Department of Public Safety Standards and Training Kate Brown, Governor 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE Salem, OR 97317-8983 503-378-2100 http://www.dpsst.state.or.us February 11, 2016 Valerie Luttrell, Manager John Day Police Department Emergency Communications Center 450 E. Main Street John Day, OR 97845 Dear Manager Luttrell: The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) has received your complaint, dated January 28, 2016 alleging misconduct by Glenn Palmer, DPSST-certified officer currently serving as Sheriff of Grant County, Oregon. As you may know, the DPSST, in conjunction with the Board on Public Safety Standards and Training, is responsible for training and certifying Oregon’s public safety providers, to include private security, private investigators and polygraph examiners. DPSST’s jurisdiction is limited to the certification standards found in Oregon law and rule (available for review on DPSST’s website: oregon.gov/DPSST). The allegations made in your complaint have been reviewed and it has been determined that, if founded, these issues may violate the Board’s certification standards. Your allegations have been shared with Sheriff Palmer and a copy of your complaint forwarded to the Department of Justice (DOJ). DPSST has recommended that the DOJ conduct an investigation into these allegations and the results of that investigation forwarded to DPSST for further review. Sincerely, Linsay Hale, Director Professional Standards Division Tel: 503-378-6702 Email: linsay.hale@state.or.us Cc: File GABLIKS Eriks From: Valerie Luttrell Sent: Friday, January 29, 2016 2:00 PM To: GABLIKS Eriks Cc: Peggy Gray Subject: Complaint Attachments: Complaint Letterpdf Eriks, Attached is a letter of complaint against Glenn Palmer the Grant County Sheriff along with documents that are enclosed with the letter. Police Chief Richard Gray is also working on a complaint letter to send to When he has completed the letter and gathered documents of support he will be forwarding that to you as well. Valerie Luttrell, Dispatch Manager John Day 9-1-1 450 Main St John Day, OR 97845 541-575-0030 Fax 541-575-1721 Website: CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and/0r privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, and/or distribution of this email is prohibited. Ifyou are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the email (including any attachments). PUBLIC RECORDS LAW DISCLOSURE: Under Oregon?s Public Records Law (ORS 192.410 - 192.505), emails are generally considered ?public records.? Therefore, this email (including any attachments) may be subject to public inspection unless exempt from disclosure under Oregon?s Public Records Law. 10hr} Day 450 E. Main Street John Day, Oregon 97845 Emer enc It Telephone: (541) 575?0030 Center Fax: 541?575-1721 January 28, 2016 Director Eriks Gabliks, Please know that this is not written without considerable consideration over the matter. Complaint against Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer: have deep concern for the position that our 911 Dispatch Center is being placed in regarding our working relationship with the Grant County Sheriff. Our most recent concern is the support that the Grant County Sheriff is showing for the Militia occupying the Malheur refuge in Harney County. He openly shows his support for their group and their cause on social media. The John Day 911 Dispatch Center staff are constantly taking calls for Glenn Palmer giving praise to his support of the armed occupation at the Malheur refuge. Sheriff Palmer?s blatant disregard for the potential consequences of pushing his personal agenda over the welfare and safety of the general public that he is sworn to protect is at the very least an ethical transgression. The people he was/is consorting with are under investigation for numerous felonious crimes. Glenn Palmer is viewed as a security leak, not only by local law enforcement including his own staff, but by the Oregon State Police and FBI. This became very evident to us after last night?s incident in which we were not given any information on the events that were occurring in our county. Even after the Chief of Police for John Day made calls attempting to get information on what was unfolding, we could not obtain information. This became a serious safety issue for our Center and local Law enforcement during the events on January 26th, which were happening in Harney and Grant County. There was a community meeting scheduled in John Day on January 26th at 6:00 pm. with the group of Militia from the Malheur Refuge occupation scheduled to attend and speak. They were invited and welcomed by our Sheriff whom he had met with prior to this in John Day on two occasions. The circumstances of his meetings with the militia were beyond coincidental to support his claims of no prior knowledge of who would be at these private meetings. Although he has claimed that he did not invite them here and that he was not going to attend the meeting, he in fact did attend the meeting in full uniform. However, he did not notify Dispatch that he was even on duty or at the meeting until which time when we were made aware of the shooting that took place involving the militia. He then went 12-1 with one rider. We in Dispatch thought his rider to be one of the militia members. In fact we were so concerned that we sent a message to OSP troops notifying them that he was enroute to their location with what we thought might be a militia member. The dispatcher was asked via radio by Sheriff Palmer for an update of the situation. At this time she did not want to give him any sensitive information due to concerns for other officer?s safety. Her words were felt uncomfortable knowing that I had to relay vital and confidential information to someone who may not be trustworthy?. The incident along Hwy 395 in Harney County cut off one portion of the militia group from the other portion of the group that was in John Day waiting for them. This created a concern that the group in John Day may react to what just occurred. The bottom line here is that by encouraging the militia spokes people to travel to Grant County put lives in danger, cost one of the militia members his life, and perpetuated unnecessary use of resources and personnel. Had Sheriff Palmer attended to his designated duties, and allowed Harney County along with State and Federal employees to deal with the situation without his uninvited meddling, there could have been a much more positive and peaceful outcome. One other area of concern is his process in which he deputizes the Special Deputies for the Grant County Sheriff?s Office. I sent a copy of a memo to Sheriff Palmer on October 15, 2015 regarding who is authorized to have access to LEDS through our dispatch Center, clarifying that only personnel on our list would be authorized. Sheriff Palmer sent a scribbled fax note back to me on October 19, 2015 that said "anyone that I deputize? should be given access to LEDS information. I called the Sheriff and told him that he must provide a list of these deputized people to us or we still would not be allowed to give them access. To this date he still has not provided a current list of these deputies. We have concern in the process used to deputize his special deputies. IE: dates being changed on forms to fit circumstances or incidents that occur. One incident in particular is on October 21, 2015 at 15:18 when USFS LEO Aaron Henricks made a stop in the Forest near Canyon Meadows (the Dam that was being removed) and he called for a cover unit because he was out with two subjects and had one detained. A call was made to Sheriff Glenn Palmer advising him that a cover unit was requested, he acknowledged the call. The Sheriff later sent the USFS LEO a text message stating that he should take no action with them because they were special deputies for him. This can be confirmed with Aaron Henricks and his supervisors. Although I do not have access to his list of deputies or the dates in which they were actually deputized, he creates suspicions by his actions or lack of actions in refusing to provide a list of these deputies. This includes the question of whether or not thorough backgrounds are being completed on the individuals. Given the Sheriff?s sympathy for the Militia and their cause as well as his involvement in the Constitutional Sheriff?s Association, we should all be concerned in his ability to deputize individuals and give them full arrest and use of force powers without accountability as to whom they are. Enclosed: 1. Copy of memo and response back from Sheriff dated October 15th. 2. Copy of the call for service requesting a cover unit dated. Valerie Luttrell John Day 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Manager Hlstory Log of Call 1 27-Jan-16 Call Location Date Disp Arwl Unit Offense Code Zone 5654 1012112015 15:18 15:18 15:18 16:01 F46 1223 409 Inch! CANYON MEADOWS RD Narrative: O??lnit 10:21 15:19:20 WITH OREGON 9119304 AT CANYON MEADOWS ROADICRAZY CREEK 1012] 15:26:42 OUT IN THE CLOSURE WITH 2 AND HAVE ONE DETAINED, WILL TAKE A BACK UP UNIT IF WE HAVE 10121 15:30:09 OSP TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANYONE TO 10:21 15:35:16 WILL SEND 43-119, 400 WAS 10121 15:51:38 CLEARED AND HE IS GOING TO BE Received By 46831 Agency USFS Name/Address CARNIGLIA JAY Name/Address MAPLESDEN CALEB Memo To: Dispatch From: Valerie cc: GCSO, Juvenile and P8P Date: October 15, 2015 Re: LEDS Access Just wanted to clarify who is allowed to have access to LEDS through Dispatch. Any known employee of an agency that we have authorization to use their ORI. All of these are listed on the list in Dispatch. I will make sure the list is updated. If there is any doubt on who is running what, then notify your supervisor at a later time. 1 will then talk to their supervisor about any concerns. REMINDER: We still have no agreement with Granite for LEDS access. 1012012015 1611912615 17: 44 (91:50 Memo 08:51 Grant County Sheriff 5415?51721 P.0011001 PAGE 01/61 {5119541 575 2530 JDPD IfIn?: lb: rt?. . 1 To: Dlapatch From: Valada cc: (3050. Juvenile and POP Date: Octobar 15. 2015' Re: LEDS A 53 Just wanted to clarify Is allowed to have access to LEDS through Dispatch. Any knovm employee :1 am Hated on he ORI Ila If there is any doubt on fan aganuy that we have authorizallon to 1158 thalr um. All of these 1 In Dishatch. I will make aura the list ls updated. Who 18 running what. than notify your SUperEDr a! a later time. I wll! then talk to their superv REMINDER: We still 11 Tar abEvut any concerns. VB nn agreement with Gmn?e for LEDS access. {fig 0 6M X, I 22m - (an/M7 JO 1:11 (by $me