Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Sweet Home Police Sgt. George Dominy has gone to work at the state Police Academy in Salem.
His last day with Sweet Home Police Department was July 24. He started at the Police Academy on July 28.
Dominy was just shy of completing 20 years with Sweet Home. He started in August 1988.
At the Police Academy in Salem he is a class training coordinator, he said. The position is similar to a drill instructor in the armed forces. He works with specific classes, giving them orientation and making sure they get to the right classes.
He is working with more than just police officers. He also will handle groups training for security, corrections, parole and probation, dispatch and firefighting.
Dominy said he was a little anxious about the new job, after 25 years as a police officer.
“I’m looking forward to being able to help new officers start their careers,” he said, adding that he’ll be able to share his experiences and training to help them succeed.
Dominy has always preferred being in the field on patrol, he said. As a sergeant, he preferred spending time on the road with his officers.
“I don’t want to be a pencil pusher,” he said, and this job will put him right in a different field working with people, providing hands-on training to help them become the best they can be.
“It really sounds like something I might do long-term, five or six years,” he said. He is close to retirement, but he said he may spend a few years in this new job.
“I think it’ll turn out to be a good run, with some challenges for me,” he said.
Dominy started his law enforcement career in the Marines, spending four years as a military police officer. He was a cadet with the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, and he worked about six months as a dispatcher in Myrtle Point before spending five years on the Brookings Police Department and then moving to Sweet Home.
“I’m really going to miss working with some of the people,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed working side by side with them.”
Along with patrol duty, his favorite part of the job has been the local inter-agency crash investigation team.
“I was on that team since it was conceived,” he said. “It’s just been a real close working relationship.”
The advantage to the team is it allows local law enforcement officials to clear from accident scenes and get back to work while the team conducts investigations on major crashes.
Dominy said he plans to continue living in Sweet Home. His family is settled here.
“It’s a nice community,” he said. “We enjoy it. Geographically, it’s nice. You get all the greenery, and you’re not that far from I-5. And it’s kind of got that country setting. It’s a small town. We definitely like it here.”
Dominy is married to Suzanne. They have two grown children, Cliff and David, whose wives are Katie and Corinna respectively. They have five grandchildren.
George, Cliff and David Dominy are also known as Praise in 3D, well-known for performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at community events. The trio has recorded a gospel CD and is in the planning stages for a second album.
The family is active in church activities and the worship team at Southside Church of Christ in Lebanon. They perform Wednesdays during the summer at Century Park in Lebanon. The next concert is Aug. 6, and the event includes free hot dogs, popcorn, water and music. Everyone is welcome.