Work begins at 7 a.m. for Lane County Sheriff’s Creswell Sgt. Alex Spledrich with record keeping and equipment checks, especially the radar calibration.
Our first duty was traffic monitoring near Creswell Middle School, using two radar systems (lidar and laser), our eyes, and a camera. After traffic calmed down, we patrolled areas of the city where there had been recent complaints.
Periodic radio chatter from Oregon State Police and Lane County Sheriff’s dispatchers occurs; the communication is very efficient, much like air traffic control at a major airport. The sergeant could also read and enter information on a computer mounted between seats.
Midmorning, a dispatch for a potential domestic dispute in Creswell came in. We arrived at the scene with another deputy. The efficiency with which the sergeant exited the vehicle and donned gloves with 50 pounds of armor and equipment was impressive.
In a little less than an hour, the deputies calmed the situation and transported a person suffering an emotional crisis to a friend’s home, where they could recover composure.
A stop in the Creswell office was necessary for record-keeping and work on a pending criminal case to ensure all evidence was in order.
I was back in the car when a call came over the radio about a violent dispute in a mobile home park. There was a “Code 3″ response, signaling an urgent situation with sirens, lights, and a high rate of speed.
There was skillful navigation out of Creswell and down Interstate 5. I was surprised to witness how many vehicles would not immediately pull over even when the powerful, bone-jarring low-frequency siren was used. I was also surprised by how little sound was transmitted back into the cabin.
Two deputies were already on the scene. They announced their presence, carefully entered the RV, and separated the combatants for calming and questioning. Some witnesses were questioned, and in just short of an hour, one person was cited for a criminal offense.
Next was the motor pool to fuel the vehicle, where an interesting discussion took place with another deputy. The deputy was involved with three high-speed traffic stops that morning, one of which was over 85 mph in the dark and fog on River Road. I do not think he was looking for traffic violators that morning, but they appeared.
We were on our way back to Creswell and stopped at the jail. It is a very secure, clean, and well-lit facility with safe rooms and methods for processing the arrested. I was surprised to learn that court-authorized deputies determine pretrial conditions for release or holding in the jail. They are very efficient. Everyone was very calm and polite.
We went back to Creswell and had a quick take-out lunch in Garden Lake Park. A call from another deputy about an unusual suspect in a local store and similar situations leading to break-ins led us to patrol the area and discussions about patrol and surveillance. Then, more casework and reporting will be completed in the office.
A 911 call came about a child wandering onto a property asking for “mommy.” Flashing lights to clear a path and skillful maneuvering through traffic in Creswell.
When we arrived, a little boy was clinging to the hand of a calm young man. He would only say “mommy” and point into the distance when asked about anything. He may have been three years old.
The deputies started asking at nearby houses. After about a half hour, the boy’s mother appeared with two small dogs, and there was a tearful reunion for all.
We parked near the high school to monitor traffic when a driver passed holding a cell phone to their ear. The vehicle was pursued and pulled over. How many people realize the third citation for distracted driving is a misdemeanor crime?
Then, an event I could not imagine: 911 received a call about a man driving a pickup beating on a woman passenger while traveling down I5; there were videos, and OSP requested backup — Code 3 down I5, and again, some drivers who don’t pull over.
When we arrived, Cottage Grove Police, two state troopers, and a Lane County deputy were on site. The man was in cuffs. In spite of his loud belligerence, the officers were calm and polite, giving him a cigarette and a place to sit outside the police vehicle. The victim and possible witnesses were questioned for over an hour. OSP took custody of the man for booking at the Lane County Jail.
Back at the office, Sgt. Speldrich said it was not the busiest 10-hour day, but I was exhausted; he still had reports and equipment checks to complete.
Ed Gunderson is a Creswell resident and submitted this piece to The Chronicle.
