UCSO sergeant arrested for domestic violence
By Terry Murry on Thursday, July 29th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – Umatilla County Sheriff’s Sgt. Roy Swiger was arrested and charged with fourth-degree assault during a domestic violence incident at his home in Weston over the weekend. He called in the crime himself, and Oregon State Police answered the call and transported him to the Umatilla County Jail.
At the jail, a deputy was waiting and told OSP that Swiger was being matrixed out of the jail. The Umatilla County District Attorney’s Office confirms that Swiger was released from jail before charges of fourth-degree assault could be formally filed against him.
Undersheriff Jim Littlefield said the decision to cite and release Swiger was made by Sheriff Terry Rowan. Littlefield said the decision was based on all the circumstances, including the fact that Swiger had arrested a number of jail inmates raising concerns for his safety, and that Rowan believed the officer is not a flight risk.
In addition to the criminal charge against Swiger, the sheriff’s office has placed him on paid leave and is launching an administrative investigation into the incident. Littlefield said that the investigation began with placing the sergeant on paid administrative leave, but little can be done until the office can review the documents surrounding the arrest which he said have not yet been completed.
Swiger has been with the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office since 2017 and has a law enforcement career of almost 20 years. Littlefield says the sergeant has no disciplinary history with UCSO.
