New school deputy on the job

Deputy Neil Mackey has an unusual definition of retirement.

After 30 years of service with the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, he retired last summer ... sort of.

"I retired June 30 and came back July 3 to work marine patrol," he told The Nugget.

Now he's working as the school resource deputy for the Sisters School District. It's a position he was excited to take.

"I jumped at the chance," he said. "I like it out here; I like the district; I like the people."

Pension rules limit his hours, which makes him a perfect fit administratively for the job. He fulfills the 20 contracted hours per week for the school district, and spends another 10 hours a week in Terrebonne. But it's temperament and experience that makes Mackey a good fit for the job.

A school resource deputy not only provides security for schools, he interacts with the students, creating a trust relationship that allows kids to come to him with concerns and gives law enforcement an understanding of the dynamics at play in the student body.

"It's pretty much Officer Friendly," Mackey says. "I'm getting to know the kids and they're getting to know me - which has been really fun. The kids are getting comfortable with me."

Creating a trusting relationship allows law enforcement to catch wind of potential problems before they become serious security or health and safety issues. Whether it's monitoring the potential for school violence or keeping a handle on drug use, the students themselves are always the first line of defense.

"Part of it is talking to the kids," Mackey says. "These kids know their school."

While Sisters is less prone to some of the social problems that plague large, urban schools, those problems still exist. Drugs are present in Sisters schools.

"I have no doubt that there's marijuana floating around," said Mackey, noting that he has encountered one possession-of-marijuana incident at school this year. "I'm a little bit disturbed that I'm hearing stuff - unsubstantiated - that some of the kids are seeing more heroin. I'm not surprised, because heroin is popping up everywhere... Alcohol is always a problem."

Mackey says that it's not unusual for stressed teens to turn to substance abuse, and it's up to their parents and peers to be vigilant.

"There's a lot of kids who are really wound up," he says. "They're keyed up really tight."

The deputy wants to hear from students if they're worried about a peer's drug use or concerned that a fellow student might harm himself or others.

"I think a lot of kids blow that off," Mackey said. "If you hear stuff like that, let me know. I'm not going to name names."

Security is a significant concern in an era of high-profile school shootings. Mackey makes his presence known in part to deter anyone who might have evil designs on the schools.

"Part of it is just being there," he says. "When my car is parked there, it's really obvious. I'm advertising."

Mackey is committed to assist with refining planning for emergency situations.

"December 1 we're meeting with the superintendent and the powers that be, and we're probably going to do one of those active-shooter things after the first of the year," he said.

While Deputy Mackey must focus on the low-probability/high stakes concerns, much of his-work is the mundane, everyday task of keeping the school and its surroundings safe. That means enforcing speed zones and cracking down on kids, parents, and local travelers who drive too fast or carelessly in school zones (see sidebar).

Mackey's long background in community policing activities - from supervising the department's citizen academy to running its livestock rescue ranch - leaves him well-suited to the role of Officer Friendly in Sisters schools. It's a role he's happy to play.

"I'm here because I want to be," he says, "not because I have to be."

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

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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