From the Office of the Sheriff Sheriff Dennis L. Dotson

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For Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE

Date: September 27, 2007

Lincoln County Hosts Northwest Transporters' Conference

Local residents may have experienced difficulty dining at their favorite restaurant on Monday and Tuesday nights. That’s because 192 transport officers and many of their families from 17 states converged upon Lincoln County on Sunday, September 23. The transport officers’ purpose was to attend a three-day conference held at the Hallmark Resort in Newport. Transport officers attended the conference from as far away as Florida, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, and Alaska.

Lincoln County was selected over three other counties who vied for the honor of hosting this year’s conference in Oregon. The other competing counties were Multnomah, Klamath, and Union. Sheriff Dotson stated, "We're very proud that Lincoln County was selected over the other candidate counties." "The selection of Lincoln County once again demonstrates that people around the country like to come to the beach, and especially the Central Oregon Coast." This conference far exceeded attendance at last year’s conference held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, according to Gaskill.

The conference brings together deputies and officers who transport prisoners around the country from jail to jail. The creation of the Northwest Transporters Association has reduced costs for state and local governments in the transportation of prisoners. The prisoner transportation system that has been created allows for an effective and efficient means of moving prisoners from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Transport officers coming together from around the country discuss their ideas and practices which results in improvements in the system.

Topics discussed during the conference included extradition; high risk transports; medical issues specific to transports; court security; officer safety; flying while armed; and criminal gang information.

Last year, Deputy Dennis Gaskill gave the presentation as to why this year’s conference should be held in Lincoln County. Over the years, conference attendance around the country has attracted between 110 and 140 participants. “We planned and made arrangements with the Hallmark for 140 people to attend the conference, and when all was said and done, 192 registered and actually attended", stated Deputy Gaskill. Gaskill’s planning team included Deputy TyRae Risewick of Lincoln County, Deputy Chris Cantiello of Jackson County, Sergeant Shawn Spevacek of Benton County, Sergeants Dustin Gannon and Carlyn Degman of Washington County.

"We had to scramble to find accommodations for the additional participants and fortunately the Shilo Inn and Elizabeth Street Inn were able to help us out", said Gaskill. The Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce also assisted with packets containing information about opportunities and points of interest in Lincoln County. Many of the participants also explored Lincoln City during their visit to Lincoln County.

The conference was reported to be a great success and participants expressed their pleasure in attending and visiting the Central Oregon Coast.

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