-entry planning upon release.  

In addition to new programming, the initiative has also strengthened collaboration among local criminal justice and behavioral health providers.  According to Matlock, “Regular communication and joint planning has resulted in a more effective and efficient use of public resources when dealing with individuals with mental health disorders.  The work benefits both the individuals with mental illness by providing avenues to get appropriate help in lieu of incarceration, and also results in a more prudent use of our limited criminal justice resources, namely, the Pacific County Jail.  We’ve made great progress in just a short time, yet our work has just begun. The tremendous level of buy-in among partners and stakeholders encourages us greatly. And, it’s been both validating and sad to hear from people who are aware of this work and tell us how much it is needed”. Sheriff Johnson added, “We have heard too many stories of families, careers and lives shattered by mental illness and addiction. Sometimes it’s a co-worker, sometimes it’s a neighbor, sometimes it’s a family member. Families and communities everywhere have suffered far too long.  It’s up to us as citizens to step up and finally end the cycle of damage and begin to heal”.
 
 
 
###
ABOUT THE STEPPING UP INITIATIVE
Stepping Up is a national initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails. The initiative—a collaboration between The Council of State Governments Justice Center, the National Association of Counties and the American Psychiatric Association Foundation—asks communities to come together to develop an action plan that can be used to achieve a measurable impact in local criminal justice systems of all sizes across the country. For more information visit https://stepuptogether.org.
 
 

South Bend, WA. – The second week of April is recognized each year as “National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week”, bringing well deserved attention and recognition to the public safety telecommunicators who are an invaluable part of the emergency response team. Assuring rapid response by police, fire, and medical personnel in the midst of emergencies, the men and women who take 911 calls and send assistance are often overlooked for the vital role that they play in coordinating first response and lifesaving efforts. 
 
The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office, as well as all other law enforcement and Fire agencies within the county rely on PACCOM, the (Pacific County Consolidated 911 and Dispatch Center) located in South Bend, for 911 and dispatching services. “These telecommunicators play an invaluable role in our ability to assist community members and are steadfast in times of crisis,” said Sheriff Scott Johnson. “Telecommunicators have a highly stressful yet important job. The men and women at PACCOM are an invaluable part of our public safety team. We appreciate the work that they do each and every day.”
 
PACCOM telecommunicators respond swiftly to unexpected emergencies, every day. They carry out crucial roles in the lifesaving process while providing important connections between emergency services and the people who need them. The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office is thankful for the men and women who tackle this responsibility and we recognize the invaluable efforts that they provide us in protecting our community. 
 
Telecommunicators Week began in California in 1981 and quickly grew to become a national week of recognition. Just ten years later, Congress officially designated the second week of each April as a time to remember the critical role that dispatchers play in keeping us all safe.