Press Releases
May 2018
PACIFIC COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ESTABLISHES COMMUNITY WATCH PROGRAM ON THE LONG BEACH PENINSULA
5/24/2018
Sheriff Scott Johnson announced today the initiation of a Community Watch/Neighborhood Watch Program (CW/NW) for the Long Beach Peninsula. The Sheriff named Howard Chang as Program Coordinator (volunteer). Howard, a retired Chief Information Officer, managed Information Technology and physical security operations at the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle for 12 years.
“CW/NW promotes an interactive program of crime prevention between the community and law enforcement. I helped establish a similar neighborhood block watch program in the Tokeland/Grayland area of our county in 2014. That program exists still to this day and the citizens connected are steadfast with their involvement. Watch programs have reduced the crime rate in communities across the U. S., which is why I’ve decided to initiate another chapter on the Long Beach Peninsula.” Sheriff Johnson noted.
Training and materials will be provided for this vital program, but Chang noted that the community must work with law enforcement, rather than solely relying on them to fight crime. Neighbors watching out for each other become the eyes and ears of law enforcement and make a reduction in crime achievable.
The initial phase includes residents and businesses with mailing addresses in Oysterville, Nahcotta, Ocean Park, Long Beach, Seaview, and Ilwaco. Depending on community interest and available resources, future phases may include other cities and towns in Pacific county.
To residents and businesses in the above cities and towns - If you are ready to dedicate a couple of hours or so per month to help fight crime in your neighborhood, email your name, mailing and physical address (if different), phone number, and email address to pc.cwnw@outlook.com. Note that a Block Captain is needed to coordinate each block’s activities.
Existing Neighborhood Watch groups on the Peninsula are requested to contact Howard through the above email address to enable the PCSO to support your efforts.
Sheriff Johnson says he’s optimistic about the program’s potential to become an important part of our crime prevention efforts and he encourages concerned citizens to step up to the plate.
Pictured Below left to right: Howard Chang (Volunteer Program Coordinator), Charlene Nelson (Tokeland/Grayland Volunteer Block Watch Coordinator and Shoalwater Bay Tribal Council Chairperson), Sheriff Scott Johnson and Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Matlock at a recent Neighborhood Block Watch meeting in Tokeland.
NATIONAL CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES WEEK
5/7/2018
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week was first proclaimed
on May 5, 1984, by President Ronald Reagan when he signed Proclamation 5187,
creating National Correctional Officers Week to recognize the men and women who
work in jails, prisons and community corrections across the county.
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week became the official
name of the first full week in May when in 1986 the U.S. Senate officially changed the
name.
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week has been designated
as the week of May 7-13, 2018, by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau
of Prisons.
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week honors the work of
correctional officers and correctional personnel for their service with honor, respect and
integrity.
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week raises awareness of
the duties, hazards and sacrifices made by correctional workers.
Sheriff Scott Johnson stated, “I am very grateful for the role that our corrections officers play in safeguarding the citizens of Pacific County by providing safe, secure and humane incarceration of those within their custody. Sheriff Johnson added, “I want to thank and recognize our employees in the jail for the services that they provide on a daily basis 24 hours a day and seven days a week”.
PACIFIC COUNTY NAMED STEPPING UP INNOVATOR COUNTY FOR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES IN JAIL
5/7/2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7th, 2018
Writer/Contact: Pat Matlock, Chief Criminal Deputy
Pacific County Sheriff’s Office
(360) 875-9398 or pmatlock@co.pacific.wa.us
PACIFIC COUNTY, WASHINGTON—MAY7th , 2018—Pacific County was selected as one of seven Stepping Up Innovator Counties in the United States for its expertise in collecting data and using it to improve systems of care for individuals with mental illness in the Pacific County Jail.
Millions of times each year, people who have mental illnesses are booked into jail across the country. The number of people who have mental illnesses in jail is three to six times higher than that of the general public, and housing people with mental health needs in county jails strains local budgets. However, many counties face challenges in counting how many people in their jail have a mental illness, making it difficult for county leaders to track progress and to develop a comprehensive plan to address the problem.
As an Innovator County, Pacific County’s efforts will be highlighted as part of a new push from Stepping Up: A National Initiative to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails. Pacific County will help other counties throughout the nation, improve their data collection efforts by participating in training sessions, taking part in presentations, and sharing information and their experiences through the Stepping Up website, among other activities. The seven initial Stepping up Innovator Counties are: Calaveras County, CA; Miami-Dade County, FL; Champaign County, IL; Douglas County, KS; Johnson County, KS, Franklin County, OH; and Pacific County, WA.
Sheriff Scott Johnson stated, “I am proud of the hard work put forth by core team members Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Matlock, Justice Mental Health Collaboration Program Coordinator Rosanne McPhail and Pacific County Health and Human Services Deputy Director Katie Lindstrom. The three teamed up over two years ago to launch an effort that’s beginning to transform Pacific County in profound ways. Stepping Up is a national effort to transform the way we deal with people with mental illness and substance use disorders in the justice system and specifically in our jail but its’ impacts are even more far-reaching
Stepping Up was launched in May 2015 by The Council of State Governments Justice Center, the National Association of Counties, and the American Psychiatric Association Foundation. Since that time, more than 425 counties—including Pacific County—in 43 states, representing 40 percent of the U.S. population, have committed to the Stepping Up goal.
Pacific County joined Stepping Up in 2015 and has taken significant steps toward reducing the number of people who have mental illnesses in their jail, including establishing a jail based substance use treatment program, developing a mental health diversion program, and hiring a jail based case manager who coordinates service referrals and assists inmates with re-entry planning upon release.
In addition to new programming, the initiative has also strengthened collaboration among local criminal justice and behavioral health providers. According to Matlock, “Regular communication and joint planning has resulted in a more effective and efficient use of public resources when dealing with individuals with mental health disorders. The work benefits both the individuals with mental illness by providing avenues to get appropriate help in lieu of incarceration, and also results in a more prudent use of our limited criminal justice resources, namely, the Pacific County Jail. We’ve made great progress in just a short time, yet our work has just begun. The tremendous level of buy-in among partners and stakeholders encourages us greatly. And, it’s been both validating and sad to hear from people who are aware of this work and tell us how much it is needed”. Sheriff Johnson added, “We have heard too many stories of families, careers and lives shattered by mental illness and addiction. Sometimes it’s a co-worker, sometimes it’s a neighbor, sometimes it’s a family member. Families and communities everywhere have suffered far too long. It’s up to us as citizens to step up and finally end the cycle of damage and begin to heal”.
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ABOUT THE STEPPING UP INITIATIVE
Stepping Up is a national initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails. The initiative—a collaboration between The Council of State Governments Justice Center, the National Association of Counties and the American Psychiatric Association Foundation—asks communities to come together to develop an action plan that can be used to achieve a measurable impact in local criminal justice systems of all sizes across the country. For more information visit https://stepuptogether.org.