Almost every person who goes postal gives lots of warning first. But our society seems virtually paralyzed when the warning signs start trickling in. Lots to do with ridiculous privacy laws, human resource culture, lawsuit-fearing, union rules, etc etc

Maybe the Chinese will figure out how to identify the nascent, mid-stage, or near- maturity kamikazes in their midst and share their identifying and threat-neutralizing tips with us. This would be most helpful. If I hear about another attack on young schoolchildren with meat cleavers I'm really going to get convinced the end is near.

The police need a new orientation. They carry guns, are under lots of stress, feel disliked and feared, all this preys on the warped minds among them and turns them feral.

Simple: because of all the aforementioned pressures, police should have to submit to a process of testing their sanity, every 5-10 years.

Perhaps that should read, Stressed Out of Control Cops.

Thank you Jack, for giving some attention to the LE problems in Clackamas County. In 2005, police were responsible for 50% of the homicides in Clackamas County. Cops - and their enablers - are out of control all over the state, not just in Portland.

There's been a lot of discussion about getting Saltzman - and now Adams - to (rightfully) do something to reign in the PPB. But that thinking seems not only futile, but too parochial. The state legislature needs to stop ignoring this issue.

Sorry but this is flat out a load of bull.

Clackams County Sheriff Roberts is precisely the qualified and dedicated public official we need in every other arena.

This story is no demonstration of Portland problems in the County at all.
It's a story of a disturbed individual who was a deputy and his horrific crime.

Quite the contrary the CCSO is providing law enforcement with innovation, cost saving reforms and management which demands high standards. Check with the rank and or union representation and you'll find strong support for the Sheriff.
I am angered at the attempt by whoever it is attempting to smear the Sheriff.

There is a bit more to this than just one disturbed deputy.

"There is a bit more to this than just one disturbed deputy."

"this"? What is the "this"?

No there is not anything at all here that indicates any impropriety by the sheriff or the agency at all.
Quite the contrary the Sheriff is committed to getting rid of or prosecuting anyone who is not conducting themselves honorably and lawfully.

This is nothing but poor reporting. This particular case, as tragic as it is reflects nothing about faulty behavior by the Sheriff or the CCSO.

There was no obstruction or attempt to protect the deputy or cover up anything.

The department always goes to the DA once they have satisfied themselves they are ready.

The suggestion here that the Sheriff knew something and tried to keep the DA out of it is preposterous.

Honestly folks I know the Sheriff and the agency well.
It as been run by Sheriff Craig Roberts like Jack and I would run the PDC ot TriMet and there's been very impressive progress by the Sheriff.
That's why he was re-elected by 80%.

He has done a fantastic job of reform in every area.

The real problems at Clackamas County are at the County Commission who with commissioners Lynn Peterson and Charlotte Lehan adopting every Portland scheme including Urban Renewal, expanding light rail and misappropriations which undermine public safety, schools and every other basic service.

I challenge any of these few critics to produce any substance at all indicating any unethical behavior by the Sheriff or the CCSO.

This is nothing but cop bashing that happens with every single cop story.

The county is a little more forthcoming with information in these cases. In Ptown it's: "Shoot first, answer no questions later".

The reason the PPD was involved in the first place was that the CCSO had called them in because they knew one of their own officers was involved in an alleged case of domestic violence. Whether Grahn was provably guilty of any criminal action is entirely a different matter than whether an officer on duty is "depressed, angry, drinking heavily and occasionally suicidal" as the PPD's report concluded. And that was the opinion of other cops.

Whether criminal charges should have been filed or not, the CCSO should have dealt with the fact that they had someone who could have -- at the very least if he was suicidal -- been a risk to himself. As it turns out, he was a risk to others, as well.

Hard to say if they were "enabling" Sgt. Grahn. We are talking about a 40-something year old man, perhaps he was responsible for the lion's share of his actions. Then again, the question arises why they apparently didn't conduct an IA interview after the criminal investigation was complete. Hindsight is 20/20 for sure.

As far as the support of the rank and file, and the union goes; this past election the rank and file had the choice between Rick LaManna (an obvious headcase) and Craig Roberts. Saying the Sheriff was the choice of the rank and file is like saying we elect the best candidates every year. Maybe more to the point, could it be a process of de-selecting the worse candidate?

If you were to ask, objectively speaking, if the CCSO has a different standard for those above the rank of deputy, that might well be a question worth examining. The O article makes it appear someone or several in management screwed up part of this thing - will they be sanctioned as a line level deputy would? If not, what tone might that set for the future of that department?

One more thing - as far as psych profiles go, supervisor promotions at CCSO do involve a psychologist assessment of some type as part of the selection. So the sheriff's office would have had a pretty good idea of Sgt. Grahn's personality before promoting him to that position.

County resident,
You have lot of things right.

"Hard to say, perhaps,apparently,could it be, might well be, makes it appear, might that"

And especially about LaManna.

But that suggestive rhetoric is nothing but that.

There is no question that the rank and file supported Roberts' re-election. And it was because of the stellar job he did his first term and continues today.

No it could not be that it was "a process of de-selecting the worse candidate".

No there are not different standards.

Yes the suggestive O article makes it appear. It's a bad article.

You're adding more unfounded suggestions.

Of course the sheriff's office would have had a pretty good idea of Sgt. Grahn's personality before promoting him.

And he ended up having severe problems resulting in a terrible tragedy .

Why would you presume and suggest they knew he was lose cannon and promoted him anyway?

I know the professionals at the CCSO and they do everything possible to be thorough and spot any red flags.

Their supervisors and rank and file both know, accept and are proud that anything less than complete professionalism is not tolerated.

Ben -

Let me apologize for being so vague, I hate to speak in absolutes. I read the Gresham P.D. investigation, which was posted on the internet for a time. In excess of 200 pages, it revealed a lot about Jeff Grahn and his behavior in the year or longer prior to his murderous rampage. I have read everything the CCSO released to the public on their internal investigation as well and it is enlightening.

My point about the pysch stuff is not that the SO knew Grahn was a ticking time bomb, but rather that they knew he was a control freak of sorts. That being said, I don't believe Grahn was promoted under Sheriff Roberts, but rather under Sheriff Detloff.

I didn't mean to imply that Sheriff Roberts is responsible for Jeff Grahn's actions. That being said, I believe if you took a ballot of line personnel and asked them if there's a different standard for deputies as opposed to managers, you would get a resounding "yes". And likewise if you took a secret ballot right now about who they would support for Sheriff, you would get a result which would be very surprising to you.

You may "believe" that for some unknown and unstated reason but you would be wrong.
You really haven't said anything with any basis or substance at all.
And you're still being vague.
You have not suggested anything other than the vague and routine rank and file/management friction that could be found in any institution or operation.

You read a report.
You haven't even stated how you would have any knowledge of your suggestions.
And you have not shared anything demonstrative of anything the Sheriff or his managers have done or why any friction would exist.
All you have brought here is vague innuendo.

Ben-

Wasn't Sheriff Roberts a co-defendant of Jeffrey Grahn's in a racial bias suit that cost the county $2 million?

Roberts still defends the unconscionable shooting death ofthe obviously unarmed, horribly injured accident victim Fouad Kaady by one of his deputies. Even despite a payout of $1 million by the county. Nevermind common sense and basic human decency. 

Roberts allowed Deputy Brandon Claggett - guilty of stalking and forcing sex on young girls while on duty - to resign, thereby quashing a 500+ page investigation. Claggett went on to go after his wife with a gun and knife - while on house arrest for holding her hostage on a previous occassion. Finally, now he sits in jail.

As we speak, two of Roberts' jail personnel are on paid leave - one since last July! - while they investigate them for coercing sex from women under their supervision. 

See a pattern here? A lot of us do.

I'm sorry if he's your friend, but these are just a few reasons why many have issues with LE in these parts. And it's not just limited to the CCSO. Many of the city departments are as bad or worse. There's a "good ol' boy" culture out here that persists. 

The president of CCSO's union was arrested for spousal abuse a few years back. Is that how you define "cleaning shop"?

Quashing a giant report that would show the multitude of complaints made against his star deputy (federal Weed-n-Seed, Mt. Hood Coalition) Claggett for years before his downfall... is transparency?
 

"We should have been included," said Greg Horner, [Clackamas County] chief deputy district attorney

'Nuff said? If not, just wait til the county gets socked with the massive wrongful death suits from the Grahn case.

You can defend Roberts until you're blue in the face. I admire loyalty. But facts speak louder than your admirable rhetoric.  

What a ginned up bunch of nonsense.

This tit for tat is old, but you're simply wrong.

And this latest story was terribly inaccurate.
In fact there may be a correction or retraction.

Has there been some problems with Deputies that resulted in crimes and firings. Yes.

Are your suggestions and pattern making legitimate? No.

You have the wrong impression or have some beef and are trying to make up a problem with the Sheriff and his department.

In reality the Sheriff and his managers are top notch and hold every high standard you and anyone else here would ever want.

Tit for tat? OK, whatever Ben. You wrote:

I challenge any of these few critics to produce any substance at all indicating any unethical behavior by the Sheriff or the CCSO.

I produced four examples of why I - and many other county residents - have problems with Roberts. None of which you bothered to address, I see. Four very specific cases... because I didn't want to be accused of being vague.

On the other hand, you sing his high praises, stating that those of us who disagree or just simply wrong. Because, apparently, you say so. You ought not to chastise others for being vague while insisting you are the only one who really knows the truth - with nary a shred of evidence. What has Roberts done that is so revolutionary? What's improved? Be specific please.

I doubt you'll answer, but please address Roberts being a co-defendant of Grahn's in a case they lost and how that might affect how Roberts treated Grahn or made decisions that would affect Grahn.

To clarify further, the case would be that of Carl Bell who won - I believe - $1.4 million from the county and a lesser amount from each of the 6 or 7 CCSO personnel (Grahn and Roberts among them) that were sued as co-defendants. Bell was wrongfully harassed and dismissed when he complained of CCSO's practice of racial profiling.

I dunno Ben. If that's what you believe is an ethical guy, we have a large difference of opinion.

Make it up as you go.

Which one of those is an example of unethical behavior?

Instead of me chasing you around in your circle of spin why don't you share what you think you "know" about this current story.

Ah yes. Don't address any of the examples I gave, and don't elaborate on what makes Roberts so wonderful. Your arguments are so compelling.

The only thing I need to know about this current debacle with Grahn was stated succinctly by chief deputy DA Horner. We will see if the law, the courts, the people who serve on the juries in the wrongful death cases, agree.

BTW- I find it really laughable, on top of everything else, that you believe Roberts to be such a fiscal watchdog who runs his department "like Jack and I would run the PDC ot Trimet."

He and his racially profiling, bullying buddies cost the county $1.4 million in the Carl Bell case. Cha ching!

$1 million paid out to the family of Fouad Kaady. And Roberts says his deputy did nothing wrong - despite many violations of department policy. Cha-ching!

A guard gets a paid 11 month (and counting!) vacation for extorting sex from vulnerable women. Cha-ching!

Racial profiling and harassment of a co-worker who blows the whistle on it in an attempt to clean up the department is unethical Ben.

Ben if it makes you feel any better, which I sincerely hope it doesnt, a few Clackamas county residents also remember how Bill Kennemer was actively enabling Roberts, Grahan, et al during the Bell fiasco. Your smearing of the present county commissioners who are doing a good job is so typical of the old Clackamas county "good ol boy" attitude. This type of thinking is solidly grounded in blaming anyone who would dare question the status quo.

Personally, I have met Roberts and several of his senior deputies over the last few years. I like him personally but have always felt he has lacked the back bone or the desire to really make meaningful and significant changes in the CCSO. Perhpas if he would reach out and work collaboratively with the county commissioners these changes could be achieved with any undue fuss or additional misbehaviors of the deputies.