DA Hummel to launch ‘DeschutesSafe’ effort

District Attorney John Hummel said Tuesday he is convening next week an “inclusive and representative community-based” advisory panel that will address holistic ways to reduce crime within Deschutes County.

The year-long DeschutesSafe initiative will map the county’s current crime prevent programs and will evaluate how these activities correlate to our community’s current crime prevention needs, the DA said in Tuesday’s announcement.

The meeting will be held from 3-5 p.m. on Thursday, June 11 at the Deschutes National Forest headquarters, at 63095 Deschutes Market Road. The public and media are invited to attend.

Hummel said the DeschutesSafe initiative will implement a Strategic Crime Reduction Effort (SCRE), a proven program model that has helped communities around the country effectively reduce crime and save money.

“The SCRE uses data-driven processes and evidence based strategies to create a complete picture of a community’s current crime prevention programs, and provides the critical information needed to develop an action plan that will accurately and effectively address community needs and take into account available resources,” the announcement said.

“Given that Deschutes County, like most communities, is living with the realities of limited resources, this type of program evaluation and strategic planning is essential as it will ensure that we use our community resources most effectively by 1) supporting and enhancing current crime prevention programs that are having the greatest impact, 2) identifying and addressing gaps in program offerings, and 3) combining, when appropriate, program and service duplications.,” Hummel continued.

“By working together as a community, leveraging resources, and using data and evidence-based strategies, we can become even better at preventing crime and keeping our community one of the safest places in the country to live, work and raise a family,” the announcement said.

Hummel said, “I am excited about implementing this new initiative, as it reflects our goal to address community challenges before they escalate. This type of effort shows Deschutes County’s commitment to engaging in best practices to reduce crime.”

Hummel’s office also provided a list of 22 group members:

1. John Hummel
District Attorney
Deschutes County

2. Larry Blanton/Shane Nelson
Sheriff
Deschutes County

3. Jim Porter
Police Chief
City of Bend

4. Ken Mulenex
Mayor
City of La Pine

5. George Endicott
Mayor
City of Redmond

6. Ken Hales
Director
Deschutes County Community Justice

7. Marney Smith
Director
Les Schwab Amphitheater

8. Amanda Gow
Program Director
Big Brother Big Sister Central Oregon

9. Jaime Aguirre
Owner
Ginger’s Kitchen

10. Chris Gardner
Criminal Defense Attorney

11. Charla DeHate
Chief Executive Officer
La Pine Community Health Clinic

12. Naomi Mozelle
Mortgage Loan Officer
Home Street Mortgage

13. Gwenn Wysling
Executive Director
The Bethlehem Inn

14. Bob Gomes
CEO
St. Charles Hospital Bend and Redmond

15. Cyndy Cook
Retired Affordable Housing Professional

16. Tonya Karlowicz
Attendance Secretary
La Pine High School

17. Bruce Abernethy
Grant Writer
Bend – La Pine School District

18. Terry Schroeder
Mobile Crisis Assessment Team
Deschutes County Behavioral Health

19. Austin Purcell
Youth Representative

20. Cindy Tisher
Managing Member
Litigation Support Services, LLC

21. Sally Pfeiffer
Owner
Pfeiffer and Associates Treatment Services

22. Debbie Baker
Chairman
Sunriver Service District Board