Hermiston City Council approves new police beat

HERMISTON – Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston began talking with Good Shepherd Health Care System administrators about the possibility of creating an around-the-clock presence of police officers on the campus since 2013. Twelve years later, it’s a reality. The city council has approved a plan and Good Shepherd is paying the cost of having a new beat comprised of four officers.

“I commend GSHCS President/ CEO (Art) Mathison for seeing the positive nature of this relationship and taking action to ensure the hospital campus remains as safe as possible for anyone and everyone who visits it,” Edmiston said.

The officers will not replace hospital security personnel. Edmiston said HPD will investigate criminal matters inside the walls of the hospitals as well as on all properties Good Shepherd owns.

“Hospitals are soft targets and, just like schools, we feel it is important to have a presence on the campus,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the police presence will have a limiting effect on criminal incidents like assaults of staff, car prowls, trespass matters, and thefts.

The four new officers are hired. One is a lateral officer who is currently working patrol. Another was an entry-level officer who attended half the police academy but had to come home due to a major medical issue with his spouse. Another officer was hired in December and has four weeks to go before he graduates from the academy. The fourth officer was hired in February and she is scheduled to graduate form the academy in June.

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