The audience rises to its feet as Sheriff Snaza speaks of detective Tom Callas’s career and retirement during an awards presentation at Bethel Church.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
NAPAVINE – Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza honored two officers with an award for portraying the guardian spirit.
Corrections Officer Bill Wood was recognized for his heroic actions when he pursued and apprehended a just-convicted defendant who fled a courtroom last October.
“Basically he got into a fight,” Snaza said, of the chase that began on the fourth floor of the Lewis County Law and Justice Center, continued down a back stairwell and out onto the street in Chehalis.
Snaza spoke of Wood’s tenacious attitude when he presented him on Thursday with the Guardian Award.
“He wasn’t gonna let that guy go,” he said.
The high praise was offered during a gathering of members of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at Bethel Church in Napavine. The annual meeting is held to recognize outstanding work by employees.
A second Guardian Award was given to detective Gene Seiber, a person Snaza said had gone unrecognized for too long.
Seiber was part of the command staff under former Sheriff Steve Mansfield. After Snaza was elected sheriff, he moved Seiber into a newly created position, a detective focusing on the east end of the county.
Snaza spoke of Seiber’s consistent dedication and outstanding performance in the daily execution of his duties.
“Exceptional service with an excellent attitude,” he said.
Numerous honors and awards were presented, including a Distinguished Service Medal for detective Tom Callas whose retirement began that afternoon. Callas started at the sheriff’s office in 1988.
Snaza, with Undersheriff Wes Rethwill assisting in the ceremony, called three civilians to the stage as well.
Cameron Church, accompanied by his girlfriend Skyler Grimes, was given a Citizen Service Medal.
On Nov. 14, when a senior citizen drove her car onto a flooded Forest Service Road 25 south of Randle, Church put aside his own personal safety and rushed in to pull her from her water-filled car.
“They then kept her warm while waiting for aid to arrive,” he said.
Snaza then gave a certificate of bravery and courage to Aiden Readman, a young man who called 911 when his mother was being assaulted, and helped protect his mother and sister.
The sheriff spent some time during the meeting sharing the office’s priorities and goals during his first year in office and also for the coming year.
His list for 2016 contains 47 items.
“When I thought of running for sheriff, I want to make sure you guys are taken care of,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion.
In closing, the sheriff told the employees, there’s no “I” in their organization.
“I cannot be successful without you,” he said. “We can be successful together.”
Among the awards presented were also, Employee of the Year, which went to:
• Field Operations Bureau – Deputy Justin Rodgers
• Corrections Bureau – Corrections Sgt. Joyce McCoy
• Corrections Bureau Support Technician – Ramona Romine
• Services Bureau – Support Technician Debra Hensley
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I can see where the department should be proud of themselves. Afterall, one man was only able to escape a courtroom with a bailiff run down the hallway and make it down FOUR flights of stairs through the lobby and checkpoint and out two sets of doors out onto the street in a building that usually has about 20 cops & security guards in it before he was stopped. Hell of a job guys. Way to be on your toes.
You people will say anything and make any excuse for any behavior of a cop. Quit trying to justify the dept’s. possible dereliction of duty.
If a person was stabbed, then the stabber needs to go to jail. Whatever excuse the prosecutor has for not having Stabby McStabberson is inexcusable. There is never a logical excuse to allow a person to stab another person and do nothing.
The fact the person making the accusation of the cops ignoring a serious crime on a public website lends to their credibility and the fact that the police have not acted or made a statement about the issue leads me to believe they have something to hide.
Police do not charge, prosecutors do. There are times when after conferring with the prosecutor, the state declines to file. There are numerous reasons for a prosecutor not to charge a particular incident. The elements of the crime may not be present or the prosecutor does not believe he can get a conviction. I am not familiar with the case, however I am very familiar with the justice system. Having spent a good part of my career in LE I was on more than one occasion frustrated that I either could not gather enough evidence or the prosecutor did not believe there was enough. There is far more that goes into any I investigation than the public understands. One thing I can say….Snaza is not corrupt. He is a good cop.
What’s the point in continuing time after time to try and get the police to file charges when it’s obvious that the Sheriff’s dept. is unwilling to pursue the matter?
How does that all of a sudden translate into the idea that the victim doesn’t want to see the perp charged?
Are we to believe that cops refusing to do their jobs is because nobody wants their help?
That doesn’t make any sense. Regardless of whether or not a person likes the police or not or needs help or not, the police have a responsibility and duty to do their damn jobs. Enough with the excuses and the disgusting pandering to authority that constantly happens every time somebody has a legitimate complaint or criticism about the police.
Again, your stabbing victim needs to want to press charges. Without that, and not being a domestic relationship it’s all going nowhere.
Well hopefully honoring Seiber is a prelude to his long overdue retirement. A friend of mine in my community is still awaiting justice for his son who was brutally stabbed 9 times in the back. The stabber was the closest thing to a war hero this community has. Supposedly messed up from Iraq or just was going to be crazy anyway.
We found out later that he had stabbed two other people previously and got away with it one way or another. Also the stabber is related to law enforcement people. His grandfather was a local cop and his uncle was a deputy in another county.
Anyway Seiber gave the stabber a pass. The rumor is that it was because they were both Semper Fidelus (Marines) and or it was the law enforcement comradery. Instead of taking the stabber to jail he was taken to his grandfathers house.
No charges were ever filed and the case is getting old. The victim and his father just had to suck it up and take it and live with the fact that they will never get justice in Lewis County.
Don’t feed the trolls….
I called 9-11 once when I was a teenager after my skateboard was stolen. They didn’t do shit. They told me that my stolen property was not important enough for them and that needed to have my mom go and find thief. They must have thought my mom was some kind of secret police agent or something. Since then, I’ve more reasons to call the cops than I can count but decided against it because I know they won’t do shit except come up with 1001 reasons why they can’t help you.
Pea Body you have a right to your opinion and freedom of speech but go fuck yourself. Every cop is a pig to you. Please tell me you never, ever called 911 for help from law enforcement in your life.
Great timing the head of DOC just stepped down. Nothing to see here just pigs licking pigs.
That’s great way to be a leader snaza sieber deserved to be pointed out years of great service to Lewis country great man and good friend congratulations gene