I got back into the Blazer, radioed that I was going into the valley and would be out of radio contact for at least three hours.  I headed over the rise and down the road, all alone and with no back up.

This was different territory than what I was use to as a law enforcement officer and I couldn’t help but reflect on that difference.

 

I came from a City Police Department.  While it was small by many standards, it was progressive and well trained.  It also covered only 7 square miles.  It made little difference where you were; you knew you had radio contact. 

There were also back up officers available within minutes, if not seconds, from where you were if you needed them.  

Not here, here you were on your own.

As a police officer I had handled many different calls in my career.  I had started as a Reserve Officer for the city department and then joined as a regular I officer. 

I had worked my way through the ranks to Commander.  I was good at being a police officer and commanding officer.  I represented my department, my chief and my city in a professional and positive manner. 

I had handled complaints, arrests and investigations. I had given talks to groups, taught in schools, worked with organizations, taken and given training all as a representative of my department. 

But, this was also different.  For the first time I realized what that difference truly was.

Now not only was I representing my department, I WAS the department.  I was the elected Sheriff and what I did and said had a much different connotation.

Continuing down the road along the basalt cliffs and towering rock formations; I soon found myself driving along a very large lake.  I had no idea it was there.  After about half a mile I came to the dam that blocked the creek and formed the lake. 

The Creek was called Big Muddy Creek and they had built the earthen dam on the creek so they could use the water for irrigation and recreation.  They had followed all the laws and had in fact done a good job. 

The dam was easily 40 feet high and probably 200 feet wide with a road across the top.  I have no idea how thick at the base it was, but it was substantial and obviously built to last. 

On its face was the commune’s emblem, two doves surrounded by a white circle.  This was made of stones painted white.  It stood out brightly from the brown dirt of the dam.

Below the dam the valley opened up and I could see wide spots with bus signs and several side roads going up into the ravines in between the hills. 

Looking up the roads I could see some buildings; they looked to be apartments but were too far away to get a good look.  I learned these were several 4-plexes.

As I pulled into the main part of the ranch, coming into the city limits, the road became paved and much wider. 

At the beginning of the city, on the right side of the road, was a large paved parking lot; next to the driveway and alongside the road was another guard shack and at the back of the parking lot was a large building. 

I later learned the building was their Visitor’s Center and Chamber of Commerce building.  I could see the Fire and Police Departments’ building on the left side of the county road, just past the entrance to the parking lot.

I noted a couple of police cars.  There were also a couple of passenger vehicles, Chryslers, parked in front.  They were fleet vehicles, alike in every detail, but they were expensive cars. 

I went inside and introduced myself to the Chief.  I noted she was young, in her mid-twenties and attractive.  She was wearing a uniform that was identical to the security officers; however, the material was better quality as was the leather Sam Browne belt holding her police equipment. 

I later learned that many of the security and police officers had their shoulder patches, which depicted their department, velcroved on.  This was done so when they worked as a Police officer they could put the police patch of which ever department they represented that day (whether it was the ranch city – the City of Rajneesh or the city that used to be Antelope and was now the City of Rajneeshpuram) or when they worked as a security guard, they would put that patch on. 

All three patches were round in shape, of similar style, but different in wording.  The Chief appeared nervous, insecure and unsure of herself.  She invited me into a side room where another young lady was seated at a table. 

She introduced herself.  She was also in uniform and said she was one of the reserve officers.  I found that very interesting.

While reserves are respected by most officers, they are volunteers and cannot be certified as police officers.   They are citizens that have agreed to serve their community by assisting the police department as a reserve. 

Their duties are different from department to department, but usually consist of tasks such as traffic control at functions; backing up the regular officers they ride with; security at public functions; security at crime scenes and other ‘mundane’ tasks that free up the regulars to do the actual law enforcement duties.

Most worked a few hours a month.  Many have undergone some training and some departments have excellent training academies for reserves.  They are not, however, full time sworn officers; have only limited authority within a department and they are never policy makers. 

They usually patrol with regular sworn officers, and while in uniform they have the full authority within that jurisdiction, of a police officer. 

When Chiefs and Sheriffs meet to discuss their departments you rarely find any but command officers present, certainly not line officers. 

You never find reserves; never. 

Yet, here she sat.  I was curious, I could think of only one reason why she would be there, she was the one who was actually in charge. 

Looking around I also noted that the mayor was not in the room and wondered if he was listening into our conversation from another room. 

The commune was very suspicious of me and my motives.  While I had not campaigned to drive them out, I had defeated a man they knew.  

Some of the citizens who had supported and voted for me had made no secret of the fact they wanted to see the commune driven out of the county.   The commune leaders were not happy with me. 

They were wary of my motives on that particular day and my real reason for being down there this day.  I know they didn’t believe that I was there just to shoot the breeze with another cop, but that really was the reason. 

The distrust and distaste was reflected in the demeanor of the two officers and in the tension I felt in the room. 

The leaders and I had already come to logger heads over the security of the area during the festival and they were told by the County Court that they had to comply with my list of requirements. 

They had not been pleased with the list and they were not pleased they were forced to comply.  I was sure that had added to my cold reception. 

I found the below and video extremely interesting. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PCuuu92CEQ&list=PL9O43kpN_Ak52xhT0ZY6YUXcrwA_gC7C3&index=13

God’s attention to detail is amazing

I watch a couple of programs, Modern Marvels and How its made, on television.  They show how things are made.  While they don’t go into real detail, it is incredible what can be done by people that are mechanically inclined.

I look at a package and think nothing of it. Yet, how it was put together, from ingredients to packaging is a complicated process.

Inventors have found ways for machines to do most of the work.  Someone had to figure it all out.  First they say the need, then they devised a plan, then they put it all together so hundreds even tens of thousand packages of the product can be made and then sent off to retailers.

I just shake my head in awe of these people.  Yet, God’s creations are far more intricate, they start from His speaking them into being (except for man, of course.)

His creations are complex and well thought out and operational.  What man has taken thousands of years to put together – as far as machinery and other instruments are concerned, He did within six days.

I look at this insect and shake my head.  We are still discovering more and more proof our Creation.  The religion of evolution fails when it comes to trying to fit these little bits of creation into it just happened, not to mention everything else.

The video is very interesting and I recommend you view it.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again