The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Just a word regarding the murder of Deputy Justin DeRosier and the effect this incident has on our protocols in patrol moving forward from here. When I spoke to Sheriff Thurman in Cowlitz County the morning of this tragedy, I offered to assist our...

May 22-25 is National Boating Safety Week this year. This also coincides with another fishing season and loads of people will be on or near the water. This is the time to remind people of things that are necessary to maximize your security on our...

We want to thank all of you who were patient with our recent heightened security measures at the courthouse during our jury trial the last two weeks. For a minute of inconvenience, we maximized the safety and security of the visitors and employees...

I hope everyone had a safe and peaceful holiday. I am always grateful when I don’t get that call in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve about a major emergency or incident! As far as I can tell our county fared well through the holiday s...

Our 6th deputy, Brian Hornback, is now graduated from the academy and on his field training with deputies on various shifts. Deputy Hornback graduated #1 in academics and #1 overall in a class of 30. He was competing against much larger agencies...

Some good news I have to share is that incidents of thefts on Puget Island have plummeted in the past two months. One theft report of a boat motor was taken on East Little Island Road in May. The Sheriff's Office took only one theft report in the...

This summer turned out to be a pretty safe one as far as crime is concerned. One particular con that cropped up again however was “theft by fraud” through persons acting as contractors promising services that were not rendered or completed. We had...

Even great parents can forget a child in the back seat, but caregivers who are unaccustomed to transporting children are especially prone to forgetting. Think about the last time your routine was interrupted. Maybe you forgot something, or were...

Independence Day is in two weeks already. With that in mind I want to remind folks of the state law that provides the guidelines as to when they may be discharged. Last year we had an increase in the number of complaints regarding the types of firewo...

You will be seeing the Sheriff’s Office vehicles flying blue ribbons on the antennae this month. May 11–17 is National Police Week, honoring police officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities around the nation....

I want to start by giving my thanks and appreciation to all the Telecommunicators (911 dispatchers) that work for the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office. They do a fantastic job as the important and vital link on the other end of the call you make in...

Hope the end of winter is finding you safe. I have had some calls recently about the legitimacy of a group called “Law Enforcement Association.” This group solicits donations over the phone and gives the impression that the contributions go to loc...

Greetings from the Sheriff. Here again to share some news and updates from the WCSO. We are happy to say we once again have a deputy at the Johnson Park substation on Tuesdays from 3-5 p.m. If you need to fill out an accident report, vacation house...

Editor's note: Undersheriff Mark Howie asked to respond in depth to recent articles and concerns about the department's emergency planning policies and response to recent tsunami situations. We welcome that information. Recent earthquakes and the...