The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The three new Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office deputies who were recently assigned to duty in Sisters appear to be a happy, friendly team who — according to all three — love what they do.

Deputy Bryan Morris has a ready smile and quick wit. He is an Oregon native who spent four years in the Marine Corps, serving in Iraq in 2003. He is a family man who earned his bachelor’s degree from Portland State University and a masters from University of Connecticut.

He originally had an interest in teaching, but in 2013 joined the DCSO as a field law enforcement technician (animal control). He completed the Central Oregon Reserve Academy in 2013, the Police Academy in 2016, and became a patrol officer. Last year he served as the LaPine High School Resource Officer and came to Sisters in June.

“I have always enjoyed Sisters and, when this position became available, it just made a lot of sense. It is a unique opportunity with the number of deputies hired out here,” Morris said.

He likes the idea of community-oriented policing and getting to know the businesspeople and residents in Sisters.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know them. I’d like the community to know we are always open to talk, answer questions, stop by. The more we interact, the better,” Morris said.

Those same sentiments were expressed by Deputies Allie DeMars and Mike Hudson. DeMars invites people to flag her down.

“Come up to me and let me know of any problems in the community,” she said. “Wave me down. We can’t fix problems if we don’t know about them.”

DeMars’ work as a deputy is built on a foundation of wanting to help people.

“I enjoy meeting people and helping them in their worst moments,” she said.

She enjoys people’s reactions when they realize she is a deputy.

“I especially enjoy when little girls realize they could become an officer,” she said.

Coming from a military family (both parents were career Air Force), she lived in a number of places around the U.S. She studied sociology at San Jose State and earned a criminal justice degree from the University of Maryland.

While working for the Department of Defense in Germany for two-and-a-half years as a school safety officer on U.S. bases, she had the opportunity to travel to 19 foreign countries. She returned to the states and worked for the Bend Police Department as a records specialist, attended the four-month training at the police academy, and joined the DCSO in 2017.

Before being assigned to the Sisters substation, she said, “I loved every time I worked out here. I like seeing the same people, so they feel comfortable to talk to me. I look forward to expanding those relationships. I always like all the great events out here.”

Deputy Mike Hudson said he hails from “south of La?Pine” — a reference to his California roots. He served in the Marine Corps for five years before using the GI bill to earn an associate degree. He plans to complete a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Looking to relocate, Hudson and his spouse found Bend. He had fond memories of visiting Black Butte Ranch as a child. He worked in the banking industry for a dozen years, all the while also serving in the Oregon Army National Guard. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2015. He is now in the Oregon Air National Guard.

Being a police officer had been Hudson’s dream since he was a little boy and in 2018, his dream came true when he joined the DCSO. Based on his own experience, Hudson offered a reminder, “Never give up on your dreams.”

He enjoys helping people and brings that quality to his duty in Sisters, which reminds him of the small shops in his childhood.

“I look forward to getting to know the town residents. The community here seems close knit. It will be good to get out of the car and talk with people,” he said.

Hudson would like people to know that the deputies are available to do vacation checks of homes while residents are gone out of town. Just call the Sisters office.

To the community Hudson said, “Thank you for having us here. We’re honored to be here.”