Gilliam County Sheriff's Office

05/01/2026

As we head into the weekend, we would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable day!

With the excitement of rodeo weekend in Arlington, we’re expecting an increase in vehicle and pedestrian traffic throughout the area with contestants beginning to arrive today.

We ask that everyone take a little extra time on the road, slow down, stay alert, and make safe driving choices. Whether you’re heading into town or just passing through, your awareness can make all the difference.

Events like this bring our community together, and we want everyone to get to and from their destinations safely. Please be especially cautious around crosswalks, side streets, and crowded areas.

Multiple deputies will be on patrol throughout the weekend to help keep things running smoothly. Let’s all do our part, make smart decisions, and ensure it’s a safe and successful rodeo weekend for everyone.

Finally, let’s enjoy this beautiful sunrise along the Columbia River captured by K9 Charley.

04/25/2026

You never know who, or what you’ll encounter as a rural deputy out here in Gilliam County.

Today, while making his rounds in Arlington, Deputy Shockley came across something you don’t see every day… a unicycle rider cruising through town! 🚲

We had the pleasure of meeting Unicycle Norm and grabbed a quick photo with him before he continued on his journey. It’s always great to cross paths with folks bringing a little extra character to our community.

If you see him rolling through, be sure to give a wave and don’t forget to give him a follow on Instagram at !

Safe travels, Norm—we’ll keep an eye out for you down the road!

04/25/2026

While we aren’t always excited to see our friends at Life Flight Network show up multiple times in a single day, we are incredibly appreciative of the dedication and teamwork that comes with it.

Today, crews from North Gilliam Medic Ambulance and North Gilliam Rural Fire Protection District responded to two separate medical calls where patients required transport to a higher level of care. These are the moments when rapid response, coordination, and trust between agencies truly matter.

Situations like this are a reminder that behind every call is a network of professionals and volunteers working together seamlessly day or night, rain or shine to serve our community when it needs it most.

We’re grateful for our interagency partners and the commitment they bring every single day. It takes a team to keep our community safe, and today was a great example of that teamwork in action.

A special thank you to our dispatchers at Frontier Regional 911 whose calm voices, quick thinking, and coordination behind the scenes help ensure every response runs as smoothly and safely as possible.

04/16/2026

Keep an eye out for this stolen trailer reported by the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office.

Early this morning, a trailer like the one pictured below was stolen from a construction site near Rufus. It is a tandem axle, 7x18 FabForm with a pintle hitch. If you see it or have any information, please give us a call. 541-565-3622

04/14/2026

Every year during the second full week of April, we recognize National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. This is a time dedicated to honoring the professionals who serve as the critical first link between the public and emergency services.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the dedicated men and women of Frontier Regional 911. These men and women are the calm voice on the other end of the line during moments of crisis. They gather vital information, coordinate emergency response, and ensure deputies, firefighters, and EMS personnel have the information they need to safely and effectively serve our communities.

Telecommunicators work around the clock, often under high stress, managing multiple emergencies at once while providing reassurance and guidance to callers experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Their professionalism, composure, and commitment to public safety are essential to the success of every response.

Whether it’s a routine call for service or a life-threatening emergency, Frontier Regional 911 personnel consistently demonstrate dedication, compassion, and skill that directly impacts the safety of Gilliam County and the three additional counties this call center serves.

04/10/2026

We would like to extend a special recognition to the driver who recently demonstrated Olympic-level commitment to ignoring approximately FOUR miles of warning signs leading up to a clearly marked road construction zone on Interstate 84 tonight.

Despite:

Multiple “Road Work Ahead” signs
Several reduced speed limit signs
Clearly posted 50 MPH construction zone speeds
And the general expectation of common sense…

This driver managed to achieve 103 MPH through the construction zone before being stopped by one of our Deputies.

Unfortunately, the excitement did not end there:
❌103/50 $1,150.00
❌ No proof of insurance $265.00
❌ No vehicle registration $165.00
❌ Cited for careless driving $525.00
💸 Fines are doubled in construction zones

This is going to be a hefty expense for their bank account.....

We truly admire the creativity in excuses from the drivers this year, including:

“I didn’t see the signs.”
“What construction zone?”
“I really need to use the bathroom.”
“I’m not from here.”

While we appreciate the honesty, it is worth noting that the bright orange signs are also not from here… yet they still managed to show up every half mile for four miles.

Construction zones exist to protect the workers improving our roadways and the motorists traveling through them. Those workers deserve to go home safely at the end of their shift, just like everyone else.

🚧 Slow down. Pay attention. Follow posted speeds. 🚧

Because while excuses may be creative, citations are still issued, and fines are still doubled.

04/03/2026

We are always happy to assist our neighboring agencies in the Columbia Gorge! Great investigative work by the MINT team!!

03/14/2026

MEDIA RELEASE

DATE: March 14th, 2026
INCIDENT TYPE: Multi-agency vehicle pursuit, death investigation
DATE AND TIME OF INCIDENT: March 13th, 2026 @ 7:47 PM
LOCATION OF INCIDENT: Exit 129 Interstate 84 (Blalock Canyon)
DECEASED SUBJECT: Devon Brown, 30 year old, Portland OR
CASE NUMBER: G26-065

On March 13, 2026, at approximately 7:47 PM, a Deputy with the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a violation on Interstate 84 near milepost 104 (Biggs Junction). The operator of the vehicle failed to stop and a vehicle pursuit was initiated.

During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle traveled eastbound on Interstate 84 and exhibited erratic driving behavior, reaching speeds of over 100 miles per hour.

A Deputy with the Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office responded to milepost 123 (Phillippi Canyon) to deploy stop sticks in an attempt to safely disable the fleeing vehicle. The suspect vehicle was able to avoid the stop sticks and continued eastbound on Interstate 84.

The suspect vehicle later exited the interstate at milepost 129 (Blalock Canyon) and traveled down a paved section of an unmaintained roadway, where it eventually came to a stop. Multiple law enforcement personnel from assisting agencies were about to surround the vehicle and "box" it in to prevent the vehicle from going mobile again.

Officers gave verbal commands for the male driver to exit the vehicle, however these efforts were unsuccessful.

Before law enforcement personnel were able to safely approach the vehicle with a ballistic shield, the subject sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The deceased has been identified as Devon Brown of Portland, Oregon.

There were no injuries to law enforcement personnel or members of the public during this incident.

While this was not the outcome anyone hoped for, we are thankful for the coordinated response and professionalism of the multiple agencies who assisted during this tragic incident.

This incident remains an active investigation, and all media inquires will be directed to the Sherman County Sheriff's Office who is the lead investigative agency.

The Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Sherman County Sheriff's Office, Wasco County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police, North Gilliam Medic Ambulance, Frontier Regional 911 and assisting agencies for their coordinated response during this incident.

03/04/2026

🚨 Alright folks… our Public Information Officer is officially working overtime tonight.

After a stack of back-to-back posts, we promise this one is the last for the evening. But we figured we should save the best for last.

The Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office currently has an opening for a Criminal / Traffic Deputy, and we’re looking for someone who wants more than just a job.

If you:
✔ Want to work in law enforcement
✔ Enjoy the pace of small community living
✔ Don’t mind patrol views that look like a postcard from Eastern Oregon

…then this might be the place for you.

Our deputies cover everything from highways to backroads, from riverbanks to wheat fields. No two days are the same , and the scenery isn’t bad either if you aren't fond of trees.

💰 Salary: $70,845 – $83,309 (depending on certification)
📍 Location: Gilliam County, Oregon
📅 Position Open Until Filled

For an application and full job description contact visit: https://www.gilliamcountyor.gov/government/employment_opportunities/index.php

If you have additional questions, please contact Chris Fitzsimmons on the main office number (541-351-9530) or shoot her an email at [email protected]

Come work where the backup might be a mile away, but the community always has your back.

03/04/2026

We are sharing some job opportunities available with Frontier Regional 911. These positions include an administrative clerk, 911 telecommunicator, and contract 911 telecommunicator positions.

Frontier Regional 911 is seeking a highly organized and professional Administrative Clerk to join their team.

The Administrative Clerk plays a vital role in supporting the day-to-day operations of the agency’s administrative division. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

🔹 Performing a variety of assigned clerical duties
🔹 Assisting the Director with preparation of monthly employee schedules
🔹 Managing accounts payable
🔹 Supporting recruitment, testing, and onboarding of new employees
🔹 Assisting with annual budget preparation
🔹 Maintaining agency publications and resource manuals
🔹 Managing office supply inventory
🔹 Preparing meeting minutes and assembling board packets (agendas, minutes, budgets)
🔹 Maintaining and updating the employee handbook
🔹 Assisting with human resource functions

Bonus: While K9 Charley has generously offered to fill in, we’ve discovered her typing skills are limited, her meeting minutes mostly say “woof,” and she keeps approving the budget for chew toys. So we’re officially looking for a qualified human.

If you’re ready to support public safety behind the scenes (and keep Charley out of the accounting software), we encourage you to apply!

For more information and to apply, visit: https://frontier911or.gov/job-openings/

01/26/2026

🚨 SCAM ALERT – PLEASE READ 🚨

The Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office has received information regarding another round of scam attempts targeting our residents.

We have received reports of individuals being contacted by phone by someone claiming to be the Sheriff or a Gilliam County Deputy. In one reported incident, the caller falsely claimed the recipient had failed to appear for a federal court subpoena.

The Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office will NOT call you to demand compliance, payment, or information related to a court subpoena.

We will NOT threaten arrest or legal action over the phone.

These calls are fraudulent.

A helpful tip: Many of these scammers give themselves away by mispronouncing “Gilliam County.” If it doesn’t sound right, that’s usually your first red flag.

If you receive a call like this:

Hang up immediately.

If possible, obtain the caller’s name and badge number.

Contact the Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office directly to verify the information before taking any action.

If you believe you have been contacted by a scammer, please report it to our office so we can document the activity and help protect others.

Please share this post to help spread awareness and keep our community safe.

01/09/2026

On January 8, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Frontier Regional 911 received a report of a disabled commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in the westbound lane of travel near milepost 124 on Interstate 84. A Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office deputy returning from the jail was in the area at the time of the report.

Shortly thereafter, a second CMV collided with the rear of the disabled semi. Multiple responders were dispatched, including the Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon State Police, North Gilliam Rural Fire Protection District, and North Gilliam Medic Ambulance.

The investigation determined the blue cab CMV, which was blocking the right (slow) lane, experienced a mechanical and electrical failure that resulted in a complete loss of power and vehicle lighting. The driver attempted to move the vehicle onto the far right shoulder but was unable to do so. The white cab CMV was unable to see the disabled vehicle and subsequently rear-ended it. Upon impact, approximately 47,000 pounds of meat products being hauled by the blue cab CMV spilled onto the roadway.

The driver of the white cab CMV was transported by ambulance to a local area hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the blue cab CMV was uninjured.

Interstate 84 was impacted for approximately six hours, with intermittent westbound lane closures while Purdy's Towing & Transport and their crew recovered both CMVs and trailers. Oregon State Police served as the lead investigative agency.

We are grateful for the coordinated response from our partner agencies. While interstate closures are never convenient, we appreciate the public’s patience and are thankful this incident did not result in a fatality or serious injury.

Regarding photos shared on our social media platforms last night: identifying information such as DOT and license plate numbers were intentionally blurred. With social media frequently used as a news source, we do not want family members to encounter images that identify a loved one’s vehicle before they are able to make contact. In this incident, the white cab driver’s phone was lost in the crash, making immediate communication with family difficult. As the Public Information Officer, the decision to post unedited photographs in this post was made only after it was confirmed there were no serious injuries or loss of life, and after the involved parties’ loved ones had been properly notified.

- Sgt. Redden, Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office

(All photographs are courtesy of the Gilliam County Sheriff's Office)