On October 8, first responders from local police and fire departments, critical care transport teams, Oregon State Police, Deschutes County Sheriff Office and Deschutes County district attorney’s office gathered at Riverbend Park in Bend. The event was a hiring fair to fill vacancies in several agencies. It was also a chance for the public to learn more about these agencies and how they serve the public. Although the event has passed, careers and jobs in these fields are still available.
Bend Police Department employees don’t all start out as a trainee police officer but starting out at the front desk and working the way up the ladder. To be a police officer, the minimum age is 21. The job also requires weeks of academy training and trainee police work.
The Deschutes County Sherriff’s Office supports the Sheriff, who is elected by voters in Deschutes County. The Sherriff’s office has three divisions — the patrol division, corrections division, and detectives/search and rescue division. The patrol division responds to service calls by the public and initiates actions within the community to build public trust and relationships. The corrections division oversees inmates at the Deschutes County Jail. The investigation division investigates serious crimes. It also operates a digital forensic and street crimes unit that works on less serious issues such as low-level drugs and property crimes. Search and rescue are a specialized unit that works closely with federal partners such as the U.S. Forest Service, to respond to emergencies in remote locations. The nearby Deschutes National Forest is one of the top ten most-used national forests in the U.S. This unit relies on more than 120 trained volunteers who conduct snowmobile patrol, drone missions and search and rescue.
Oregon State Police enforces traffic laws on state highways, enforces wildlife and natural resource laws, investigates and solves crimes, conducts post-mortem examinations and forensic analyses and conducts background checks and collects and analyzes law enforcement data. Oregon State Police also educates the public on fire safety.
Photo by: Oregon Department of Transportation (flickr)
Deschutes 911 handles emergency calls about all fires, robberies or burglaries, traffic accidents, any medical emergency, and any domestic violence situation.There are several jobs within agencies that work with Deschutes 911, including firefighters, paramedics and EMTs. Fourteen agencies—including five in law enforcement and nine in fire districts—partner with the 911 center.
Becoming a professional firefighter or paramedic takes multiple years of training, education, and experience. These jobs require a high school diploma or GED, valid class C driver’s license and various certifications. These jobs are community oriented and physically and mentally demanding.
The District Attorney of Deschutes County, John Hummel, was elected by Deschutes County voters. His office contains 18 prosecuting attorneys and 28 support staff which include legal assistants, trial assistants, deputy district attornies, victim assistants, investigators and administrators. Much of the office is divided into two divisions, serving adults and juveniles. Job opportunities in the District Attorney’s office can be found on their website. Any Local police officers, State Police Officers, Firefighters, EMT’s, Dispatchers, and District Attorneys in Deschutes County are looking for jobs with the right credentials.
Alexis Breshears
Reporter
