Sheriff

The Crime Analysis Unit supports all Sheriff's Office divisions by studying, correlating and disseminating data.

Our crime analysts create victim and suspect profiles - looking for identifiable patterns and methods for specific crimes. Using these profiles, the unit then recommends patrol and detection methods that help catch offenders.

Analysts also do statistical reporting, manage computer systems and conduct data searches for all divisions.

For Concealed Handgun Licenses (CHL)

• Return to mail CHL info page
• Start a new online CHL application

K9 handler training

Our Sheriff’s Office K9 handlers are selected through a competitive process; human candidates must have at least five years’ experience as a police officer.

Once chosen, the dog and handler attend a six-week basic handler’s school. Once the team returns to service in Clackamas County, they spend their time training, responding to calls, searching for suspects and helping out our Patrol division and outside agencies with calls for service.

When are K9 teams needed?

The dogs are mostly used for their extraordinary senses of smell — although their keen hearing and ability to detect movement help with captures. K9 teams respond to the following incidents:

• Pursuits of suspects hiding from deputies
• Article, evidence or narcotics searches
• SWAT calls
• Residential or business alarms
• Premise checks
• High-risk traffic stops or pursuits

The K9 Unit also spends many hours on public demonstrations at schools, fairs, and community events.

Two of our former dogs, Mik and Nero, are featured in their own series of comic books.

2021 K9 team stats

From the 2021 CCSO Year in Review:

• 7 K9 teams
• 716 total deployments
• 826 total activities during deployments (building searches, area searches, vehicle sniff checks, etc.)
• 818 total hours deployed
• 170 total evidence items found

The goals of the EVO program are:

1. To teach drivers the skills they need to perform their jobs safely and efficiently while operating an emergency vehicle.
2. To help enable drivers to safeguard lives and property through the use of good judgement during emergency vehicle operation.
3. To minimize the risk to life and injury through the use of innovative and realistic techniques for avoiding and minimizing collisions.

These goals are met by instructing students not only the physical aspect of driving, but also the mental aspect. Instructors attempt to change the mindset of drivers from "Defensive" driving (simply reacting to events occurring around them), to that of being "Proactive" (an active participant). By making important decisions and having the vehicle move the way a driver wants it to, they are not forced to simply sit back and hold on in the event of an emergency.

Topics

• Basic Emergency Vehicle Operations Course
• Pursuit Emergency Vehicle Operations Course
• Pursuit Intervention Technique
• Proactive Driving (for non-sworn/non-police employees)
• Other classes that can be tailored to the needs of departments/agencies

All instructors are certified through DPSST (the state agency regulating public pafety employees) after a three-week instructor school and 96-hour supervised field-instruction program. Course content involves mastery of driving techniques as well as classroom presentation, instruction methodology and the instructor development course. Instructors remain current on changing case law and laws/rules governing the operation of emergency vehicles and provide updates to department members. Instructors also provide annual in-service training to several departments within Clackamas County. Instructors are involved in selection and testing of new equipment relating to emergency vehicles.

All class and track material is portable and ready to travel at a moment's notice, so instruction may be taken to agencies/groups requesting instruction. Department instructors are highly qualified both in the classroom and at the track. Many instruct in several topics and have developed customized training plans to specifically address the needs of agencies. Over the past several years the Clackamas County Emergency Vehicle Operations instructors have instructed at departments throughout the metro area and beyond. Our instructors have received requests for instruction from the coast as well as central Oregon.

If you are looking for assistance, contact the Sheriff's Office Training Coordinator at 503-794-8071.

The Criminal Reconstruction and Forensic Technicians (CRAFT) Team is an inter-agency team with one full-time and 18 on-call Reconstructionists from 8 agencies operating in Clackamas County. The Clackamas County District Attorney's Office also has Deputy DAs assigned to the team.

CRAFT is on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to investigate fatal and serious-injury crashes in Clackamas County -- and assist our Patrol and Detective divisions with crime-scene investigations.

Training

CRAFT team members receive training in collision analysis, speed analysis, vehicle dynamics, occupant kinematics, scene photography, surveying equipment, crash-scene mapping, and computer-aided drawing programs.

They attend the Institute of Police Technology Management at the University of North Florida for a minimum of 240 hours of initial training.

They stay current in accident-investigation trends by attending various training courses and conferences throughout their career.

CRAFT members currently have active memberships in the Forensic Accident Reconstructionists of Oregon, Accident Reconstruction Network and EDR Experts.

Tools and Techniques

CRAFT team members examine and analyze the roadway, physical evidence, and vehicle damage to reconstruct crashes and diagram crime scenes using the latest technology in the forensics field.

The FARO X330 Laser Scanner is able to capture and create a 3D image of the scene allowing CRAFT Reconstructionists to accurately depict what occurred.

The Bosch Crash Data Retrieval Tool allows CRAFT to gather information from vehicles involved in crashes, making the process highly accurate. This information is then entered into FARO Zone 3D software and an accurate animation is created to show exactly what happened in the crash and why.

Mapping these scenes often requires at least a portion of roadway to be shut down while investigators do their work -- in order to protect the evidence and maintain safety for the investigators. The Sheriff's Office recognizes the inconvenience that roadway closures may cause, and makes every effort to reroute traffic and re-open the roadway as soon as possible.

FARO laser-scanning technology helps to limit this road-closure time by speeding up the process while at the same time making it more accurate -- and at a higher level of detail -- than any other method being used around the country.

After the on-scene investigation is complete, the lead investigator is responsible for completing the follow-up investigation. Investigative tasks may include obtaining search warrants for evidence, interviewing drivers, victims, and witnesses, obtaining medical records, downloading and analyzing the collision-related electronic data from the involved vehicles, analyzing headlight filaments, processing blood evidence, and more.

Many of these investigations require a mathematical reconstruction in order to determine vehicle speed, direction, momentum, etc.

The ultimate goal of an investigation is to determine the proximate cause of the collision and to hold those responsible for the collision accountable for their actions by forwarding the case to the appropriate prosecuting authority.

Thank you for your interest in purchasing a Sheriff's Office shoulder patch. We charge $7 for each patch.

To order a patch:

1. Print this form and fill it out with your patch selection(s) and return address.
2. Mail form with payment to:

   Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
   attn: Jenny Nelson
   2223 Kaen Rd.
   Oregon City, OR 97045-4080

Payment must be included in the form of a check or money order made out to Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

Important Note: Oregon Law (specifically, ORS 162.367) classifies Impersonating a Peace Officer as a Felony. This includes wearing a law-enforcement uniform (defined in part as clothing bearing words such as "police," "sheriff," "state trooper" or "law enforcement," or clothing that is substantially similar to an official uniform). Clackamas County Sheriff's Office patches are offered for private display only -- NOT for wear on clothing or uniforms or to represent the bearer as a law-enforcement officer or employee of the Sheriff's Office.

• The quality of our Jail is continually being evaluated. Each year, for example, a Grand Jury is convened to listen to testimony and inspect the county's Jail, Correctional Facility and Juvenile Intake Center. The Jail has also been audited and assessed by the National Institute of Corrections and the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association.
• The Oregon Jail Standards Board awarded the Clackamas County Jail a 97.4-percent compliance rating - one of the highest grades in the state.
• The Jail employs 127 full and part-time employees.
• Approximately 16,000 offenders are booked into and processed at the Clackamas County Jail annually.
• The Jail spends approximately $12,000 per month for inmate medications. The majority of this cost is for psychotropic medications serving the 18-20% average daily inmate population who suffer from mental-health issues.
• The Jail's kitchen serves roughly 36,000 meals per month. The average cost is 91 cents per meal, which only covers the food costs.
• The Jail provides its own laundry service using inmate labor. The annual savings is about $50,000 per year versus contracting this service.
• The Sheriff's Electronic Home Detention program monitors prisoners remotely using electronic ankle bracelets - freeing up as many as 100 Jail beds per day.
• The Jail provides inmates with AA/NA meetings, religious services, adult basic-education and life-skills opportunities, and an inmate law library.

The Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT) was created in 2000 to address the growing need for a specialized corrections unit needed to handle jail emergencies such as inmate disturbances, inmate riots, high-risk inmate transports and any other situation that may be beyond the control of on-duty jail staff.

In 2003, CERT was also tasked with becoming Clackamas County’s only Rapid Response Team (RRT). RRT is designed to deal with civil unrest, crowd control and any other civilian situation that may need a police presence to restore order.

This team comprises members from within the Jail Division — including 16 operators and a team commander.

The team also works in coordination with the Clackamas County Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT).

CERT team members are required to stay in a constant state of readiness — thanks to ongoing physical training and evaluation, plus hundreds of hours of mission-specific training.

The team utilizes a broad range of tactical equipment, including a full spectrum of less-lethal weaponry and munitions.

CERT is also trained to handle:

• Facility evacuations
• Court security
• Officer rescue 

"Semper Vigilo" - Always Vigilant

From the City of Wilsonville "Police" page:

The City of Wilsonville contracts with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office to provide law enforcement services to the city. The contract offers the city an economical way to provide police services and allows the city to take advantage of some of the special services that a larger law enforcement agency, like Clackamas County, has available.

The following Clackamas County special services are available to the city on an as-needed, as-available basis:

• Detectives Division
• Hazardous Materials Team
• Special Investigations Unit
• Traffic Team

The Wilsonville/Clackamas County contract provides the city with a dedicated Chief of Police, a School Resource Officer, and a Detective in addition to 15 deputies.

The Wilsonville / Clackamas County contract also provides the City with a Chief of Police. Our current chief is Capt. Robert Wurpes.

Capt. Wurpes and the Wilsonville Police are committed to protecting, serving, and working with the Wilsonville community.

In addition to the Chief of Police position, the Wilsonville / Clackamas County contract includes a School Resource Officer (SRO) position. The SRO works directly with youth in the school setting to teach drug awareness and provide a positive role model and police presence for students.

The Wilsonville Police also participate in a Juvenile Diversion Program designed to help at-risk youth. This program provides additional community resources to divert at-risk behavior before it escalates.

The Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) comprises three full-time mental-health clinicians employed through  Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services' Behavioral Health Division.

BHU clinicians are available to the Sheriff's Office Patrol Division seven days a week.

Clinicians provide follow-up and community outreach to individuals who have had contact with law enforcement and may be in need of mental-health services.

Clinicians are also available to respond to mental-health crises on-scene when requested by deputies.

The BHU aims to divert individuals from unnecessary emergency-room visits and incarcerations by providing them with a full risk assessment on scene -- followed by help accessing ongoing services.

The BHU is part of the Sheriff's Office commitment to providing Clackamas County residents with a safe and healthy community.