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Clatskanie Police Officer Joe Harrison, a nine-year veteran of the department, has resigned after admitting he stole prescription medications from two Clatskanie homes last month, according to court records and Clatskanie Police Chief Marvin Hoover.
Harrison, 34, was booked into the Columbia County jail Tuesday afternoon, but later bailed out. He is charged with two counts of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree theft and one count of official misconduct.
His arrest came after an investigation by the Oregon State Patrol. Hoover said he asked the OSP to get involved after hearing about potential misconduct by Harrison.
"We did this the right way," he said Wednesday afternoon, saying it is the agency's policy to ask the OSP to investigate any allegation of wrongdoing within the department.
According to a probable cause statement, Harrison admitted to investigators Monday that he stole Vicodin from a home in the 500 block of S. Nahalem Street in April and on July 25, and oxycodone from a home in the 200 block of S.E. Third St. in Clatskanie on July 28.
He told the OSP investigator that he was addicted to pain medications and ingested the pills stolen in the April burglary immediately, while he was in uniform and on duty.
The owner of the Nahelem Street home had reported seeing Harrison enter the Third Street home when the owner was not there on April 28.
Officials at the Columbia County Jail refused Wednesday to release information about when Harrison was released from jail and how much bail he had to post, saying all information was to be released by the attorney general. Booking records are supposed to be public under Oregon law.
Harrison's resignation means the Clatskanie Police Department is down to four officers, including Hoover. He said he would begin searching for a replacement as soon as he gets City Council approval.
The arrest certainly will give his agency a black eye, Hoover said, but he said his remaining officers are professional and the agency will work hard to regain the public's trust.
Harrison, a Clatskanie resident, had been a reserve officer in the St. Helens Police Department, but otherwise had served his entire career with Clatskanie PD, Hoover said.
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/08/05/ ... 703389.txt
Harrison, 34, was booked into the Columbia County jail Tuesday afternoon, but later bailed out. He is charged with two counts of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree theft and one count of official misconduct.
His arrest came after an investigation by the Oregon State Patrol. Hoover said he asked the OSP to get involved after hearing about potential misconduct by Harrison.
"We did this the right way," he said Wednesday afternoon, saying it is the agency's policy to ask the OSP to investigate any allegation of wrongdoing within the department.
According to a probable cause statement, Harrison admitted to investigators Monday that he stole Vicodin from a home in the 500 block of S. Nahalem Street in April and on July 25, and oxycodone from a home in the 200 block of S.E. Third St. in Clatskanie on July 28.
He told the OSP investigator that he was addicted to pain medications and ingested the pills stolen in the April burglary immediately, while he was in uniform and on duty.
The owner of the Nahelem Street home had reported seeing Harrison enter the Third Street home when the owner was not there on April 28.
Officials at the Columbia County Jail refused Wednesday to release information about when Harrison was released from jail and how much bail he had to post, saying all information was to be released by the attorney general. Booking records are supposed to be public under Oregon law.
Harrison's resignation means the Clatskanie Police Department is down to four officers, including Hoover. He said he would begin searching for a replacement as soon as he gets City Council approval.
The arrest certainly will give his agency a black eye, Hoover said, but he said his remaining officers are professional and the agency will work hard to regain the public's trust.
Harrison, a Clatskanie resident, had been a reserve officer in the St. Helens Police Department, but otherwise had served his entire career with Clatskanie PD, Hoover said.
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/08/05/ ... 703389.txt
