Pubdate: Tue, 29 Mar 2005
Source: Daily Astorian, The (OR)
Copyright: 2005 The Daily Astorian
Contact:  http://www.dailyastorian.info/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1629
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

IT'S ABOUT CREDIBILITY

Until The Public Sees Effective Dialogue and Reform, It Won't Support a New 
Jail

A credibility gap lies beneath last Thursday's front-page headline -- 
"Derickson, Marquis clash over purse strings." If county commissioners and 
law enforcement officers want a new jail or other post-conviction options, 
they must engage each other more constructively in their public dialogue.

This lack of accord -- between District Attorney Josh Marquis and County 
Administrator Scott Derickson and within the Public Safety Coordinating 
Council -- should not be allowed to destroy an essential process.

Marquis and Derickson excel in their separate arenas. Marquis is a 
aggressive prosecutor and Derickson is an insightful manager. Marquis 
excels at argument and Derickson excels at analysis. However, the 
differences in their professional preferences are inhibiting good dialogue.

Marquis is alarmed that Derickson seems to be suggesting reductions in his 
department and other parts of county law enforcement. Derickson says he 
only wants to encourage a discussion within the Public Safety Coordinating 
Council (PSSC) over how the county's $18 million law enforcement budget 
might be adjusted to reflect new priorities. County commissioners want that 
dialogue to become more productive.

There are at least two processes under way within the PSSC, which is 
chaired by Circuit Court Judge Paula Brownhill. There is the explicit 
discussion of county law enforcement and how it could deal more effectively 
with drug and alcohol offenders. For instance, Judge Phil Nelson suggests 
the county would be wise to allocate resources to programs such as the drug 
court, which has turned some lives around.

County Commissioner Helen Westbrook cites "the growing substance abuse 
crisis" as one reason why commissioners are prodding Administrator 
Derickson as well as the PSCC to look for new options.

The second process within the PSCC is about credibility. The 2004 National 
Institute of Corrections Local System Assessment noted that the various 
elements of Clatsop County law enforcement -- sheriff, district attorney, 
judges and police -- tended to have discussions within their own confines 
and be "silos of influence." They did not engage each other as a group of 
partners. The NIC report also noted gross deficiencies within the county 
jail and the sheriff's department.

County law enforcement officers, in the form of the PSSC, need to show the 
public they can find a more effective approach to the task, and Judge 
Nelson's drug court is emblematic of the kind of innovation that will make 
the public believe the county is being effective.

Conversely, other things are bad for business. It's important that the 
disagreement between Marquis and Derickson gets worked out within the 
confines of the PSSC.

Sheriff Tom Bergin also needs to demonstrate that he's serious about 
reform. It was a disappointment that Bergin filled the position of chief 
deputy with an insider. Bergin told this newspaper and County Commissioner 
Helen Westbrook that he must bring in an outsider for this key position, 
and that he would conduct a national search. Bergin's search moved no 
further than the city limits of Astoria.

The county cannot afford to have Bergin fail in the task of cleaning up his 
department. Moreover, the sheriff must be the most visible county leader in 
the drive for a new jail. To succeed where John Raichl failed, Bergin must 
engage the public as someone who is serious about reform and change.

All of this gets back to credibility. Until the harsh findings of the 2004 
National Institute of Corrections assessment are cleaned up, why should the 
public support a bond measure to build a new jail?
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager