Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Taylor Jackson, 25, is one of two new officers with Sweet Home Police Department.
He grew up in Lebanon and graduated from Lebanon High School.
He spent two years working as a reservist with Lebanon Fire District before attending Linn-Benton Community College to work on an associate’s degree in criminal justice with a certificate in juvenile corrections.
While attending college, he worked for two years as a paid on-call reserve for the Linn-Benton Juvenile Detention Facility.
For the past nine years he has worked at Safeway, five years in Lebanon and four in Sweet Home, where he was the produce manager.
While working at the Lebanon Fire Department, Jackson said, he was able to get acquainted with Lebanon police and Linn County Sheriff’s officers.
He said the Lebanon officers encouraged him to pursue a law enforcement career.
“I enjoy helping people,” he said. “I like the high stress dealing with people and being able to solve problems. I like the sense of accomplishment.”
His favorite part of the job so far is being out with the people and responding to calls, he said, but “so far, I like everything. I like getting out of the car and being able to talk to people.”
He has a cousin who is a police sergeant, but the closest thing to a law enforcement influence in his life has been his father, who is an attorney, Jackson said.
“That was always interesting to me.”
It was just another part of the justice system, he said.
Jackson is married to Rachel, who also works at Sweet Home Safeway and is pursuing a career in nursing and attending LBCC. He has one stepdaughter, Tori, 9.
He enjoys spending time with his family, he said, and he enjoys camping, exercising, staying healthy and painting and pinstriping cars.
“I’m kind of a car enthusiast,” he said. “I’m into the old hot rods.”
And car shows are a regular family activity.
Jackson said his family will move to Sweet Home soon.
“I like it. I’ve worked here a little more than four years.”
It’s a friendly place with a small-town feeling, he said, and his wife’s family lives in Sweet Home.
His long-term plans are simple.
“I want to stay here,” Jackson said.