Mason Co Sheriff`s r.. - Mason County Sheriff`s Office

M A S O N
C O U N T Y
2013 REPORT
Professionalism  Integrity  Accountability
Respect & Partnership
A lost child returned home, scared, shaken, but very happy!
This publication made possible from grant funding.
MASON COUNTY HISTORY
Sheriff’s Office
Sawamish County
Became Mason County
When the Washington Territorial
Legislature met in March 1854, settler
David Shelton
represented Thurston
County. He had to
paddle / row 20
miles to reach the
capital and county
seat in Olympia from his home
on Hammersly Inlet. He and his
fellow settlers wanted their own
county to simplify filing land claims
and other official business.
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office was
first established on March 13, 1854 with the
appointment of the first Sheriff, Finis K.
Simmons. Mr. Simmons held this office until
November 17, 1854 when Calvin W. Swindal
was commissioned as the first elected Sheriff
from the election held on September 4,
1854.
Since its inception in 1854, the Sheriff’s
Office has had a total of 42 elected or
appointed Sheriffs. Many of the Sheriffs
were at some time county commissioners,
state legislators, auditors or treasurers, as
well as, a number of other positions. For
example, William Callow held the office of
Sheriff from 1880 to 1882 and again from
1884 to 1887. Between his two terms as
Sheriff, he served as the county assessor. Mr.
Callow was also a county commissioner for
two terms and a state legislator.
There are many interesting facts
concerning the Mason County Sheriffs in
the 1800’s. The first elected Sheriff, Calvin
April 15, 1854, the Washington
Territorial
Legislature
formed
Sawamish County out of Thurston
County. The new county is named
for the tribe of Native Americans who
inhabit the bays and inlets
of southern Puget Sound
and the new county
extended all the way to
the Pacific Ocean. In
1864, the county was
renamed after Charles
H. Mason (1830-1859) the territory’s
first Secretary of State and acting
Governor.
1
Sheriff Byrne and Staff 1937 with Paddy Wagon
Swindal, was also a captain in the Washington
Territorial Militia from 1856 to 1858. Lewis
D. W. Shelton was commissioned as Sheriff on
June 22, 1864 and served until May 7, 1866.
Lewis was the son of David Shelton who was
the founder of the city of Shelton, which was,
and is, the only incorporated city in Mason
County. The Shelton clan came to the Oregon
and Washington Territories from Missouri,
settling in what is now Mason County in the
spring of 1853. Lewis served with Captain
Swindal in his scout detachment for two years
when he was only 15 years old. Lewis was
elected Sheriff at the young age of 22. After
his stint as the Sheriff, he later served as the
county auditor and surveyor.
The Sheriff’s Office is currently collecting information on its history. If there
is anyone who has verifiable historical
data and photos of the early years of the
Mason County Sheriff’s Office, please
email that information directly to us at:
[email protected]. We would greatly
appreciate any assistance in this endeavor.
SHERIFF’S MESSAGE
Welcome to your Mason County Sheriff’s
Office. In November 2006, the citizens of
Mason County voted to place your faith and
trust in me to lead some of the finest men and
women in the field of law enforcement. I did
not take this responsibility lightly and I knew
there would be many economic and political
challenges facing all of us sworn to ensure
the peace and safety of all Mason County
citizens.
Due to the recession, Mason County
government has suffered reduced revenues
that have translated into layoffs and program
cuts. However, due to the formation of
public and private partnerships, our office
has avoided many of these program cuts and
layoffs. I would like to share eight examples.
• Private donations have financed our K-9
program. Due to the generous donations
and gifts of service, we have acquired
and maintained five dogs for Search and
Rescue, patrol, narcotics and education.
• Our financial partnerships with the Lake
Cushman and Timberlakes communities
have resulted in the establishment of
assigned deputies patrolling those areas. As
a result, crime has dropped dramatically in
those communities.
• I must thank the many citizens who
volunteer every day and provide priceless
amounts of dedication and service to the
county. Volunteers staff the Belfair substation, work in our evidence system and
records division, encourage all drivers and
passengers in our county to wear seat belts,
walk door-to-door to hand out sex offender
public awareness bulletins, and the list
goes on. We also want to thank the citizens
who volunteer for the Sheriff’s Advisory
Board for their time and support. This
group meets on the first Thursday of each
month.
• The Mason County Sheriff’s Office Reserve
Program is staffed by citizen volunteers
•
•
•
•
who serve as armed, uniformed, limitedcommission Deputy Sheriffs. Reserve
Deputies receive no compensation and
generally work with regular deputies and
have full law enforcement authority while
on duty. We held our last Deputy Reserve
academy in 2010 and graduated ten Reserve
Deputies in 2011. Each Reserve Deputy can
work a maximum of 16 hours per month.
Forging great relationships with all of
our neighboring law enforcement agencies
have made it very difficult for criminals
to flee to another jurisdiction to evade
capture. Our once a month Sheriff’s
breakfast meetings bring together law
enforcement, firefighters and emergency
medical staff. The meeting’s common goal
is the safety of our citizens. Additionally,
the accomplishments of these relationships
could not have been achieved without our
partnership with our neighboring Squaxin
and Skokomish Tribes, as well as, with the
Shelton Police Department and the State
Patrol.
Our local fire districts provide paramedics
for tactical Emergency Management
Services (EMS) support which has greatly
enhanced our ability to provide critical and
timely medical services to injured citizens,
officers and suspects.
The Traffic Enforcement Program was
specifically created and financed from
county road funds, ultimately creating a
professional state-of-the-art Traffic Unit.
Financial support from the Public Works
Department provided for the development
and implementation of traffic enforcement
deputies.
Private donations have also helped with
our Search and Rescue program, as well
as, creating the Mason County Sheriff’s
Office Chaplain Corps. These resources
help find missing and lost persons and give
encouragement and condolences to people
Sheriff Casey Salisbury
during critical incidences and stressful
situations. These services are invaluable.
One of my 2013 goals is to divide
the police operations division and replace
the Belfair substation with a full service
North Mason precinct located in Belfair.
An equitable distribution of staff, based
on population in the northern part of the
county will operate out of this new facility.
This has been a major goal of mine since I
was elected and after years of developing
important partnerships, we have now secured
the necessary space to open a north end
precinct.
As I look to the future, I intend to
continue our community partnerships and
constantly search for better and more efficient
methods to provide the best service possible
to all our citizens.
In closing, I would like to express my
appreciation and admiration for the fine men
and women of the Mason County Sheriff’s
Office. They are on the front lines day
and night ensuring the peace and safety
of all citizens, answering the call to meet
all challenges with courage. Each one has
sworn an oath to uphold and defend the
Constitution of these United States and of
the State of Washington, as they selflessly
place their lives on the line to protect people.
They truly live up to their core values of
Professionalism, Integrity, Accountability,
Respect and Partnership.
I hope you find this report full of
valuable information about your Mason
County Sheriff’s Office.
Sincerely,
Casey Salisbury, Sheriff
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UNDERSHERIFF
Mason County
Sheriff’s Office
Vision Statement
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office will
be recognized as an innovative, progressive, and resourceful law enforcement agency.
We will foster innovation and positive change
as we continually advance our level of service
through constant training, evaluation, and
input from the citizens of Mason County. Our
goal is to maintain a community environment
that is safe and secure by providing effective
and timely law enforcement services, education, and partnerships. We will always strive
for the highest levels of professionalism,
courtesy, compassion, and fairness.
Our vision will be accomplished through
an unwavering dedication to public service, an
uncompromising concern for the welfare of all
people, and total commitment to continuous
improvement.
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The Mason County Sheriff’s Office has
arrived at a crossroads in how we perform our
public safety mission. Our county presents
its public servants with a very unique set
of challenges; geography, unincorporated
population, only one city, two Indian Nations
and a summertime doubling of our population,
to name a few. The decisions before us today
have developed over the past 50 years and
challenges us to strategize on how to assign
staff equitably between the north and south
sections of the county.
Over the decades, we have applied
staffing models with Shelton as the base
of police operations and a small volunteer
staffed substation in Belfair. In 2012, we
received 17,442 patrol calls for service, of
this the south patrol area represented 9,333
calls and the north patrol area represented
8,211, essentially a 50/50 split. Due to the
population base in the north portion of the
county and its recent rapid growth, we are
forced to reconsider the assignment of our
limited staff and equipment to meet the
public safety demands.
In 2007 after taking office, Sheriff
Salisbury attempted to develop a northern
policing presence beyond a “substation”
approach. The Belfair substation only
allowed for a small desk for deputies to
write reports and nothing else. All evidence
functions, interviews, training, investigations,
operational briefings and other business
had to be completed in Shelton due to
the lack of adequate workspace. Using a
facility donated by private business, we
started work on a facility large enough to
provide adequate working space to move
additional staff north. This effort was
short lived as the use of our facility was
terminated as the property was needed for
the new Harrison Medical Center in Belfair.
In 2011 after years of searching, another
facility was located in Belfair Landing to
begin to re-establish an adequate space
Undersheriff Jim Barrett
to move from the substation concept to
developing a fully staffed and operational
Sheriff’s precinct. Late 2012, adjacent office
space was acquired that now allows for the
completion of the Belfair precinct concept. In
March of this year, Sheriff Salisbury directed
the planning and development of a north
precinct to be completed by the end of 2013.
An evidence system has been acquired, an
interview room is available with added office
space for detectives, records, supervision and
a precinct chief. With these proper facilities,
the transition from a north end substation to
a fully functional precinct has now become
possible.
Finally I would like to say thanks for
the cooperation of our citizens in developing
private/public partnerships. Without these
partnerships, this historic change in how we
police Mason County could not have been
possible. This initiative will not be without
ongoing challenges, but I firmly believe
in the dedicated, hardworking professional
staff at the Sheriff’s Office, as well as, the
dedicated professional volunteers assisting
us, that the Sheriff’s Office will achieve our
policing goal of equitable distribution of
staff.
Our goal is making Mason County a
safe, secure, and desirable place to live.
Sincerely,
Jim Barrett, Undersheriff
NEW BELFAIR PRECINCT
Over the past 10 years, Belfair, Allyn and
the surrounding northern portion of the county
have experienced tremendous population
growth and new business development.
Examples include the Harrison Hospital
Primary and Urgent Care Facility, State Route
3 modifications, and sewer development in
both Allyn and Belfair. Combined, these and
other commercial developments have created
an extraordinary policing challenge for the
Mason County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff
Salisbury developed a full precinct objective
for the northern portion of the county in 2007
but was able to operate the facility for only
one year. Since that time, he has attempted
to re-introduce the north precinct objective
but has faced multiple challenges to include
facilities, staffing, costs and supervision.
Unfortunately the construction of the
Harrison Hospital’s Primary and Urgent
Care Facility in Belfair caused the loss
of the building we were operating from
in 2007. Fortunately, a partnership with a
local family has assisted us in maintaining
at least a substation for patrol deputies and
volunteers to work from but not as a north
precinct office. Recently the Sheriff was
able to acquire an adequate facility in Belfair
appropriate in size and amenities to allow for
the full precinct objective.
Budget cuts in 2008 forced the layoff
of nine employees in 2009, to include
four deputies, one animal control officer,
one evidence officer and three correction
officers. Since then, we have recovered
three correction officers and one community
service officer. The animal control officer
and four deputies still remain unfunded and
their positions vacant resulting in a reduction
of staff available to respond to 911 calls.
Additionally as a result of the 2008
budget cuts, a six person traffic unit was
developed, staffed and implemented with
existing deputies reassigned from patrol;
no new deputies were hired. This reassign-
ment was done to preserve staffing of deputies already trained at great cost to the taxpayers. The cost of hiring a deputy includes
recruitment, background checks, interviews,
academy, field training, an adequately
equipped patrol car which is approximately
$140,000 per deputy.
Funding for the traffic detachment comes
from the Traffic Policing Diversion of the
County Road Tax funds not County Current
Expense funds thus affecting the Sheriff’s
ability to reduce his 2009 Current Expense
Budget. The impact to the north precinct
objective was that these six deputies were not
available to respond to 911 calls.
Today these positions are being
assigned back to patrol with the ability
to respond to 911 calls, then utilize the
entire patrol division’s time and effort in
traffic enforcement to fulfill the traffic unit’s
mandate. This will increase our ability to
respond to 911 calls for service and still
maintain our traffic safety and enforcement
missions.
In 2013, an essential administrative
support, records management position
was approved by the Mason County
Commissioners. This position is crucial to the
north precinct objective and will assist the
precinct in records management support.
Finally, Sheriff Salisbury recently made the
appointment of Chief Deputy Ryan Spurling
as the north precinct division commander.
His appointment follows on the retirement
of Chief Dean Byrd and allows for the direct
administrative support of the new north
precinct. With the help of the Mason County
Commissioners, private public partnerships,
staffing opportunities and strategic decisions
we hope to have the north precinct concept
back in force soon.
Chief Ryan Spurling
First Chief for Belfair
In 1983, I felt the call to serve our great
country in the United States Marine Corps.
After four years of active duty, my beautiful
wife and family came back to Washington and
I started college. Shortly after starting school
again, I was hired by the Washington State
Patrol (WSP) as a trooper. At the same time
I joined the US Army Reserves to continue
to serve in the military. After obtaining
my degree in Business Management and
Criminal Justice, and completing a blessed
25-year career with the WSP and a 22
year career in the military (which included
serving as an Acting Command Sergeant
Major at Fort Lewis), I am excited to have
the opportunity to continue to serve in a
different capacity.
My family and I moved to Mason County
in 1999, after accepting a transfer to serve as
a full-time instructor at the WSP Academy.
It has also been an honor to serve as the Use
of Force expert for the WSP for the last 13
years, working with the Attorney General’s
Office in both State and Federal courts.
My family and I are committed to this
community and consider ourselves blessed
to have the opportunity to be a part of the
Mason County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff
Casey Salisbury and his team have a vision
for community service and integrity-based
law enforcement. The prospect of expanding
the service in the north county is especially
exciting to me, as it is breaking new ground
in a way that this county has not previously
experienced. My family and I look forward
to helping in any way we can and serving our
community together.
Ryan Spurling, Chief
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FINANCIAL MESSAGE
5
throughout the year as we serve the
community on a 24/7/365 basis. From a
financial perspective, this is comparable to
staffing four service departments working
8 to 5, one for each shift and one to cover
weekends and holidays, effectively splitting
our $10,000,000 budget into four service
departments with a staff of 25 in each, and
each with a budget of $2,500,000. With
cost reductions mandated and our continued
efforts to focus on an innovative financial
agenda, we have attempted to manage our
budget with minimal staffing reductions.
In 2007, the cost for patrol and inmate
care & custody was just over $9,000,000.
In 2012, the cost of these same services was
reduced by $198,047. However, in those
same years; traffic policing, sex offender
registration mandates and courthouse
weapons screening have been added to the
Sheriff’s Office responsibilities increasing
total expenditures by an additional one
million dollars. The vast majority of
Financial Manager Frank Pinter
these increases are sourced by funds other
than the County General Fund, to include
a County Road Tax diversion and the Sex
Offender Registration State Grant.
In conclusion, the financial difficulties
seen in the last five years may finally be
trending towards improvement in some
sections of the economy. However, government, and especially county governments,
tend to lag behind the private sector in realizing
economic upturns. In anticipation of these
lags, the Sheriff’s Office plans to continue
utilizing as many innovative opportunities
available to us, and to continue to give the
best service to the community as possible.
$11,000,000
$10,000,000
Mason County Sheriff’s Office
Expenditures
In these difficult financial times, county
governments are focused on cost reductions,
operational efficiencies, revenue generation
and augmentation. To make matters more
difficult, the Sheriff’s Office has been
required to manage ever increasing unfunded
federal and state mandates requiring us to
expand staff, increase training, add new
services, and increase operational programs.
Doing more with reduced funding has
made the process of financial management
challenging. The Sheriff’s Office has
balanced these conflicting priorities by
implementing innovative programs for cost
reductions, establishing various volunteer
programs, accepting donations and utilizing
private/public partnerships, where possible,
for revenue generation.
Since 2007, we have implemented
programs to contract inmate medical care
services at a 25% discount, effected patrol
operational cost reductions, and developed an
inmate food services cost savings program.
These efforts have resulted in a savings of
$1,621,000. In addition, we have applied
for and received $1,347,000 in additional
revenue from federal, state and other grants.
We have also received donations and utilized
private/public partnerships to fund certain
programs including: Special Patrols, SWAT,
Search And Rescue, K-9 Unit, Chaplains
Program, and our Honor Guard. These
donations and private/public partnership
programs have augmented county revenues
by $669,000. A program that has helped our
office dramatically is the wonderful group
of volunteers that assist our department,
offering our staff “in kind” assistance valued
at $690,000. All of the Sheriff’s Office cost
reductions, operational efficiencies, revenue
generation and augmentation programs
combined over the last five years totaled
$4,327,000.
The Sheriff’s Office is operationally
unique within county services. Our
detectives, deputies, and inmate care
and custody operate three shifts daily, as
well as, all weekends and every holiday
$9,000,000
$8,000,000
$7,000,000
$6,000,000
$5,000,000
$4,000,000
$3,000,000
$2,000,000
$1,000,000
Courthouse Security
Sex Offenders
Traffic Policing
Jail
Patrol
2007
3,026,646
6,118,879
2008
668,768
2,942,957
5,577,956
2009
102,241
926,542
2,859,284
5,177,634
2010
101,657
938,678
2,838,340
4,994,512
2011
71,974
110,002
979,975
3,251,239
5,130,872
2012
121,111
132,480
876,693
3,418,130
5,529,348
Sheriff’s Office Cost Components
Services
11%
The 2012 Sheriff’s Office Budget consists of
Salaries, Benefits, Services (for inmate
medical care, inmate food services, phones,
internet access, travel, repairs, etc.), Supplies (for
operations, admin and programs), Interfund
(payments for services back to other departments
within the county), and MACECOM (payment
to the Mason County Regional Emergency
Communication System).
MACECOM
2%
Interfund
5%
Supplies
3%
Benefits
21%
Salaries
58%
Mason County Sheriff’s Office
Organizational Chart
Sheriff
Undersheriff
Chief Civil Deputy
Chief Criminal Deputy
Chief of Corrections
Finance Manager
Admin Staff
Chief Deputy Belfair
Sergeants
Financial Assistants
Sergeants
Corrections Officers
Patrol Division
Traffic  K-9 Units
Animal Control  Marine
Search & Rescue  S.W.A.T.
Community Contract Deputies
Field Training Officers
Deputy Reserves
Civil Processor
Forest Products Deputy
Regional Honor Guard
Explorer Cadet Program
Block Watch
Medical & Dental Support
Food Service
Transport
Court House Weapons Screening
Litter Crew
GED Program
Drug & Alcohol Counseling
Alternative Incarceration
Programs
DUI Class
Community Service
Drug Court Representation
Financial Management
Budget
Payroll
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Contracts
Grant Writing
Financial Reporting
Contract Negotiations
Grants Management
Records Management
Public Records Requests
Records Filing & Retention
Compile Statistical Data
Civil / Warrants
Process Civil Documents
Sex Offender Reg Support
Sheriff Sales
Reception
Phone Calls / Walk-ins
Concealed Pistol Licenses
Gun Transfers
Harvesting Permits
Fingerprinting
Information Technology
System Networking
Hardware / Software Support
& Maintenance
Mobile Data Computers
Website Management
Volunteer Program
Detective Division
Major Crime Investigation
Sex Offender Registration
Evidence Handling
Polygraph Unit
Crisis Negotiations
Special Operations Group /
Narcotics
Media Relations / PIO
Chaplain Program
Background Investigations
Internal Affairs
Mission Statement
“Our Mission is to safeguard life and property, preserve
the peace, detect and prevent crime, enforce the law, and
protect the rights of all citizens. We are committed to
working in partnership with the community to identify and
resolve issues that impact public safety. We are dedicated
to preserving our citizen’s safety by providing professional,
timely, and effective service.”
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POLICE OPERATIONS
Photo by Dean Byrd (C)
Police operations is the largest section
of the Sheriff’s Office with 44 fully
commissioned law enforcement personnel
assigned. Police operations is headed by the
Chief Criminal Deputy with seven sergeants
directly underneath him as either first line
supervisors or administrative sergeants. In
addition to the law enforcement personnel,
there is one Animal Control Officer and two
Community Service Officers assigned as
well. Police operations is divided into two
primary divisions; Patrol and Detectives.
The Patrol Division has the primary
responsibility as the first responders of the
Sheriff’s Office. They are the front line troops
who are first on scene. The Patrol Division
is divided into three shifts; day, swing, and
graveyard. There are 24 personnel solely
dedicated to patrol duties and respond to
calls for service within the county. We also
have four deputies assigned to the Traffic
Division who work the three patrol shifts
and supplement patrol. Their primary
emphasis is traffic related duties, but they
also respond to calls when needed. We have
three deputies who are solely responsible for
specific areas within the county. One deputy
is assigned to the Timberlakes housing area
and one deputy works the Lake Cushman
subdivision. The third deputy is designated
as the Forest Products Deputy. The Sheriff’s
Office is provided additional funding
from outside sources so these deputies
remain, as much as possible, in their areas
of responsibility. They do, however, assist
their fellow deputies when their assistance
is needed for back-up. The Patrol Division is
augmented by Reserve Deputies. The Reserve
Deputies have a limited commission and
they assist the deputies on calls for service.
We currently have five Reserve Deputies,
but we are always recruiting for more.
The Detective Division is responsible
for all major criminal investigations in
Mason County and follow-up investigations
deemed complex or time consuming
Crime Statistics for Belfair
7
Fraud
2008
20
2009
36
2010
31
2011
33
2012 % Increase
32
60%
Drugs
24
48
32
51
30
25%
Vandalism
17
36
35
48
41
141%
Domestic Disturbances
19
22
37
36
32
68%
Disturbances
90
118
166
193
172
91%
Suspicious Behavior
206
451
439
393
325
58%
Alarms
65
195
163
176
143
120%
Burglaries
28
56
56
63
73
161%
Theft
64
84
107
90
154
141%
Chief Russ Osterhout
for patrol. Those investigations include
homicides, suspicious deaths, robberies,
sexual offenses, and other violent/serious
crimes against persons and property.
Additionally, general detectives conduct
employment background investigations for
the Sheriff’s Office and internal investigations.
General detectives are individually assigned
investigations to complete, but all work in
teams to help each other complete assignments
as quickly as possible. Detectives will assist
the Prosecutor’s Office with case preparation
and court presentations.
The Role of a Deputy Sheriff
To become a Deputy Sheriff, or any full
time law enforcement officer in Washington
State, requires extensive training and
testing. An entry level candidate for the
Sheriff’s Office must first pass a written
exam with a score high enough to even be
considered. The candidate must then pass a
thorough background check conducted by
the detectives. If the candidate passes the
background, he or she will then undergo
a three to four hour polygraph and a four
hour psychological exam. Once these are
all completed successfully, the deputy
candidate will attend the 720 hour (over
four and a half months) Washington State
Basic Law Enforcement Academy located
in Burien, Washington. Upon successful
graduation from the academy, the deputy
STATISTICS/CRIME TRENDS
VIOLENT CRIME
PROPERTY CRIME
Mason County Crime Trends
CRIME IN MASON COUNTY
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Arson
Burglary
Theft
Motor Vehicle Theft
Total Property Crime
Murder
Rape
Robbery
Aggravated Assault
Total Violent Crime
TOTAL CRIME IN MASON COUNTY
*TOTAL COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
11
620
1,012
225
1868
1
23
15
64
103
1971
45
8
560
979
208
1755
0
31
13
93
137
1892
44
9
641
844
154
1648
0
31
11
98
140
1788
52
2
597
793
186
1578
0
26
10
97
133
1711
48
5
542
939
224
1710
1
24
20
63
108
1818
48
4
656
897
168
1725
0
17
5
78
100
1825
47
6
725
804
191
1726
4
10
11
77
102
1828
47
* Total commissioned officers includes Sheriff, Undersheriff and two Division Chiefs who do not respond to 911 calls.
CRIME RATE PER 1000
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2.3
3.0
3.0
2.8
2.2
2.0
2.0
Violent Crime – WA State
3.4
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.1
2.9
N/A
Property Crime – Mason County
42.2
38.4
34.8
33.0
35.5
33.7
33.5
Property Crime – WA State
44.7
40.0
36.9
36.7
36.8
35.4
N/A
TOTAL CRIME RATE – Mason County
44.5
41.4
37.8
35.8
37.8
35.6
35.5
TOTAL CRIME RATE – Washington State
18.1
43.3
40.2
40.0
39.8
38.3
N/A
Mason County vs. WA State
Violent Crime – Mason County
N/A = WA State no longer reports Crime Rates Per 1000 population.
will then continue his or her training, testing,
and evaluation for an additional three
months under a Field Training Officer from
the Sheriff’s Office. All phases of this long
process (usually nine months or more) need to
be successfully completed before a candidate
is released on his or her own as a fully
commissioned Deputy Sheriff for the Mason
County Sheriff’s Office.
The job requirements for a Deputy
Sheriff are very diverse and complex. The
primary duty for a deputy working patrol is
to respond to calls for service. These calls for
service range from minor easily handled calls
to the very serious, elaborate and complicated
calls which could involve the detectives and
outside agencies. Many of our deputies are
also trained in additional duties as well. These
additional duties are Marine Enforcement,
Field Training Officers, Special Weapons and
Tactics (SWAT), Search and Rescue (SAR),
Dive Team, Special Operations Rescue Team
(SORT), Emergency Vehicle Operations
Instructors, Firearms Instructors, Unarmed
Defense Tactics Instructors, Negotiators,
and K-9. We also have a number of deputies
specifically trained in Community Block
Watch in order to assist communities in
setting up their own block watch program.
In order for the deputy to respond to
calls in a timely manner, each is assigned a
patrol vehicle. The primary patrol vehicle is
the Ford Crown Victoria which is not
being manufactured any longer. We also
have Dodge Chargers and Magnums, Ford
pickups, Chevy Tahoes, Chevy Trailblazers,
and Chevy Impalas in our fleet, along with
some specialty vehicles which were obtained
from the military for no charge. We plan on
ordering some newer vehicles in 2013 with a
mix of Chevys and Fords.
The most important thing to remember
concerning our deputies is that they are there
to help you, the citizens of Mason County.
With just a few exceptions, they are residents
of this county as well, and many of them have
been members of this community for many
years.
8
PATROL DIVISION
Traffic Unit
The Traffic Unit was established in
2008 in response to the Washington State
Patrol’s consolidation and withdrawal from
investigating traffic collisions on county
roadways. The Traffic Unit was originally
comprised of five deputies and one sergeant.
The unit’s primary responsibilities include
traffic enforcement, DUI enforcement,
reporting and investigating traffic collisions,
traffic safety education, and addressing
neighborhood traffic complaints. This
unit is responsible for handling major
crimes involving serious injury and fatality
collisions and all collisions involving
county vehicles to assess county liability.
All Traffic Unit deputies are trained
in collision investigations to at least the
advanced collision investigation level,
with one deputy trained to the next level as
a technical collision investigator, and two
deputies trained to the highest level as
collision reconstructionist. Each deputy is
assigned a 2008 Dodge Magnum, outfitted
with a front and rear capable radar system, in
car video system and utilizing the SECTOR
electronic citation system. This unit
proactively patrols all public roadways in
Mason County in search of traffic violations
and in response to citizens’ requests for
speed enforcement. The unit coordinates
the use and deployment of a traffic speed
trailer, equipped with a radar unit and display
sign advising the motoring public of the
current location speed limit, as well as, an
approaching vehicle’s current speed. The
trailer is capable of collecting speed and
time information which, when downloaded,
provides the traffic unit with hard data on
speeding tendencies and frequency within the
neighborhood where the trailer is deployed.
The unit uses computerized survey equipment
(Total Station) to facilitate accurately
mapping and diagramming collision scenes,
9
and other serious crime scenes, to depict and
reconstruct crimes scenes and collisions to
aid investigators and prosecutors alike.
The school zone enforcement program
continues to be a priority resulting in
enhanced safety for students and enhanced
awareness for the motoring public. School
zone enforcement grants were used to
purchase additional radar units and other
equipment to further improve school zone
safety.
Working in partnership with the
Washington State Traffic Safety Commission,
this unit supports numerous ongoing
traffic safety education and enforcement
programs. These projects include targeting
specific areas for speed, DUI and seat
belt enforcement, coordinating emphasis
patrols with the Washington State Patrol,
Shelton Police Department and the Squaxin
Island Tribal Police. Also working with
the regional Target Zero Coordinator,
whose office is co-located with the Shelton
Police Department in Shelton’s Civic Center,
the traffic unit assists in a collaborative
environment to enhance traffic safety
efforts throughout Mason County.
In an effort to further reduce collisions
and increase traffic safety, there has been an
increased emphasis on traffic enforcement
by all deputies throughout the agency. The
gradual phasing in of computer systems,
radar units, and SECTOR electronic
ticketing systems into all patrol vehicles has
increased the effectiveness of traffic policing
throughout the organization.
Traffic Unit & Patrol Statistics
Total Calls for Service
Number of Reports
Traffic Stops
Traffic Citations
DUI Citations
Non DUI Arrests
Traffic Accidents
Injury Accidents
Traffic Fatalities
Motorist Assist
Road Hazards
2008
19,354
4,303
2615
1163
357
142
657
167
6
254
219
2009
19,378
3,850
3438
1500
358
113
714
152
2
215
237
2010
18,235
3,397
3029
1543
369
87
769
198
3
194
337
2011
17,981
3,769
2974
1342
269
80
551
184
4
137
146
2012
17,444
3,907
3086
1598
207
56
369
96
3
257
148
Since the creation of the Mason County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit in 2008, we have seen a significant reduction
in accidents, injury accidents, DUI’s and property damage.
Marine Services Unit
The Marine Services Unit of the
Mason County Sheriff’s Office has served
this community for more than 25 years.
The unit operates in all waters of Mason
County that allow power boats. During the
summer months, there is a boat moored in
Hood Canal, another is moored in Puget
Sound, and a third is on a trailer for use
on county lakes or for rapid deployment in
emergencies. The Marine Services Unit
coordinates with the US Coast Guard, WA
State Dept. of Wildlife, Washington State
Parks Dept. and Mason County Search
and Rescue, along with various other local
agencies. The unit is funded in part by
the Washington State Parks Department via
citizen’s boats.
The Marine Services Unit regularly
patrols the waters of Mason County looking
for violations of the law, county ordinances
and boating regulations. The unit assists
each year with the Dept. of Wildlife on Hood
Canal during the shrimp and crab seasons.
grant money and vessel registration fees.
The main objective of the Marine
Services Unit is boating safety conducted
through training, education and enforcement.
The unit puts on community
education and outreach
classes throughout Mason
County. In 2012, the
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Marine Services Unit
Boating Safety Class
3
4
5
3
5
conducted 54 hours of
education and outreach
Inspections
83
72 111 109 163
classes and 318 hours of
Reported Water
82 107 78 106 58
boat patrol. In addition, the
Related Incidents
Marine Services Unit was
Total Boating Related
2
3
3
19 13
assisted by the department
Citations
Issued
(including BUI)
volunteers who have been
trained in conducting boat
Boating Accidents
3
4
4
4
1
launch safety inspections of
Boating Program Info
DID YOU
KNOW?
Animal Control
 There is no leash law in Mason
County except for the city limits of Shelton
and the tribal reservations.
 The county has no animal shelter.
The only shelter is owned and operated by
the City of Shelton.
 A dog locked in a car on a warm
summer day can sustain heatstroke within
15 minutes.
 If neither dog is spayed or neutered,
a female dog, her mate, and their offspring
can produce 67,000 dogs in 6 years.
 If a dog lives to be 11 years old, it
will cost approximately $13,550 to own
that dog.
Cindy Brewer, Animal Control Officer and Jack,
the Great Dane.
Mason County has one Animal
Control Officer who is responsible for
patrolling the county’s 964 square miles
to enforce animal control ordinances
and related laws. The Animal Control
Officer performs animal rescue and
animal first aid when required, issues
warnings/citations to animal owners
found in violation of animal regulations,
and investigates complaints from citizens
concerning domestic animals. The officer
also educates the public in proper animal
care, animal safety, animal control
regulations, and anti-bully education in
our schools. In 2012, the Animal Control
Officer made over 2000 student contacts.
This officer is also responsible to train,
handle and maintain the education dog for
the Sheriff’s Office.
10
Left to right; Deputy Matt Gray with Rohn, Deputy Nate Birklid with Jano, and Deputy Justin Cotte with Solo.
K-9 Unit
The existence of the K-9 Unit is only
made possible by community partnerships
established between the Sheriff’s Office and
commercial businesses, private individuals
and non-profit organizations.
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office K-9
Unit is a part of the Patrol Division. The K-9
Unit supports the patrol deputies, other staff,
and neighboring agencies by employing the
unique talents and capabilities of certified
dogs. The unit is currently comprised of one
narcotics detection K-9 team, two patrol K-9
teams, and one trailing/scent discrimination
K-9 team.
Narcotics Detection Team
Deputy Sean Dodge and K-9 Kona
are dedicated to the detection and location
of illegal controlled substances. The team
assists patrol deputies, detectives, the Special
Operations Group, and local agencies in the
efforts to locate illegal drugs. K-9 Kona is a
rescued American Staffordshire Terrier who
graduated from the Washington State Patrol
Narcotics Canine Program in 2007. She is an
integral part of the Sheriff’s Office operations
as well as Deputy Dodge’s family.
Patrol K-9 Teams
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office
patrol K-9 teams are a vital part in the
efforts to protect the citizens and visitors
to our jurisdiction. These K-9 teams work
in conjunction with patrol units and our
SWAT team to track down and catch fleeing
criminals. Our patrol K-9 teams also have
the ability to locate evidence and search
buildings.
K9 Rohn is a German Shepherd partnered
with Deputy Matt Gray. Rohn was born in
Canada and trained locally. Rohn was the first
patrol K-9 at Mason County in over a decade.
K9 Jano is also a German Shepherd and
is partnered with Deputy Nathan Birklid.
Jano was born in Canada and has been with
Deputy Birklid since he was a puppy. Jano
works closely with the SWAT team and
assists on SWAT missions.
Trailing/Scent
Discrimination Team
Deputy Sean Dodge with Kona.
11
of the incident or crime. K-9 Cedar uses her
abilities to trail and discriminate human scent
to locate lost persons, children, Alzheimer’s
patients and assist in criminal investigations.
All funding to support the K-9 Unit is
generated from donations and fundraisers.
These teams are great assets to our staff and
directly impact the safety and security of our
community. We need ongoing community
support to maintain our K-9 program through
donations of funds, equipment and services.
The Sheriff’s Office trailing K-9 team is
one of only four teams in Washington State
to employ a Bloodhound. Mason County is
also the only agency in the state to employ
traditional patrol K-9 teams in conjunction
with a Bloodhound based trailing team. The
combination allows the Sheriff’s Office to find
and locate any person necessary, regardless
Sergeant Trevor Severance with Cedar, Search and
Rescue Bloodhound.
Rohn Memorial Fund
In recognition of their contribution to the
Mason County Sheriff’s Office K-9 program:
 Dr Gary Olson, Shelton
Veterinarian Hospital
 John Strasburger
 In memory of Lt Dennis Rohn
 In memory of Robert Clark
For those interested in donating to the K-9
program, contact the Mason County Sheriff’s
Office at: 360-427-9670 ext. 313.
This vehicle was purchased for $1.00 from an adjacent county Sheriff’s Office and a second vehicle was traded for a
$1.00 military surplus pickup for a fully outfitted command SWAT vehicle from the Lacey Police Department.
Special Weapons
and Tactics (SWAT)
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office
Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team
is a group of specially trained personnel
tasked to resolve critical incidents. The
SWAT team regularly addresses complex
tactical situations, such as arresting armed
and barricaded subjects wanted for violent
felonies. Additionally, SWAT provides
support, upon request, to agencies in need of
tactical expertise and assets. For example,
SWAT regularly works with the Department
of Corrections to seek out and arrest subjects
with warrants who are considered armed and
likely to take violent action to resist arrest.
SWAT is a partnership of numerous
public safety agencies. Currently, the team
has law enforcement personnel from the
Mason County Sheriff’s Office, the Shelton
Police Department, and the Squaxin Island
Tribal Police. The SWAT team also has a
robust Tactical Emergency Medical Support
(TEMS) program which consists of specially
trained paramedics who work in the medical
field and have specialty law enforcement
certification and training. TEMS team
members respond with SWAT to provide
immediate medical care to anyone in need
during SWAT missions.
Assignment to the Mason County
Sheriff’s Office SWAT team is an additional
duty for all team members who primarily
serve as patrol deputies, detectives, and
traffic deputies. Regardless of their primary
duty assignment or agency, SWAT members
stand ready to address the extraordinary
law enforcement needs of our community.
SWAT protecting firefighters at a house with a barricaded gunman inside. No firemen or SWAT members were injured.
DID YOU
KNOW?
Defense
Reutilization
Program
In order to provide the best
possible service with limited
resources, the Mason County
Sheriff’s Office participates in a
federal program that provides
surplus equipment and vehicles
to law enforcement agencies.
The Defense Reutilization and
Marketing Office (DRMO) provides
these opportunities through
their Law Enforcement Support
Office. Through this program,
excess equipment is provided
to the Sheriff’s Office at no cost
to the agency. This equipment
is distributed for use to various
parts of the Sheriff’s Office such
as Search and Rescue, SWAT,
Patrol, Detectives, and the Special
Operations Group.
12
Reserve Program
DID YOU
KNOW?
 That if you leave outside
residence lights on at night, they will
deter crime.
 That a Neighborhood Block
Watch group deters crime.
 That if you inform a trusted
neighbor to watch your residence
when you leave for an extended time,
to pick up your newspaper, your mail,
mow & water your lawn, etc., it will
deter crime.
 That if you do not leave your
mail locked in your car where people
can read your address while you are
away shopping, it will deter crime.
 That keeping your doors &
windows locked, even when you are at
home, will deter crime.
 That keeping your car locked in
your driveway will deter crime.
 That calling the Sheriff’s Office
when you see an unknown vehicle and
unknown people at your neighbor’s
house when you believe that the
owners are away will deter crime.
13
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office
Reserve Program is staffed by citizen
volunteers who serve as armed, uniformed,
limited-commission Deputy Sheriffs. Reserve
Deputies receive no compensation and generally
work with regular deputies and have full law
enforcement authority while on duty. Because
of the high level of trust and responsibility
bestowed upon Reserve Deputies, they must
undergo a rigorous selection and training process
prior to being sworn in as a Reserve Deputy
Sheriff. Interested citizens will complete
some of the pre-employment screening
process that full-time deputies do, and then
they begin their law enforcement training.
Reserve Deputy candidates attend a
reserve academy which is sponsored and
hosted by a local law enforcement agency.
Over a period of five months, recruits
attend training which is held two nights
a week in 4-hour sessions and all day on
Saturday. Candidates will train in criminal
law and procedures, unarmed defensive
tactics, emergency vehicle operations,
communication skills, report writing, and
much more. If the candidates pass the exams,
physical skills tests, and other assessments,
they will be sworn in as a Reserve Deputy
Sheriff. Upon successful completion of
the academy, the new Reserve Deputy
will undergo an extensive period of field
training with experienced law enforcement
personnel.
Reserve Deputies are highly sought
after by agencies looking to hire new fulltime officers and deputies. Consequently, the
time and effort spent to become a Reserve
Deputy can, for those interested, be a great
investment towards a future career in law
enforcement. However, many individuals
become Reserve Deputies solely out of a
desire to serve their community. Whether one
wishes to start a career in law enforcement,
or simply wants to support their community,
becoming a Reserve Deputy for the Mason
County Sheriff’s Office can be a rewarding
experience. The Sheriff’s Office is considering
offering, in conjunction with our regional
law enforcement partner agencies, a reserve
academy in the fall of 2013. Those interested
are encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office
for more information.
Field Training Program
After new Mason County Sheriff’s
Office deputies receive their initial 720 hours
of training at the basic law enforcement
academy, they return to the department to
receive additional on-the-job training from
a Field Training Deputy. The Field Training
Deputies provide instruction to the new
deputies on all aspects of law enforcement
operations to include: jail, civil, dispatch,
evidence, detectives, special operations,
and patrol. Once a deputy has successfully
completed their field training, which consists
of approximately 12 weeks of training after
the academy, their performance is evaluated in
its entirety. If the new deputy’s performance
is deemed acceptable by the Field Training
Deputies and command personnel, the new
deputy will be allowed to begin working on
their own as a patrol deputy.
Community Service
Officer – Civil Process
Civil process is the service of motions,
pleadings, orders and other papers to those
involved in civil cases as well as the serving
of orders entered by the courts. Process
service is a mandated responsibility of the
Sheriff’s Office.
Of the total 6,335 services in 2012, the
Community Service Officer served 4,212.
These included summons and complaints,
subpoenas, orders for child support and
custody, domestic violence protection orders,
notices of hearings, and Sheriff’s sales,
motions, and writs – such as writs of restitution
(eviction orders). These papers were served
to individuals at their residence or place of
employment as well as those incarcerated at
the Mason County Jail, Juvenile Detention,
Washington Corrections Center and the
Mission Creek Corrections Center. The
officer performed 60 court ordered officer
evictions and domestic violence standbys.
Along with assisting with several special
assignments for the evidence system, he
is also in charge of setting up hearings for
seized items by the Special Operations Group
(narcotics operation), as well as, acting as the
Hearings Clerk.
Explorer Cadet Program
Through the Boy Scouts Learning for
Life Program, Mason County Sheriff’s Office
has partnered with other Mason County area
public safety agencies to charter Post 9004.
Our public safety cadets are ages 15 to 20 and
volunteer their services to the community.
This program allows our cadets to explore all
avenues of public safety while being directly
mentored by deputy sheriffs, police officers,
firefighters, emergency medical service
workers and communications officers. Our
cadets also have the opportunity to use their
skills in competitions with other Explorers at
various events throughout Washington.
Our Explorer Program has five areas of
emphasis; broadening career opportunities,
providing leadership skills, developing
character education, encouraging citizenship,
and expanding life skills.
Back row (left to right): Patrick Bellisle, Logan Selleg, James France, David Vivero, Austin Sillars, front row (left to
right): Chris Frost, Emily Frost, Zahra Vivero, Ethan Evans, Jayden Micas, and Dionne Kaiser.
Block Watch
Community
Service Program
The Mission Statement for Block Watch:
“To increase the effectiveness of the Mason
County Sheriff’s Office by working in
partnership with the community to safeguard
life and property, and to enhance the quality
of life in our neighborhoods.”
A Mason County Sheriff’s Deputy
currently meets with various community
members to help establish and organize block
watch groups, and provides current crime
statistics for their communities. The Block
Watch group is offered awareness training
with the assistance of various emergency
service personnel, Animal Control, CPR, and
other community safety training programs,
such as Project ID which helps identify
personal property prior to a burglary.
The success of this program has been
shown in the Timberlake and Lake Cushman
communities. Several persons of interest have
been located, along with a decrease in crime
rates in those communities due to proactive
visible community awareness.
Contact the Mason County Sheriff’s
Office to learn more about setting up a Block
Watch Program in your community.
14
Community Contract Deputy Program, with
a deputy receiving a primary zone assignment
in the Timberlakes and Shorecrest area of
Mason County.
Forest Products Deputy
Community Contract
Deputy Program
DID YOU
KNOW?
Number of
Cases per
Officer
2012 Mason County had a
population of 51,580* with 43
Commissioned Officers, total
cases 17,444, approximately 406
calls/cases per officer.
Compared to 2012 Jefferson
County had a population of
20,990* with 41 Commissioned
Officers, total cases 10,473,
approximately 255 calls/cases per
officer.
Jefferson County has more
than double the officers (per
population) than Mason County.
*Unincorporated
15
Searching for alternative sources
of funding during the current financial
environment, the Mason County Sheriff’s
Office, working in partnership with the
Lake Cushman Homeowners Association,
established a Lake Cushman Community
Contract Deputy Program in 2007. In
exchange for the community contributing a
portion of a deputy’s base salary, a deputy is
assigned within that community on an annual
basis. The deputy becomes the primary focal
point for all law enforcement concerns within
that community and the deputy typically
responds to crime complaints, such as
burglaries, thefts, neighborhood and domestic
disturbances, and reckless/DUI driving
complaints. For a priority or emergency
situation, the deputy could be called out of
his/her primary assignment area, but once
complete, the deputy returns to his primary
zone of assignment.
Working under guidelines established
by the Revised Code of Washington (RCW),
the Lake Cushman community enabled law
enforcement personnel to enforce speed
laws within the community, even though
much of the roadway system within the
community is private. While other deputies
still respond to the community as backup
units or during periods when the community
based deputy is off duty, community
members know they have a specific deputy
with whom they can address any ongoing
issues. The community based deputy is also
instrumental in providing information to
establish and coordinate community block
watch groups within the neighborhood.
In 2012, Timberlakes became the
second community to participate in the
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office
Forest Products Deputy is primarily funded
and operated in partnership with Green
Diamond Resource Company. The deputy’s
primary duty is patrolling and investigating
incidents on Green Diamond properties,
typically involving theft, vandalism, trespass
and issues surrounding the harvesting of
specialized forest products. The Forest
Products Deputy also handles all other forest
product related calls throughout the county. A
fairly large portion of investigations involve
additional partnerships with the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife and the
Department of Natural Resources. The Forest
Products Deputy also responds to patrol level
issues, to provide backup for deputies on
priority calls and during low staffing situations.
Regional Honor Guard
The Sheriff’s Office Regional Honor
Guard is a tradition that began in 2010. This
three-member team wears specially designed
formal uniforms that pay tribute to the
national and state flags they bear.
The Honor Guard currently consists of
deputies and officers from the Mason County
Sheriff’s Office, Shelton Police Dept.,
Squaxin Police Dept., and the Mason County
Jail. The Honor Guard represents the Sheriff’s
Office at many ceremonies that require the
national and state flags to embellish the
event and preserve traditions. The Honor
Guard performs at agency and public events,
including swearing-in ceremonies, parades
and other civic events. They also participate
in formal public memorial services, funeral
services for dignitaries, and active or retired
members of the agency as well as line
of duty deaths of both agency members
and law enforcement officers from other
jurisdictions.
Number of Staff Assigned to Each Shift
There are currently four deputies in training and not available for duty.
Day Shift
1 - Deputy Sergeant
10 - Deputies
1 - Narcotics Detective Sergeant
3 - Narcotics Detectives
1 - Major Crimes Detective Sergeant
5 - Major Crime Detectives
Graveyard Shift
Swing Shift
1 - Deputy Sergeant
1 - Deputy Sergeant
10 - Deputies
Typical number of deputies available to cover
emergency calls in Zone I & Zone II, are four
deputies per zone for the swing shift.
5 - Deputies
Typical number of deputies available
to cover emergency calls in Zone I & Zone II, are
two deputies per zone for the graveyard shift.
This does not include employees out on vacation, on sick leave, for job injuries or mandatory training.
Mason County
Population Density

Zone 1 Zone 2
Zone I
Population 33,314
Land Area 794.34 square miles
Population density 41.94 persons per sq. mile
Zone II

Zone II
17,582
159.04
110.55

33,314
794.34
41.94
Population 17,582
Land Area 159.04 square miles
population density 110.55 persons per sq. mile


(Not including Shelton)



Population
Land Area in square miles
Population density
persons per square mile
Travel Logistics
 Hoodsport to Dewatto . . . . . . 41.7 miles
Average drive time. . . . . . 1 hr 15 min
 Eldon to Harstine. . . . . . . . . . . . 40.2 miles
Average drive time. . . . . . 1 hr 5 min
 Belfair to Matlock . . . . . . . . . . 40.2 miles
Average drive time. . . . . . 1 hr
 Kamilche to Allyn . . . . . . . . . . . 26.2 miles
Average drive time. . . . . . 37 min
 Tahuya to Union . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.4 miles
Average drive time. . . . . . 52 min
 Victor to Lilliwaup . . . . . . . . . . 34.9 miles
Average drive time. . . . . . 51 min


Zone I

5 miles
*Approximate miles and driving times.
This shows only a small sample of the logistical
challenges Mason County Sheriff’s Department deals
with trying to cover a county divided by the Hood
Canal, lakes, mountains, and small winding roads.

Zone 1
Zone 2
Shelton
Reservation
Olympic
National Forest
Olympic
National Park
16
Polygraph Unit
DETECTIVE
DIVISION
The Detective’s Division is made up of
two separate units, General Investigations
and the Special Operations Group.
General
Investigations
Detectives
are responsible for all major criminal
investigations in Mason County. Those
investigations include homicides, suspicious
deaths, robberies, sexual offenses, and other
violent/serious crimes against persons.
Additionally, General Detectives conduct
employment background investigations for the
Sheriff’s Office and internal investigations.
General Detectives are individually assigned
investigations to complete, but all work in
teams to help each other complete assignments
as quickly as possible. Detectives will assist
the Prosecutor’s Office with case preparation
and court presentation.
The Sex Offender Registration Detective
is part of the General Detectives and there are
two General Detectives assigned to perform
polygraphs for the Sheriff’s Office.
Detective Training
17
Prospective detectives go through a
competitive evaluation process to be eligible for the
assignment. Once a new
detective is assigned he
or she will go through a
series of classes including
homicide investigation, sex
offense, child interviewing,
interview and interrogation,
narcotic investigations, and
advanced crime scene processing. They will continue
to receive update training in
these areas along with additional specialty training.
The Sheriff’s Office began a Polygraph
Unit in 2009 and now has two certified
polygraphists that must maintain a minimum
level of 40 training hours every two years to
keep their certifications.
Since its inception, the Polygraph Unit
has performed a total of 137 examinations,
many of which are pre-employment screening examinations for the Sheriff’s Office
and other agencies to include the Mason
County Jail, Suquamish Police, Cosmopolis
Police, Skokomish Tribal Police, and Mason
County Emergency Communications. This
partnership with the supporting agencies has
saved them and the Sheriff’s Office thousands
of dollars that would have been paid out to
private examiners to perform the same work.
In addition to the pre-employment
screening examinations, the Polygraph Unit
performs examinations on criminal cases and
has done so for our office, Shelton Police,
Olympia Police, Squaxin Island Tribal
Police, Skokomish Tribal Police, Mason
County Prosecutor’s Office, Department of
Corrections, Washington Corrections Center,
Child Protective Services and the Bureau of
Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.
The results of these examinations have been
used by our office and other agencies to
both clear subjects of suspicion and to gain
confessions from guilty persons for charges
ranging from rape, child assaults, arson,
fraud, theft, assault, robbery, and murder.
Background Investigations
Detectives conduct background
investigations on all prospective employees,
reserve deputies and volunteers who apply
for positions with the Sheriff’s Office.
Backgrounds are extensive investigations
into all relevant aspects of a prospective
candidate’s life, an extensive criminal
records check, as well as, a driving/licensing
history is performed, employment history,
financial records and character references
are checked. Applicants for Sheriff Deputy
must pass a written examination, a physical
agility assessment, a medical examination,
an oral board interview, a psychological
examination, and a polygraph before being
hired. An extensive background check can
take up to 6 weeks or longer to complete.
Few of the many candidates investigated
qualify for a position with the Mason County
Sheriff’s Office.
demands, gain information and work to
resolve the situation. The Crisis Negotiations
Team can respond during SWAT missions
or other situations where the potential for
hostages or barricaded subjects exist and will
participate in joint training with the SWAT
team at times throughout the year. There are
currently 3 active Crisis Negotiations Team
members, 2 detectives and 1 corrections
officer, who are able to respond to calls for
service.
Sex Offender
Registration Program
Crisis Negotiations Team
The Crisis Negotiations Team is used to
establish communications with barricaded
subjects, hostage takers or persons
threatening suicide. The team will respond,
when requested, to attempt to resolve tense,
volatile situations while minimizing the risk
of injury, damage, or the loss of life. The
goal is to establish communications with
the persons involved in order to identify
The Sheriff’s Office registers and
monitors all sex and/or kidnapping offenders
residing in Mason County. When an offender
moves into the community, the offenders are
assessed and classified into three groups:
Level 1 (low risk to re-offend); Level 2
(moderate risk to re-offend); and Level 3
(high risk to re-offend).
In 2012, Mason County had a total of 299
registered sex offenders of which 259 were
active and divided into the three risk level
assessment groups as follows: Level 1: 171;
Level 2: 58; Level 3: 30. The 40 inactive
sex offenders registered in Mason County
were either incarcerated by the Department
of Corrections and will be returning to Mason
County, or they are in the process of moving
to a different jurisdiction.
There is one detective assigned full time
as the sex offender registration coordinator;
one detective and two deputies who assist
with registrations and address verifications;
and one clerk assigned a quarter time to
assist with the filing and administration of
the program.
Detectives complete registration paperwork on offenders required to register,
conduct risk level assessments, complete
investigations and arrests on those who fail to
properly comply with the requirements, and
perform community notifications on all Level
2 and Level 3 offenders that register or move
to a new residence within Mason County.
The Sex Offender Registration Program,
as well as, information about all Level 2 and
3 registered offenders residing in Mason
County can be found on the Mason County
Sheriff’s Office website: http://so.co.mason.
wa.us/
DID YOU KNOW?
Sex Offender Registration Statistics
Year
2010
2011
2012
Level 1
161
170
171
Level 2
65
64
58
Level 3
35
33
30
Transient
4
4
6
Key: Level 1 = Low risk to re-offend Level 2 = Moderate risk to re-offend
TOTAL
265
271
265
Level 3 = High risk to re-offend Transient = Homeless Registered Sex Offenders
 Two thirds of all registered sex and/or kidnapping offenders
registered in Mason County are the lowest level, Level 1, meaning
they are the least likely to re-offend.
 Repeat offender rates have dropped because there is a
registration program, proving that when people know about a
registered sex and/or kidnapping offender, they are better able to
take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones.
 That you can go onto the Mason County Sheriff’s Office
website, click onto the Offender-Watch link, type in your address
and see a list of all Level 2 and 3 registered offenders living within
a 2 mile radius of your address.
18
Evidence System
DID YOU
KNOW?
 The Sheriff’s Office takes in
about 4000 items of evidence each
year.
 EPA requires all drugs
confiscated to be transported and
destroyed at a special incinerator
located in Spokane.
 Various unclaimed evidence
items are now put up for auction
on the following website: www.
propertyroom.com.
19
The collection of property or evidence
is done out of necessity for the proper
performance of a police task. A secure,
properly constructed, and sufficiently staffed
property evidence facility is essential to any
law enforcement agency. The collection of
evidence, stolen property, hazardous items,
and safekeeping of private property lie within
the duties of members of law enforcement
agencies. Prosecution of all crimes involves
the receiving, recording, storage, chain of
custody maintenance and retrieval of this
evidence. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office
makes every reasonable effort to recover lost
or stolen property, to identify its owners, and
to ensure its prompt return.
Currently, the property evidence room is
operated by one Community Service Officer
who is responsible for receiving, recording,
storing, retrieving, and disposing of every
item according to departmental policy and
Washington State law. The Sheriff’s Office
evidence property system currently holds
over 50,000 items and takes in between
3,000 and 4,000 items per year. These items
are stored in two locations, the main property
room at the Sheriff’s Office and an offsite
facility on the Johns Prairie Road.
The Sheriff’s Office property system
is facing daunting challenges because
of a lack of proper storage space and
insufficient staffing to complete the job of
property and evidence management. The
Sheriff’s Office is able to receive, record,
store, and maintain the chain of custody and
locate all property in the system. However
due to inadequate staffing, property continues
to accumulate because we are only able to
dispose of about 10% of the items received
each year. For example, over 4000 items
were received into the evidence property
system in 2012 and fewer than 400 items
were returned, destroyed, or sold at auction.
Additionally, the offsite facility located
on the Johns Prairie Road does not meet
industry standards for security.
The software package used to track the
evidence and property was purchased in 2005
and has proved to be inadequate for tracking
disposition dates and performing inventory
checks of the system. Additionally, due to
insufficient staffing, barcoding pre 2005
evidence has not been completed which is
necessary to complete an accurate inventory
of the property and status of the property in
the system.
The Sheriff’s Office staff is working
diligently with the Board of County
Commissioners to attempt to identify funding
sources to add staff and to build an offsite
facility. It is also the goal of the Sheriff’s
Office to identify and purchase state of the
art software to efficiently track every piece
of evidence in the system.
Special
Operations
Group
The Special Operation Group
(SOG) serves as the Sheriff’s Narcotic
and Burglary Suppression Unit. This
group is a drug enforcement team that
concentrates on narcotics and narcotic
related property crimes.
The Special Operations Group is
a multi-jurisdictional team comprised
of a detective sergeant, two narcotic
detectives, one Department of
Corrections detective, and a Squaxin
Island police detective. The Special
Operations Group is supplemented by
two uniformed deputies, one of which
is partnered with a K-9.
The Special Operations Group
recognizes the relationship between the
trafficking of illegal narcotics and stolen
property. Their mission is to decrease
these crimes by proactively identifying
and apprehending offenders.
Chaplains left to right; George Albertson, Steve Satterfield, and Bill Adam .
Chaplain Program
In 2007, Sheriff Salisbury established
a formal volunteer Chaplain Program for
the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. The
program currently consists of three volunteer
chaplains who are available to respond to the
needs of public safety personnel or the public
24 hours a day seven days a week.
The duties of a volunteer law enforcement
chaplain include counseling, training, and
crises intervention for law enforcement
personnel, their families and the general
public, and also include critical incident
debriefings for public safety staff. Chaplains
are non-denominational, do not advocate
their own personal beliefs, work with all
religions and provide needed assistance in
times of crisis. The Mason County Sheriffs
Office Chaplain Corps stands ready to
assist the needs of the Sheriff’s Office as
well as serve other police, fire, corrections,
and public safety agencies. Our chaplains
are all college graduates and have attended
the Washington State Criminal Justice
Training Commission Chaplains Academy.
Since 2007, the chaplains have
responded to over 300 calls for service
which have included requests to deliver
death notifications, counseling deputies
and other Sheriff’s Office personnel.
The chaplains have conducted numerous
weddings and memorial services for officers,
deputies, employees and members of the
public.
Media
Relations
A detective is assigned as
the Sheriff’s Public Information
Officer (PIO) to enhance the
flow of information to the public
we serve. In addition to oncamera interviews, this position
is responsible for writing and
posting all significant media
releases and partners with Public
Information Officers throughout
the region to assure an efficient,
coordinated, and professional
flow of information to all media
sources. Our Public Information
Officer receives and responds to a
wide range of citizen inquiries for
the Sheriff’s Office.
20
ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT
Chief Civil Deputy Jan Alvord
The Sheriff’s Office Administrative
Support section is the backbone of the
Sheriff’s Office and consists of a dedicated
group of specially trained people to assist
the Sheriff’s Office and citizens of Mason
County. This section currently has six
employees and is under the direct supervision
of the Chief Civil Deputy. Specialties within
the administrative support section are as
follows:
in public records requests was one percent,
however, the time needed to perform
the requests increased by 56 percent, an
unprecedented increase from previous years.
2012 was just as demanding. The area holds
the greatest liability to the Support Division
due to the strict guidelines involved in
responding to and fulfilling the requests.
The department may be subject to severe
penalties and assessments if a mistake is
made or a document is missed. In 2011, there
were 2211 public disclosure requests and
another 2068 in 2012. Due to the ongoing
challenges for this unit, the Sheriff’s Office
was given approval by the Mason County
Commissioners to hire a third Records
Specialist, the first increase to staff in
Records in over 20 years.
Civil Process Unit
Records Unit
The Records Unit consists of two Records
Specialists who process all investigative
reports and other documents generated
by the deputies, detectives and jail staff.
Additionally, the fastest growing aspect of
their job tasks includes researching and
disseminating documents to the public
pursuant to the Public Records Act. The
requests have become larger and more
complex than in the past. In 2011, the increase
The Civil Process Unit consists of
one Civil Clerk who processes; domestic
violence orders, small claims motions, child
custody, summons, and subpoenas. The Civil
Clerk also enforces orders of the courts such
as evictions, attachments, and executions
of real and personal property. Assisting
the clerk with service of the documents
is our Community Service Officer who
serves the majority of civil papers and
handles standbys on court orders and
Sheriff’s Office Administrative
Support Statistics
Public Records
21
Year
Requests
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2096
1964
2006
2043
2211
2068
Administrative Support team.
evictions. In 2012, the Civil Clerk processed
6335 civil documents and court orders.
Reception/Call Receivers
This team consists of three Clerks who
serve as the first point of contact for citizens
making non-emergency calls or coming into
the Sheriff’s Office for assistance. They
have been trained in a variety of clerical
and reception duties including greeting and
assisting the public at the counter or on the
phone, issuing concealed pistol licenses and
harvest permits, processing firearm transfers,
warrants, extraditions of prisoners, and sex
offender paperwork. In the fall of last year,
the concealed pistol licenses and firearm
transfers more than doubled in number,
taking up most of the Clerks’ time. In 2011,
the Clerks processed 1,385 concealed pistol
licenses and 1,691 in 2012. In 2012, gun
transfers jumped from a monthly average of
132 (Jan-Nov) to 309 in December. Due to
the sizeable increase in the workload over
the last year for all admin support units, the
hours open to the public have been reduced
to help the staff process paperwork. The
current hours are Monday through Friday
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Reception/Call Receivers
Civil Process
Year
Concealed
Pistol Licenses
Gun
Transfers
Background
Checks
Year
Processed
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
5113
4962
3968
3392
4440
6335
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
981
1022
1038
1015
1385
1691
822
714
953
898
900
1762
1803
1736
1991
1913
2285
3453
92% increase from 2007 to 2012
Volunteers who donate their time and talents assisting the Mason County Sheriff’s Offices in Shelton and Belfair.
Mason County Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Program
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office
Volunteer Program was established in 1998
to promote effective use of the many citizens
of Mason County who wish to donate their
time and talents to further the goals of the
Mason County Sheriff’s Office. The Chief
Civil Deputy oversees the volunteer program
which utilizes an average of 20 volunteers.
In 2012, the volunteers donated 4,222 hours
of service which is the equivalent of two full
time employees.
The mission of the volunteer program
is to provide support to the Mason County
Sheriff’s Office that is of the highest quality
and to be responsive to the needs of the
community.
Goals of the Volunteer Program:
1. Bring specialized skills, experience,
and abilities that would otherwise
not be available in the Sheriff’s
Office budget.
2. Grow in partnership with law
enforcement and increase assistance
to the Sheriff and his staff. This
allows deputies to focus resources
on more urgent law enforcement and
community needs.
3. Look for opportunities to interact
with the community in order to
educate and increase understanding
and good will between law
enforcement and the citizens of
Mason County.
The volunteers man the Belfair substation six days a week doing a variety of
administrative functions for the deputies and
the citizens of North Mason County, and also
handle various tasks at the main office in
Shelton to assist the Administration Division
of the Sheriff’s Office. Volunteers who have
competently worked a shift for at least six
months may also have an opportunity to
work on the road handling hulk inspections,
sex offender postings, disabled parking
permits and seat belt surveys.
To obtain a volunteer application go to
the Mason County Sheriff’s Office website
at www.so.co.mason.wa.us.
Lee Swoboda and Barbara Evans, volunteers at the Belfair substation.
22
MASON
COUNTY JAIL
DID YOU
KNOW?
The Sheriff’s Office must be in
compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination
Act (PREA) by August 2013. Between
now and then, the 50 Standards for Adult
Prisons and Jails must be included in the Jail
manual and approximately 175 employees,
inmates, contractors and service providers
must be trained. The PREA Standards
include prevention and responsive planning,
training and education, inmate screening for
risk of sexual victimization and abusiveness,
reporting, official response following an
inmate report, investigations, discipline,
medical and mental care, data collection
and review, corrective action and state
compliance. The Jail is not currently built
to comply with the PREA Standards and will
require updating and modifications in order
to be in compliance with the Standards.
Mason County Jail
2012 Medical Stats
 2,200 inmate visits to the Jail Nurse.
 652 inmate visits to the Mental Health
Professional who works 20 hrs. per week.
 768 inmate visits to the Advanced
Registered Nurse Practitioner.
 45 inmate visits to the Emergency Room
at Mason General Hospital.
 48 non-emergency, but medically
required, inmate visits to outside medical
resources for blood draws, radiology (x-ray),
and other specialists.
 50 inmate visits to the dentist for tooth
extraction due to poor dental hygiene.
 57% of our inmates suffer from a major
mental illness.
 96% of our inmates have substance
abuse and chemical dependency issues.
23
The fundamental goal of every Jail
is to provide a safe, secure, and humane
environment for our officers, staff, inmates,
and visitors. The Jail houses both sentenced
and pre-trial inmates for Mason County,
City of Shelton, and tribal communities. The
Jail currently has one chief, four sergeants,
twenty seven correction officers, one control
room operator, one financial assistant, and
two cooks who provide oversight 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year.
The current County Jail was built in
1984 for a maximum capacity of 47. It was
originally designed and built for one inmate
per cell, but now cells are double bunked, and
often another inmate sleeps on a mattress on
the floor. In 2012, the average daily inmate
population was 113.
The Jail’s control room is considered
the heart of Jail operations. All inmate
communication with the staff, inmate
movement within and without the Jail, plus
phone and radio contact with the outside
world is routed through the Jail control room
and is handled by the control room operator.
It is common for the operator of the
control room to be on the phone with the
public, monitoring inmates movement through
the Jail, opening and closing electronic Jail
doors, listening to radio traffic of Jail staff,
and opening the secured back entrance for
Chief Tom Haugen
an arrested subject being brought to the Jail
for booking. Currently, the control room
electronics are extremely old and outdated
which increases concerns for the security and
safety of inmates and correction officers.
The Mason County Jail is reaching an age
where significant repairs and maintenance is
necessary to maximize the service life at the
facility. They include a new control panel
system, new locks for the cells and cellblocks,
and repairing leaks in the roof.
Mason County Jail
Medical Care Program
Every new inmate receives an initial
assessment by our medical care provider,
and thereafter each inmate is seen regularly by
our medical staff. The staff deal with many
types of medical issues, some of which are
much worse than they first appear. Many
inmates have used alcohol and/or drugs to
the point of addiction. One of our biggest
recent problems is the widespread use
of methamphetamine and its subsequent
damage to the human body. We first deal
with the drug abuse issues and then deal
with drug withdrawal. Washington State
law requires all inmates must have access
to medical care and inmates are responsible
for the expenses they incur. However, it
becomes the expense of the people of Mason
County to pay for all inmates medical costs
if they do not have the capacity to pay. The
following is a partial list, which includes the
major areas of medical treatment we provide:
• Communicable Diseases • Diabetes
• Cancer • HIV • STDs • Mental Health
• Dental Care • Neck & Back Pain
• Dispensing Medications • Broken Bones
• Allergies • Pregnancy
Litter Crew
Jail Food Service Program
Jail Transport Unit
The mission of the inmate litter crew
is to clean up our County roadways of litter
and illegal dump sites on approximately
1600 miles of roadway. In 2012 the litter
crew supervisor worked three days a week
with 2 to 4 inmates who were responsible
for picking up 25,500 pounds of litter along
the roadsides of Mason County. The inmates
also cleared 60 illegal dump sites of another
9,000 pounds of garbage for a grand total
of 34,500 pounds or approximately 17 tons
of litter. Included in this total was $623 of
recyclable material. Portions of funding for
operations of the litter crew are provided by
the State Department of Ecology.
The Mason County Jail serves over 300
meals each day which is almost 110,000
meals each year. We operate seven days a
week, with two Jail cooks supervising the
state certified inmate workers assigned to the
kitchen. The Jail also prepares food for those
with special, or medical, dietary needs. A
large portion of the Jail menu is cooked and
baked from scratch. We strive to use as little
prepared food as possible. We also provide
meals to the juvenile detention facility. As
food costs and the cost of kitchen operations
continue to increase, the costs for Jail food
service will continue to go up. Our food
service budget for 2012 was $192,862.
The Transport Unit is responsible for
the secure transportation of inmates to court
appearances in District and Superior Courts.
Additionally, the Transport Unit coordinates
movement of inmates to residential treatment
centers, Western State Hospital, State
Corrections Intake Centers in Purdy and
Shelton, medical and dental appointments,
and other agencies. They are also responsible
for the oversight of inmates during court
appearances.
DID YOU
KNOW?
 The Jail no longer serves coffee or ice
cream to inmates.
 The Jail has reduced serving milk from 3
servings a day to 1.
 The Jail recently changed their bread
supplier cutting costs by 10%.
 The Jail now buys from multiple suppliers
to negotiate the best price.
 The Jail revamped their menu to
save money while still meeting the daily
dietary standards set by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
Mason County Jail Statistics
2,469
$546,200
2012
2011
$468,500
2010
$400,000
$314,000
$304,900
2009
2012
2010
2009
2008
2007
2,142
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
105 104
2,280
2008
2,331
2007
113
113
2007
$779,500
2,707 2,716
126
2011
131
Annual Jail Medical Costs
Annual Jail Bookings
Average Daily Inmate Population
24
SEARCH AND RESCUE
Photo courtesy of the Kitsap Sun
Sheriff’s Search
and Rescue (SAR)
Mason County, with a population
60,000, is located near the foothills of
the Olympic Mountains and Olympic
National Forest. It is 964 square miles
in area with approximately 300 miles of
saltwater shoreline along south Puget
Sound and Hood Canal. There are 200
fresh water lakes. Mason County offers
a rich variety of outdoor recreational
opportunities for people of all ages.
The Olympic National Park, Olympic
National Forest, Hood Canal and Puget
Sound are all a part of this wilderness.
Mason County is a favored destination for hikers, campers, divers and a
host of other outdoor enthusiasts. Due
to the rugged, remote wilderness areas,
abundant waterways, and miles of forest lands, there is a need for dedicated,
competent and credible individuals who
25
volunteer their time and resources to finding
and rescuing lost and injured individuals in
Mason County. The Sheriff’s Office Search
and Rescue provide this service.
Explorer SAR
Explorer Search and Rescue (ESAR)
teams are capable of performing ground
search missions inside of Mason County.
Consisting of youth volunteers from 14 to
21 years of age supervised by adult advisors,
Explorer Search and Rescue volunteers are
ground searchers who commonly search in
very rough and brushy terrain. They need
to be in good physical condition capable
of finding their way in and out of densely
wooded areas.
Mobile (4x4) SAR
Mason County Mobile Search and
Rescue deploys 4x4 assets in rescue and
disaster operations. This unit provides
extended range and capabilities to the overall
search and rescue mission. The Mobile
Search and Rescue Unit volunteers operate
all terrain type snow mobiles, dirt bikes,
and four wheel drive vehicles capable of
searching back roads and trails. They operate
as primary search teams and/or support units
on search and rescue missions.
Mission Support
Mission support personnel are responsible
for staffing the base camp of search and rescue
operations. Responsibilities range from
logistical functions to administrative duties.
Generally, administrative staff is made up of
those who choose to not go into the field. We
are in desperate need for volunteers to serve
in this capacity.
Search & Rescue
Dive Team
The Search and Rescue Dive Team
serves as the primary water response and
investigation unit in Mason County. These
volunteers conduct underwater rescues,
recoveries, investigations and search
operations. The dive team also provides
swift water response in the event of a flood
or incident on moving water.
Regional Critical
Incident and
Investigation Team (CIIT)
Specially trained detectives are assigned
to the Regional Sheriff’s Critical Incident
and Investigation Team. This is a multijurisdictional team which includes detectives
from Grays Harbor County, Lewis County,
Pacific County, Thurston County and Mason
County. This team was developed to help
each other when one of the member agencies
has a critical incident to investigate, like an
officer involved shooting.
Special Operations
Rescue Team
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office
Search and Rescue Program has a quick
response team for the roughest terrain
involving high angle rescue and swift water/
flood operations. The mission of the team is
to get to the victim in the shortest possible
time to stabilize and prepare for extraction
from the scene. The team is currently staffed
with one sergeant and 3 deputies. As the
team progresses, it will become a hybrid
unit through partnerships with local fire
departments and other public safety agencies.
We are looking for motivated volunteers who
are up to a challenge. Training is provided
and volunteers are never placed in situations
that are beyond their capabilities or training.
According to Sheriff Casey Salisbury,
“The mission of our Search and Rescue
Program is to handle any search and
rescue circumstance we are confronted
with in the shortest possible time and
in a manner reflecting best practices to
minimize the risk of further injury to
victims and rescuers.”
DID YOU KNOW?
 Search and Rescue (SAR) averages about 14 missions a year.
 In 2012, SAR had 20 missions and 1 evidence search.
 Between 2002 and 2012 there were 164 SAR missions and 17 evidence searches.
 The vast majority of SAR missions are to find lost individuals.
 SAR has many specialty units: Mobile SAR is a 4-wheel drive vehicle that follows road and
trails to find people. Explorer SAR is made up of personnel who specialize in searches by foot in
small units, carrying packs with survival/rescue equipment and are specialists in land navigation.
SAR Dive Team serve as primary water response team in the county in underwater rescues,
recoveries, investigations and search operations.
 SAR is always looking for more volunteers. Those age 15 and older are encouraged to apply.
Get an application from the SAR page at the MCSO website: so.co.mason.wa.us.
26
DID YOU
KNOW?
Civil Service Commission
 More teens die from texting behind
the wheel than driving drunk. Each year
3,000 teens nationwide - versus 2,700 teen
lives are taken by drunken drivers.
 The reality is kids aren’t drinking
seven days per week - they are carrying their
phones and texting seven days per week.
 Think no one you know is stupid
enough to do it? Around half of the teens
surveyed admitted they texted while
driving.
 Statistics show that if you are texting
while driving, you are 23 times more likely
to crash.
27
How are employees hired by
the Sheriff’s Office?
The State of Washington in 1958 created
Chapter 41.14 in the Revised Code of
Washington (RCW) for the general purpose
of establishing a merit system of employment
for employees of the Office of County
Sheriff, thereby raising the standards and
efficiency of law enforcement. In addition,
the RCW created a three member Civil
Service Commission (CSC) to carry out
the provisions of the chapter and allowed
for an examiner/secretary to serve the Civil
Service Commission.
The mission of the Civil Service
Commission is to establish a system of
employment for the Mason County Sheriff’s
Office in order to provide the public, the
Sheriff, and employees with reasonable
assurance that personnel actions will be
carried out uniformly, equitably, and upon
the basis of merit principles.
The CSC system oversees the
employment of Deputy Sheriff, Corrections
Officer, Community Service Officer, Animal
Control Officer, and various administrative
positions. Therefore the examiner/secretary
is not only charged with taking minutes
at the monthly meetings of the CSC but
with carrying out the personnel actions
of establishing eligibility lists of qualified
individuals for potential employment or
promotion by the Sheriff’s Office.
The process for establishing eligibility
lists takes the following actions:
• Advertising for the employment
opportunity.
• Accepting and reviewing applications
for completeness and ensuring
minimum qualifications are met.
• Conducting written, physical ability
and oral examinations.
• Scoring and placement on
eligibility lists.
• Notifying candidates of status on
eligibility lists.
Once the eligibility list is established,
the top three names are certified to the
Sheriff's Office for consideration for one
vacancy. The Sheriff's Office then does the
following:
• Sends out background materials to
the eligible.
• Background checks are conducted.
• Interview the eligible if they have
passed the background process.
• Conditional offer of employment.
• Conduct polygraph and/or
psychological and drug tests as
required.
Failure of any of the above processes
can cause the eligible name to be removed
from the eligibility list. About 50% of
the candidates are eliminated or removed
from eligibility lists. On average, the hiring
processes take three to four months before
a vacancy is filled. Once the Civil Service
Commission has been notified of a vacancy
for an entry level deputy and when that
deputy is actually working on the roads can
take in excess of 12 months.
Drug Take Back Program
In 2010, the Mason County Sheriff’s
Office partnered with the Mason County
Health Department, Mason County Hospital
Districts 1 and 2, and Mason County Fire
Protection District 2 in starting our own drug
take-back program here in Mason County.
Since the program began, the Mason County
Sheriff’s Office has taken in and disposed
of over 1400 lbs of pharmaceuticals which
would have otherwise found their way into
the environment. This program is another
example of how the Sheriff’s Office has
been able to partner with public and private
entities to help keep our kids and citizens
safe and our environment clean.
About half of the 37,000 phone calls
to the Washington Poison Center concern
young children who have been poisoned
SUMMARY
by medicines found in the home. Getting
rid of unwanted medicines through a takeback program is an important part of being
safe in the home. For years, the advice
was to flush our drugs or mix them with
kitty litter and throw them in the garbage.
Flushing drugs sends them directly into our
waters, harming the environment. Returning
medicines to a take-back program is the
only environmentally sound method for
disposing of unused medicines.
Prescription drug abuse is the fastestgrowing drug problem in the country. In
Washington State, almost 11% of teens use
medicines for non-medical reasons – a rate
that’s among the highest in the nation. The
abuse of medicines by teens often results
in medical emergencies, fatal overdoses,
or long term addiction. Most abusers of
medicines, including teens, get the drugs
from a friend or relative – not from a drug
dealer.
Citizens can drop off unused pharmaceuticals at two separate locations at anytime. Receptacles are located at the Mason
County Sheriff’s Office at 322 North 3rd
in Shelton, and at Station One, Mason
County Fire Protection District 2 at 460
NE Old Belfair Highway in Belfair. Please
keep all tablets and unused pharmaceuticals in their original containers. Even
though the receptacles are secure, citizens
are encouraged to remove personal infor
mation from the
containers. Do
not put syringes, needles, or
loose tablets in
the receptacle. If
you have loose
tablets they can
be placed in a
sealed and taped
plastic bag.
Sheriff Salisbury and his staff thank
you for taking the time to read this
Annual Report and learn more about
the programs and operations of your
Sheriff’s Office. Our goal was to provide
information to you in a concise format
and we hope you now have a better
understanding of the responsibilities
and challenges of your Sheriff’s Office.
Describing the challenges in
providing public safety in Mason County
cannot be broken down by statistics
only. Some of the unique difficulties
challenging us include the geographical
make up of the county with its waterways
and mountains which can cause delays
in our response times. Additionally,
compared to other counties in western
Washington our size, Mason County
has only one city jurisdiction so back up
for officers to respond to calls, safely,
is limited. Finally, the rapid growth
and population density of Belfair and
the north county pose a very difficult
policing dilemma. In other counties,
similar regions the size of Belfair and
Allyn would have their own police force
or contract services with their local
Sheriff. In Mason County our office
must provide all their public safety
services as part of our operations.
Mason County is a recreational
county with many attractions that
draw large numbers of people during
the summer months increasing our
population from 52,000 to at times
90,000 to 100,000. They stay the
summers in second homes, visit the
Olympic National Park and State
Parks, use our waterways and boating
opportunities, go hiking, fishing, and
utilize our Off Road Vehicle (ORV) Park.
Our county is also unique as we have
two very important partnerships with the
Skokomish and Squaxin Tribal Nations.
These nations have also recently added
many opportunities for people in the
county such as resorts, gambling, parks,
and golfing that also attract many
people. This population increase occurs
at the same time that our local students
are out of school. Compounding to the
difficulty of managing this doubling of
our population is the fact that at this
same time our own employees take time
off to spend with their families thereby
decreasing our patrol and corrections
staffing levels.
The staff of your Sheriff’s Office
pride themselves in consistently
providing the best assistance they can
for services that range from responding
to 911 calls for service, traffic and
boating enforcement, animal complaints,
civil process, weapons permits, public
disclosure requests, brush permits, sex
offender contacts, weapons screening,
litter crew service, inmate bookings,
court transports, and daily inmate care
in addition to many other services. On
average in 2012, 97 employees provided
service to the citizens approximately
50,000 times in the above areas. In that
same time the Sheriff’s Office received
less than 100 complaints about the
service provided. This is an exemplary,
satisfactory customer service record of
99.8%.
Statistics do not always paint an
accurate black and white picture of the
challenges we face operating a public
safety organization. The unique qualities
of our county are what attract many
people here but those same qualities also
provide unique challenges in providing
public safety services. Sheriff Salisbury
and all the employees of the Sheriff’s
Office are proud to continue to work
through these challenges and deliver
the best possible public safety service
within the budget and staffing levels we
have.
28
HONORING
135
YEARS
OF
SERVICE
2013 Retirees
Five staff members of the Mason
County Sheriff’s Office are scheduled to
retire this year and their combined years
of service exceeds an amazing 135 years.
Mason County Sheriff Casey Salisbury said
“It will be virtually impossible to replace
the experience and expertise these five
distinguished men have given to the Mason
County Sheriff’s Office. I want to personally
thank them for their years of dedicated
service to the citizens of Mason County and
wish them the very best in retirement.”
Chief Deputy
B. Dean Byrd
34 Years of Service
29
Chief Deputy Dean Byrd served the
Mason County Sheriff’s Office from 1973
through 1987. Dean was promoted to
the rank of Sergeant in 1982 to 1987. In
1987, Dean accepted a position with the
Washington State Gambling Commission
as a Special Agent assigned to the Olympic
Peninsula. In 1992, he was promoted and
transferred to Yakima where he supervised
gambling regulation and investigations in 13
Eastern Washington counties until 1998.
In 1998, Dean returned to the Mason
County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy assigned
to Belfair. He was later assigned to the
Detective Division in 2002 and promoted
to Inspector (Chief Detective) in 2003. In
2007, Dean was appointed to Chief Deputy
of Special Operations, the position held
until his retirement.
Dean also served as the Mason County
Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer
and department spokesperson since 2004.
Dean is an accomplished photographer
and has received awards in amateur
competitions for several of his images. He
has provided most of the images you see in
this publication. Chief Deputy Dean Byrd
retired April 30, 2013.
Sergeant Brad Mandeville
17 Years of Service
Sergeant Brad Mandeville graduated
from the Unites States Air Force Academy
in June 1975 with a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Personnel Management and
was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. Brad
served as a commissioned officer at several
bases and in numerous operations and
staff positions over the next 20 years. Brad
retired from the Air Force in 1995 holding
the rank of Major.
Brad was hired by the Mason County
Sheriff’s Office, Patrol Division, and entered
the Criminal Justice Law Enforcement
Academy in 1996. He graduated first in his
class. Brad was instrumental in developing
the School Critical Incident Response Plan
addressing law enforcement and citizen
concerns following the school shooting
at Columbine. Brad became Skid Car
Instructor in 2001, responsible for training
deputy vehicle operations/handling in
adverse road/weather conditions. Brad was
promoted to Sergeant of the Patrol Division
in 2005 and added Administrative Sergeant
duties in 2007. Brad was instrumental in
the establishment and organization of the
Mason County Traffic Unit and was assigned
Traffic Unit Sergeant in early 2008 while
still retaining the duties of Administrative
Sergeant. Sergeant Mandeville retired on
April 30, 2013.
six correction officers on the staff of the
Mason County Jail which was located on
the top floor of the Courthouse. In 1986, the
county built a new jail and Bruce was on the
initial crew that staffed, prepared and moved
prisoners into the facility. He served as Jail
Firearms Instructor since 1986 and hopes
to assist in that capacity after retirement.
In 1996, Bruce was promoted to Sergeant
and served as swing shift supervisor for
ten years before moving to day shift in
2006. For the last seven years, Bruce has
worked as Litter Crew Supervisor, Inmate
Worker Manager, Securus phone system site
technician, plus opened and supervised the
Direct Supervision Unit from 2006 to 2009.
Sergeant Bennett retired June 28, 2013.
Community Service
Officer Steve Ellyson
22 Years of Service
Detective Jack Gardner
29 Years of Service
Sergeant Bruce Bennett
33 Years of Service
Sergeant Bruce Bennett was hired by
the Mason County Sheriff’s Office June
18, 1980 and worked as a jailer/dispatcher.
At the time of his hiring there were only
Region 3 Critical Incident Investigations
Team (CIIT). Jack has also been loaned by
this office to numerous other agencies to
conduct criminal investigations and internal
inquisitions as a regional resource. Detective
Gardner retired June 30, 2013.
Detective Jack Gardner’s law
enforcement career spans over 35 years
in Washington State. He has spent the last
29 years with the Mason County Sheriff’s
Office working as a Patrol Deputy, Special
Enforcement Unit Deputy and for the past
13 years as a Major Crimes Investigator.
Jack has also been assigned as a Hostage
Negotiator, Field Training Deputy,
Search and Rescue Incident Command
Coordinator and as a member of the
Community Service Officer Steve
Ellyson began his employment with
the Mason County Sheriff’s Office as a
volunteer, working as a Reserve Deputy
Sheriff in 1991. After almost three years,
Steve was hired full time to work as a
Community Service Officer serving civil
process paperwork and being the Assistant
Evidence Technician. In May 1999, Steve
took over the evidence system and was the
only Evidence Technician for 14 years.
Steve distinguished himself as being a
certified marijuana leaf identifier longer
than anyone else in Washington State. Steve
was instrumental in transferring the entire
evidence system from the Courthouse to
the new Sheriff’s Office in 2009, having the
daunting task of keeping a chain of custody
for all evidence during the transfer between
two buildings over a block away. CSO Steve
Ellyson retired April 12, 2013.
30
PARTNERSHIPS . . .
. . . WORKING TOGETHER
TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY
M A S O N
C O U N T Y
Mason County Sheriff’s Office
Shelton Office is located at: 322 N 3rd Street, Shelton, WA 98584
Mailing address: PO Box 1037, Shelton, WA 98584  360-427-9670 ext. 313
Belfair Precinct located at: 23293 NE Hwy 3, Belfair, WA 98528  360-275-2819
Websites: so.co.mason.wa.us