Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan, left, and Chief of Police Marcia Harnden visited before the Albany City Council meeting on March 23.
It was a coincidence that, for different reasons, two leaders of mid-valley law enforcement were together in the Albany council chambers Wednesday night. I made use of the occasion to take their picture.
This was the city council’s first regular meeting in the chambers after two years of virtual sessions. Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan and Albany Police Chief Marcia Harnden were talking before the meeting started, and when I saw them there I asked to take their photo. As you can see, they didn’t seem to mind.
The sheriff, in office since January, was there to introduce herself and tell the council about the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Among the salient details is that the sheriff’s operation has a $36 million annual budget, 77 percent of which goes for personnel. There are 192 positions including 52 patrol deputies, and several divisions including the 231-bed jail, which last year averaged 131 inmates a day.
A former deputy herself, Duncan has this advice to new deputies: “Treat everybody like they’re your Mom.” Also, “Treat everybody like your Mom is watching.”
There’s much more, of course, including Duncan’s program to improve mental-health services so that in cases of trouble brought on by mental issues, responding deputies have an option besides taking somebody to jail or turning them loose.
If you want the full picture, I recommend watching the March 23 council meeting on the city of Albany’s Facebook page. The first few moments of the sheriff’s remarks are inaudible, but the audio quality improves.
Chief Harnden attended the session for another reason altogether.
The chief asked the council to award a contract for leasing and “upfitting” Albany police vehicles to Wire Works LLC, a Salem company the city has contracted with for these services for the last five years.
The new contract is for three years with options to renew for two additional one-year periods. The cost is $230,000 a year for leased vehicles plus $15,000 a year for maintenance of equipment in those vehicles.
Harnden said at least three Oregon companies provide this service, and each was emailed a request to compete for the Albany contract. Two “qualified vendors” responded, and the Wire Works offer was judged to be the best.
The council unanimously agreed. (hh)
Hasso, nice report, and nice pic of the chief and sheriff. I appreciate Sheriff Duncan’s “mom” comments. They reminded me of what a former Linn jail commander, whose name unfortunately escapes me, told me about what she told her jail deputies: “Treat all of the inmates like they’re ladies and gentlemen, not because they are, but because you are.” A little basic decency and dignity go a long way.
Nice and pleasant approach. Good for an upcoming election.
We should always treat people with kindness and respect.