Police link dropout rate to crime
Authorities launch new effort to reach kids at a young age
Rachel Cavanaugh
News Editor
Law enforcement bolstered an initiative this week aimed at reducing crime in Klickitat County, which officers link to high school dropout rates.
The national group, called Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, is focused on recruiting local police to interact with kids in the community.
Friday, a uniformed group met with preschoolers from the early learning center, Head Start, to talk about the role of law enforcement.
Officers in the group - made up of Goldendale Police Chief Rick Johnson, Klickitat County Undersheriff Erik Anderson, and Craig Juris of the Prosecutor’s Office - took turns reading to the three and four-year-olds.
The idea, they said, is to get kids familiar with police at a young age, so they are seen as friends rather than enemies.
“We want our kids earning diplomas rather than rap sheets,” Johnson told Laura Wells, state director for Invest.
Local officers have been involved with the organization before, through things like letter-writing campaigns, but Friday was the first public activity.
Johnson said in a zone like this the measure is critical. The majority of juvenile arrests he makes in Klickitat County — between 70 to 80 percent — are high school dropouts, he said. The statistics are higher than in other regions, he noted.
According to the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Klickitat County had a 3.6 percentage dropout rate during the 2004-2005 school year.
The number was lower than the state level of 5.1 percent.
However, in terms of crime, there have been more juvenile arrests at the county level than statewide, according to the Northwest Area Foundation.
Juris attributed much of the crime to “third generation poverty,” pointing to boredom, joblessness, and drugs or alcohol. In many cases, he said, education is a major factor.
“I see kids who come through,” said Juris. “If they had been in school, the crime wouldn’t have happened…these are school-aged kids who had no other guidance.
“It’s important to get them early. They drop out in high school, but the problems started way before that.”
Wells said programs like Head Start help.
“In Klickitat County, the issue more is getting kids here because it’s so rural and the cost of gas is so high,” she said.
Wells said kids who don’t graduate high school are eight times more likely to be in jail or prison, according to studies.
All three officials noted that money and legislation are at the top of the debate. Historically, they said, congress has addressed symptoms, rather that the roots of the disease.
“Funding always goes to putting out the fires first,” said Anderson.
Johnson, a Head Start graduate himself, said a major “paradigm shift” is needed. He said law enforcement must interact with local youth, pointing to the five Goldendale police officers who coach football or soccer. Anderson also had two kids in the Head Start program.
“We want to get involved with kids as much as possible,” said Johnson. “They’re our biggest stakeholder in the future.”
Collector’s edition skateboard may fund IGSA repairs
Rachel Cavanaugh
News Editor
Skateboard officials were in talks this week about the idea of designing a collector’s edition skateboard to raise funds for the Maryhill Reparation Fund.
The fund, set up following the Festival of Speed, is intended to generate money for fairground repairs.
In the wake of concerns about damaged relationships between Goldendale and the skateboarding community, officials discussed various solutions last week.
If this idea gets off the ground, the skateboard deck would likely be produced by Jerry Madrid, owner of Madrid Skateboards, and could include the City of Goldendale’s logo.
According to IGSA president Marcus Rietema, the skateboarding guru would give 100 percent of the profits to the fund in an effort to “bring the skate community back together.”
“I really believe that if we can win back the city's confidence and support, the entire skate community will grow from this and be even better than before,” Rietema said in an email. “I believe we've all learned a lot from all of this.”
He emphasized at this point the project is only in the discussion phase.
Damages from the festival cost between $1,000 and $1,500 and included a broken fence and graffiti.
PUD continues search for general manager
Rachel Cavanaugh
News Editor
The Klickitat County PUD continued its search for a new general manager this week with teleconference phone interviews.
Administrators have been working with a pool of about 30 applicants to fill the position of Tom Svendsen, who announced earlier this summer he would step down when his contract ends in January.
He has been aiding in the hiring process.
“They would like someone with experience with generation and, if at all possible, someone with knowledge of the Northwest power market,” said Svendsen. “I hope I’ve done a good job getting my people ready to take over. We’ll see what will happen with the new general manager.”
So far, there has been one internal applicant, current field manager Ron Ihrig, and externals from other parts of the state and country. Administrators said it would remain open “until filled.”
Svendsen, who has been employed by the KPUD since 1976, will be retiring and said he will “take a break” in Goldendale after his contract expires.
He has been general manager for five years. His contract ends Jan. 31. |
