Benny Westcott
A farewell party for Sweet Home Police Chief Jeff Lynn took place at the Police Department on Sept. 26 to celebrate Lynn’s 23 years of service to the Sweet Home community in the police profession.
The outgoing chief has accepted a role as a patrol deputy with the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, and starts there on Oct. 3. His last day as Sweet Home’s police chief was Tuesday, Sept. 27.
Lynn began his career as a police officer with the Sweet Home Police Department in 1999. He was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2007 and chief of police in 2013.
Born and raised in Sweet Home, Lynn graduated from Sweet Home High School in 1988. He then attended Oregon State University, graduating with a degree in economics in 1992.
Capt. Jason Ogden said at the event, “The ripple effect that he had on this community, not only internally, but also just serving for all these years, is probably more than we can even calculate. So we’re super grateful for that.”
Lynn said: “I’ve been blessed to be here in Sweet Home. Not many people get to actually grow up and then become a police officer in their hometown and actually embrace it, and then get to be the chief.”
“It’s been a unique experience, and I have loved most every part of it,” he continued. “I’m not going to lie, I’m not going to miss it all. But in the end, it’s given me the opportunity to work with all of you amazing people and more over the 23 some years that I’ve been blessed to be here.”
He explained that “I think everybody here knows that I’m not running from any of you. I’m just going to downgrade a bit and be responsible for myself. The department is in a fantastic place. We’re full staff, with great people. Everybody who we’ve hired is just a fantastic person, and I’m just thankful for that. It’s an excellent time for me to kind of step away and let new leadership take over and really lead the younger generation into the community.”
With a laugh, he added, “I’m just blessed to have been here and not gotten fired in the last 23 years.
“I’m still in the community. We don’t have any plans to leave.”
Ogden noted how Lynn recently had to take on responsibilities above and beyond what is customary for a chief of police.
“Something this last year that I’m super thankful for with you is just the level of leadership that you displayed for our agency,” Ogden said. “This last year, we had a bunch of people get out of law enforcement or move on to other agencies.
“It was a difficult season. We were down to probably half of what we normally have.”
He said that “Jeff, being the chief, stepped up and took shift work for the majority of the year. Night shifts, day shifts – it didn’t matter. He just stepped up and did it. And I’m super, super thankful for that. It’s just a great example to lead that way and to show us.”