Sheriff needs people in Reserve

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Laura Price was 34 when she made a decision that changed her life forever.

Price, now known to many as Deputy Price, began her career in law enforcement as a reserve in the Island County Sheriff’s Office in 1999. The Sheriff’s Office is looking for more men and women who, like Price, would be a good match for the Reserve Officer Training Academy, beginning in late March.

Price, now 39, said she had rolled around the idea of a career in law enforcement in her head for many years. After working in both the real estate and retail fields, she began the sheriff’s reserve program in January 1999. Price felt she had made the right career decision as soon as she began the reserve classes.

“I’m supposed to be doing this,” Price said she remembers thinking.

Her career in law enforcement and love for the job grew as time passed, she said. Two months after she graduated from the academy, Price was hired as a jailer for the city of Oak Harbor. She worked in Oak Harbor for almost two years before her career brought her to the city of Langley in 2001.

Price remained a reserve deputy for the Island County’s Sheriff Office in addition to her employment as an officer for the Langley Police Department. When a position opened up in the sheriff’s office south precinct in 2003, Price knew immediately it was where she wanted to be.

“My goal has always been to stay with the sheriff’s department,” Price said.

A fulltime deputy for the sheriff’s office for the past six months, Price reflected on her love for the job that never gives her the same day twice. On a recent night of patrolling South Whidbey, her shift began solemnly after she was dispatched to Highway 525 near Bayview, where a dog had been hit and killed.

After carefully retrieving the dog’s tags, Price brought them to the owner’s home. She admitted she often does all she can to treat others the way she would like to be treated, but with it sometimes comes the heavy task of bringing people bad news.

“We’ve got to be flexible and be prepared for that sort of thing,” Price said. “I have high expectations of myself to do a really good job.”

Her night moved on quickly for a shift that wasn’t scheduled to end until 3 a.m. Price typically patrols alone, but said the most enjoyment from her job comes from interaction with her co-workers.

“I think my most favorite part is the people I work with,” Price said.

After a speeding car whizzed past her patrol car outside Freeland, Price was quick to turn around and pull the driver over.

“It’s not about how many people you can catch, it’s about educating the public,” she said. “I definitely go after the ones that need to be caught.”

By making drivers more aware of their speeds and actions, Price said she hopes to the change the habits of drivers. The excuses she has heard have taught her that many drivers are not paying attention behind the wheel.

She laughs remembering one of her favorite excuses, where she pulled over a 16-year-old going 90 mph on Langley Road. The teenager got a ticket she said, but only after she explained to Price she was racing to get to a gas station before she ran out of gas.

Lifestyle changes

Not an athletic child growing up, Price admitted physically preparing and testing for the program took a lot of hard work and dedication. She said she had to train herself to exercise, and maintain her new athletic lifestyle.

“I enjoy getting in shape and staying in shape for the job,” Price said.

Also nixed was her smoking habit, which she said didn’t fit in with her new running routine.

“You need to stay in shape for this job,” Price said. “You don’t know what you’re going to get. You need to be prepared for that.”

According to Jan Smith, spokeswoman for the Island County Sheriff’s Office, to begin the Reserve Officer Training Academy, applicants must pass physical agility tests and go through a personal interview process, a psychological evaluation, a polygraph test and a background check.

Classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturdays, and include instruction and practical training in criminal investigation and patrol procedures, criminal and civil law, communications, crisis intervention, ethics, cultural diversity and traffic enforcement. Participants will also learn emergency vehicle operations, defensive tactics, firearms and use of force.

Smith said once reserves have graduated, they can volunteer time and service in a variety of functions. They are used in uniformed patrol, civil and support functions, custody, care and transportation of prisoners, community event assistance and investigative crime scene assistance.

The reserves do have some limits to their authority, Price said, but they are an invaluable asset to the Sheriff’s Office.

“They can do anything we do, with our direction,” Price said. “They’re very handy and helpful.”