Sheriff’s office adjusts personnel

“The only constant in life is change.”

— Heraculitus

That ancient adage is as true today as when it was first uttered. Here in Sisters, after three Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) deputies were introduced to the public in the October 7 issue of The Nugget, there are already several temporary alterations in staffing and two new faces at the Sisters substation.

According to Lt. Chad Davis, the officer in charge of the Sisters unit, Dep. Allie DeMars went on light duty on October 9, which means she will not be patrolling in the city but working in the office. Her light duty is expected to last about a year. Covering her patrol duties for now is Dep. Donny Patterson, who began his assignment in Sisters on October 16. His SUV is easily spotted because it says K-9 unit on it.

His partner, the other new face, is Copper the bloodhound, who likes meeting people.

Dep. Mike Hudson, who normally drives the black-and-white DCSO pickup, is a member of the Oregon Air National Guard and will be deployed for training beginning in late November through mid-March 2021. While he is gone, Dep. Josh Westfall will fill Hudson’s position. Due to staffing issues, Westfall will not begin his Sisters assignment until the first of the year.

After Dep. Hudson returns in March, Dep. Westfall will likely stay in Sisters and fill Dep. DeMars patrol position, freeing Dep. Patterson and Copper to return to their regular patrol team.

City Manager Cory Misley was surprised with the alterations.

“The timing of these changes is unfortunate in that we just introduced the deputies to the community, and it is very early in the life of the contract with the DCSO,” he said. “However, the City plays only a small role in the personnel matters of the Sisters substation. They are ultimately responsible for their personnel decisions.”

Until Dep. Hudson leaves at the end of this month, the City has had the benefit of four deputies instead of three. All four of the deputies and Lt. Davis will take part in the Citizens4Community Zoom Let’s Talk! meeting with the deputies on Monday, November 16. Contact C4C at [email protected] if you are interested in participating online.