News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Wayne Inman of Sisters has been named as the new Search & Rescue Coordinator for the Deschutes County Sheriff's Department.
Inman retired as Assistant Chief of the Portland Police Bureau and then served as Chief of Police in Billings, Montana.
Starting October 1, Inman will be responsible for the management and administration of the 62-person volunteer organization, handling the team's equipment requirements, maintenance, computerization, personnel, and fiscal matters.
Inman, a recent volunteer on the search and rescue team, was asked by Sheriff Greg Brown to take on the administrative post, which has been part of the department's Special Services division. Special Services Coordinator Sergeant Terry Silbaugh is retiring.
"Terry, around the state of Oregon, is known as 'Mr. Search and Rescue,'" Sheriff Brown said. "He (Inman) is going to have some very big shoes to fill. And Wayne is exactly what we needed to get through this."
Brown cited Inman's extensive management and commitment to partnerships between public safety agencies and the citizens they serve.
"He epitomizes what I want to see in the sheriff's department," Brown said.
Inman emphasized that he will not be handling incident operations.
"I see my role as the support person for the organization," said Inman. "I really have to rely on the technical skills of the volunteers and the two deputies who work with the unit."
In order to fully understand the needs of the unit, though, Inman said he will be on hand as an observer - and a willing pair of hands - during the unit's operations.
He relishes the assignment.
"I like search and rescue work," he said, "and I especially like working with the people who volunteer their time.
"There's a certain adventure to search and rescue work, and I seek adventure," Inman said.
Inman was full of praise for the volunteers who are the vital component of the unit. He said he is "amazed" by the people who spend many hours training for operations where they "get cold, get tired, get wet, risk injury - just to help someone."
Sheriff Brown asked Inman to serve for eight months, pending possible reorganization of the Special Services division. Inman said he is happy to be moving into a management position that won't require a big shake-up.
"What makes the transition so rewarding for me is that I'm taking responsibility for a unit that has set high standards and met those high standards," he said. "Any changes that we make will be evolutionary, not revolutionary."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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