My letter to the editor worked!

Yesterday's Oregonian ran a letter to the editor from me.  Later that evening, this was posted on their web site...

Oregon lawmakers spare sheriff, 70, basic training

by Nikole Hannah-Jones, The Oregonian

Wednesday June 03, 2009, 7:44 PM

Multnomah County Sheriff Bob Skipper swore that even though he would likely be the oldest police cadet in state history, he could hold his own with the 20-somethings. But it looks like the 70-year-old won't have to prove himself.

State legislators are stepping in.

They have drafted an amendment to override a state requirement to send Skipper to four months of basic training. The agency that oversees police certification in Oregon ruled he had to go because he retired 13 years ago and hadn't worked in policing until he returned as sheriff last year.

Skipper tried unsuccessfully to get the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training to grant a waiver or allow him to take shorter refresher courses. When that didn't work, he launched a media campaign touting his 34 years of law enforcement experience -- including four years as sheriff -- and missing 16 weeks of work during hard budget times.

That caught the eyes of several legislators.

"This 70-year-old man has been in law enforcement all of his life, and he was elected by voters and asked to clean up a mess," said Sen. Rod Monroe, D-Portland. "When I heard (the training agency) was going to make him jump through hoops, I was aghast. It was the silliest thing I've heard."

House Majority Leader Mary Nolan said her office called a meeting with several legislators, Skipper and agency Director John Minnis to discuss a compromise.

But the training agency wasn't comfortable making an exception, said Deputy Director Eriks Gabliks. State law requires anyone out of law enforcement for more than five years to undergo basic training.

In the end, the lawmakers decided to take the matter out of the agency's hands.

The amendment is tailor-made for Skipper and will affect few others, said Nolan, D-Portland.

It allows the certification of a sheriff who has served at least 25 years as a police officer in Oregon, retired from law enforcement under honorable conditions, held state executive-level certification, served as elected sheriff for at least four years and is elected in a county where the sheriff's chief role is as an administrator. It also requires the sheriff to take career officer development courses.

Gabliks said his agency has a great deal of respect for Skipper and only sought to be diligent and follow the intent of the law. The amendment "solves the issue," he said.

The amendment is attached to an uncontroversial bill that makes offices of county assessors and surveyors appointed and will likely go to a vote Monday, Monroe said, so Skipper will know soon whether he needs to shine up his boots and report for camp June 22.

Support for the amendment is strong, both Monroe and Nolan said.

As for Skipper, he is relieved that he probably won't have to go through a novice training where he would be not only the oldest student, but probably older than all the teachers.

"I feel good about it," he said. "I've contended all along that a refresher course is ample to suffice because I left the very job that I am doing, and it's obvious that I can still do it."