Newly-appointed interim Sunriver police chief Marc Mills, right, chats with Maurice Lee during a recent Citizen Patrol meeting.
Long-time county officer appointed as Sunriver’s interim police chief By Brooke Snavely Deschutes County Sheriff Larry Blanton was personally in charge of the Sunriver Police Department for one week following the Feb. 16 termination of previous chief Mike Kennedy’s employment by the Sunriver Service District Managing Board. Captain Marc Mills of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office was appointed interim chief Feb. 24, based on Blanton’s recommendation and the district board’s approval. Mills is serving as a loaned executive and remains a sheriff’s office employee. Sunriver is Mills’ primary responsibility though he continues duties with the Central Oregon Law Enforcement Services and Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team joint task forces, in both of which the Sunriver Police Department participates. Mills comes to the interim police chief position with 35 years law enforcement experience with the Deschutes County Sheriff ’s Office. He’s had considerable interaction with the Sunriver Police Department over the years, not the least of which included serving on a review panel that assisted in the hiring of Mike Kennedy as a
Sunriver police officer in 1990. Mills career began as a reserve deputy in 1975 under thenSheriff Poe Sholes. Mills was hired full-time in 1977 and worked as an officer in the patrol, investigation and narcotics divisions for sheriffs Sholes, Jim France, Darrell Davidson, Greg Brown and Les Stiles. Stiles promoted Mills through the ranks of lieutenant to captain and placed him in charge of the patrol division in 2003. Mills was assigned commander of the detectives division in 2006, and search and rescue and emergency management in 2008. He’s managed $6 million budgets and personnel issues associated with professional and volunteer departments. Mills oversaw creation of the current Deschutes County Emergency Operations Plan, which dictates how all emergencies in Deschutes County, including Sunriver, are managed. In acknowledgment of the threat wildfire poses to Sunriver, on March 6 Mills told the Sunriver Citizen Patrol that the first evacuation of Black Butte Ranch in 2002 “changed the way we do business after losing three homes. If a fire approaches a pre-determined point, we
evacuate, no questions asked. In that first fire at Black Butte Ranch, we honored those lines and evacuated when the fire crossed them.” “Thanks to a lot of search and rescue volunteers, we ‘dumped’ the ranch in an unbelievably short period of time. I would have guessed that people would be mad at us for making them leave on a holiday weekend and give us a finger as they drove away. But mostly what we got were thanks, waves, and appreciation. I can’t say how much I appreciate volunteers. You meet and train and come out in all kinds of weather.” Mills said his short-range plans are for the Sunriver Police Department be more active and visible in the community, to encourage the officers to get out of their patrol cars and introduce themselves to the
public. “I want our officers to say ‘hi’, and ask how they can better serve the community.” Mills said he is interested in the Sunriver police chief ’s position on a full-time basis. “I’m not bored with what I’m doing for the sheriff’s office, but I want to open another chapter. I’m not ready to retire. This is a great opportunity and I want to seize it for all the right reasons.” Mills had “nothing negative to say about the former police chief. I sat on the board when Mike was hired in 1990. Anybody who reaches the upper levels in law enforcement and serves as long as he did, 22 years, is commendable. I’m just going to push us to another level.” Hiring process The Sunriver Service District Managing Board discussed
plans for recruiting, reviewing and selecting a new police chief at its March 15 meeting. The position will be advertised on a number of police chief association websites through mid-April. Two panels are being considered to help screen applications. A professional panel may consist of a Sunriver Service District board member, a union representative, a Sunriver police sergeant and a chief of an outside agency. An external panel could consist of one Sunriver Service District board member, a citizen, a chief of an outside agency, a Citizen Patrol member and one other stakeholder. The panels could be responsible for developing recommendations to the district board and assessing candidates’ strengths Turn to Chief, page 14
SROA to be closed April 4 The Sunriver Owners Association will be closed Wednesday, April 4 for an all-employee orientation and training at the SHARC. The closure includes the accounting, administration, communications, community development, environmental, human resources, recreation and public works departments. The SROA offices will be Management and Consulting for Homeowner & Condominium Associations & Projects
open for business the following day, Thursday, April 5. SROA’s regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed 12-1 p.m. for lunch. B e g i n n i n g Ap r i l 3 0 , SHARC will be open Monday through Saturday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beginning May 26, SHARC’s hours will expand
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