Sweet Home Police Officer Chris Hewson brought previous law enforcement experience with him when he went to work locally in early December.
Officer Hewson worked for 11 months with Salem Police Department, including completion of his police academy training. Between the time he was laid off and going to work for Sweet Home, Officer Hewson was a general contractor.
Officer Hewson, 31, grew up in Philomath. He is a 1990 graduate of Philomath High School. Following high school he joined the U.S. Navy as a rescue swimmer who “jumped out of helicopters for a living.” He also was an aircraft mechanic.
He left the Navy after nine and a half years as a petty officer second class. He worked as a welder in Salem until Salem Police Department hired him.
Officer Hewson was already familiar with Sweet Home’s Main Street. Growing up in Philomath, he often visited Foster Lake.
“It’s a good little town. It’s like the town I grew up in,” Officer Hewson said, even though it is almost three times the size of Philomath,” Officer Hewson said. Salem was “high-paced, very fast. You’re always on the run.”
Salem and Sweet Home both have busy nights, but Sweet Home is more laid back, he said. “Here, basically, you can pace yourself and do the job.”
Officer Hewson’s interest in law enforcement goes back to his work as a rescue swimmer.
“When I was in the Navy … I enjoyed helping people,” Officer Hewson said. “This is the best way I can do it.”
Whether he’s making a traffic stop and telling a driver about a taillight that’s not working or trying to solve a crime, he enjoys talking to people, he said. Of the hundreds of situations an officer will see, the hundreds of people he will see, doing the job is worth it if it helps just one or two.
Officer Hewson will move to Sweet Home from Salem with his wife Tami Hewson and their four children, Matthew, 12; Brittney, 11; Zachary, 7; and Emily, 4.
He enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and the outdoors.
He is an eight-year volunteer Scoutmaster. He plans to continue working with the Scouts.