Wasco County Law Enforcement Association

10/12/2026

Proud of our members for their quick thinking and rapid response. Also phenomenal work from MCF&R and local area fire crews.

Oregon State Police, The Dalles City Police, and Oregon Department of Transportation provided assistance with traffic control and a temporary shutdown of Highway 30.

Teamwork, training, and decisive action, leads to positive outcomes. Happy to report everyone involved is okay.

The crash was investigated by Wasco County Sheriff's Office

09/11/2026

25 years later, we still remember.

We remember the 2,977 people who never made it home.
We remember the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and countless others who ran toward danger while everyone else was trying to get away.

And we remember what followed — communities coming together, strangers helping strangers, and a renewed appreciation for the people who answer the call when others need help.

Today, we honor those who were lost, those who survived, and those who continue to carry the weight of that day.

We will never forget.

09/10/2026

🎉 Congratulations to WCLEA E-Board Member, Treasurer, and dedicated dispatcher, Sue Miller, on receiving this well-deserved award! 🏆👏

Sue’s continued dedication, professionalism, and commitment to serving our community and supporting her fellow dispatchers does not go unnoticed. We’re proud to have her as part of the WCLEA family! 💙🚔📡

Congratulations, Sue! Well deserved! 🎊👏

Above and Beyond Dispatch Award - August 2026
Sue Miller

The "Above and Beyond" Award is established to recognize employees who consistently demonstrate extraordinary commitment, initiative, and performance that significantly surpasses the requirements of their regular role and contributes demonstrably to the success of their team or the organization as a whole. This award celebrates those who embody the spirit of excellence, leadership, and unwavering dedication.

Reasons for recognition:

Positivity & Center Morale: Sue brings a steady positive energy to the Wasco County 911 Communications Center. Sue’s understated humor provides a welcome, grounding perspective in the dispatch center, often turning tense moments into opportunities for a much needed laugh. Sue has made a great effort this month to ensure that she is staying positive and setting a good example for others.

Selfless Teamwork and Flexibility: Sue consistently prioritizes the well being of her team. Whenever scheduling challenges or last minute coverage needs arise, she unhesitatingly steps up - such as voluntarily taking on early morning shifts, even half shifts on short notice so her team members can manage personal commitments. Her willingness to lend a hand ensures smooth operations and boosts overall team morale.

Empathetic Leadership & Employee Advocacy: Serving both as a Lead Dispatcher, and a trusted WCLEA Union Representative, Sue is a compassionate advocate and problem-solver for the dispatch team. She approaches complex administrative tasks, such as shift bidding and scheduling workflows, with fairness and thoroughness.

Projects: Sue has multiple additional projects that go long with her LEAD position. Over the course of this year she has been given additional responsibilities and we can always count on her to complete these quickly and efficiently. She is always our go to person for calculations and figuring out the numbers we need for stats.

A truly great dispatcher is hard to find, difficult to part with and impossible to forget. Sue, we appreciate all you do.

Pictured Left to Right: Chief Deputy Williams, Sue Miller, and Dispatch Manager Krista Silver.

09/09/2026

While Eugene PD may have forgotten us in their post. WCLEA members played a huge role in this rescue. Great work to our deputies and dispatchers.

Police Rescue Teen, Woman Arrested

Eugene Police arrested a woman Tuesday night for custodial interference after an investigation that ended with a high-speed chase in the Dalles.

At 5:31 p.m. September 8, Eugene Police officers were dispatched to a report of a dispute at a home on West 29th Avenue. A woman reported that a teenager in her care had left with her non-custodial biological mother in a vehicle after a small dispute.
The teen, 15, is a ward of the court and in DHS custody.

The biological mother, Nicole Pearlstein, was previously found by the Lane County Circuit Court to be unsafe because of paranoia, delusion, prior mistreatment or abuse, and unsafe to care for the child.

Eugene Police believed the teen's life was in danger and began looking for Pearlstein's vehicle. Pearlstein had previously expressed a desire to take the child out of state.

Just before 7 p.m., the foster mother reported receiving messages from the teen, who expressed fear that she was being kidnapped. The teen sent a series of messages that were road signs the teen was seeing as the vehicle traveled. This eventually allowed Oregon State Police troopers to locate the vehicle at 7:46 p.m. traveling northbound on Interstate 5.

After a brief pursuit, however, Pearlstein's vehicle took an exit abruptly, and the trooper lost sight of it.

The teen continued to send messages that helped police locate the vehicle on I-84 and another pursuit occurred. Hood River County Sheriff's deputies successfully used spike strips to stop the vehicle at 9:42 p.m. and Pearlstein was taken into custody in the Dalles.

The teen was safely taken to DHS in Salem. Pearlstein was arrested and is waiting extradition to the Lane County Jail on a charge of Custodial Interference.

The case remains under investigation.
Eugene Police was assisted in this case and wishes to thank Oregon State Police, Hood River County Sheriff's Office, Intertribal Police, and Dalles Police Department, as well as federal partners.

08/11/2026

08/05/2026

07/28/2026

A 29-year-old The Dalles man was arrested early Sunday after allegedly firing multiple shots toward a Hood River County sheriff's deputy and a civilian following a disturbance at a wedding in Odell. No one was injured in the incident, authorities said.
Full story here: https://columbiacommunityconnection.com/the-dalles/the-dalles-man-arrested-after-shots-fired-at-hood-river-county-deputy-civilian-during-odell-wedding

07/24/2026

We are mobilizing resources through Immediate Response to the Ten Mile Fire in Jefferson County to protect nearby homes and critical infrastructure.

The Jefferson County Oregon Sheriff and the Wasco County Sheriff's Office have evacuation in place. Please follow them for the latest on evacuations.

07/24/2026

As fire season continues, we want to recognize the incredible work being done by our local volunteer firefighters and ranchers.
Your long hours, hard work, and willingness to step up when our communities need you do not go unnoticed. Thank you for protecting our neighbors, homes, livestock, and land.

From all of us at the Wasco County Law Enforcement Association. Thank you for everything you do. 🇺🇸🚒🌾