Pulling Down Strongholds - North West Region - Washington County

Cherry Grove Church, Washington County, OR
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31: 8-9.

In writing about many counties in Oregon, the problem with sheriff and police departments being understaffed has come up repeatedly. There has been a problem with officer shortages in many places, putting stress on the already overworked law enforcement staffs. With higher than average turnover among the police, this has been a problem for the past five years.

Recently Governor Kotek and the DPSST (Department of Public Safety Standards and Training) announced that the police training backlog has been eliminated. They have increased the number of officers who can be trained and reduced the time to wait for Basic Police training. Less than a year ago, the legislature voted for additional resources and supported a concerted effort to reduce the shortage. This is good news for the law enforcement around the state and for the safety of the communities they serve. Keep our law enforcement in prayer.

 

Washington County

A news site, Stacker.com, has listed Washington County as #3 in the state for longevity, with the average lifespan at 82.6 years. It is listed at #1 for quality of life. All in all, it would seem Washington County, Oregon, part of the greater Portland area and home to thriving cities like Hillsborough and Beaverton, is not a bad place to live.

Washington County has an amazing history – one of the earliest places settled, with Joe Meek himself being elected the second County Sheriff. Mother Brown, who established the first orphanage in 1848 that led to the establishment of Pacific University, was in Washington County near Forest Grove.

You can find more about the interesting folks that settled the Tualatin Valley here, here, and here.

Washington County, OR
The Washington County commissioners are Kathryn Harrington, Nafisa Fai, Roy Rogers, Pam Treece, and Jerry Willey.

Since December of 2023, the Washington County Sheriff has been Caprice Massey. She has a long history in law enforcement, as well as a long family heritage of public service in the North West Region of the state. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is one of the largest such agencies in the state. Keep Sheriff Massey and the office in prayer.




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