Sean C. Morgan
Gerrit Southard got into the law enforcement business via an unusual path, but he brought three years of police experience when he started work at Sweet Home Police Department on Dec. 2.
Southard grew up in Salem and graduated from Sprague High School in 2000 and from Willamette University in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a minor in math.
After graduation he had the opportunity to become a distributor of natural stone veneer with a company in Grants Pass.
“I did that and sold that for several years,” Southard said. He got married in 2008 and moved with his wife, Darcey, to Madras, where she was hired as a speech language pathologist.
She had previously received a job offer from School District 55, but Madras extended an offer the day before and she had accepted. She is not working now.
While in Madras, the manufacturers of the stone veneer had stopped production, and “forced me to go a different route,” Southard said. He received his contractor’s license and opened Southard Custom Construction. He did that until February 2010. He had become a reserve deputy in Jefferson County and attended the Central Oregon Reserve Academy.
He enjoyed riding along, and that summer, he was a parks deputy in the area. He enjoyed it enough he started sending out applications, and Baker City hired him in September 2010.
“I enjoy the helping people, the contacts, just the reality that every day is different,” Southard said. He enjoys “the entirety” of the work, thinking on his feet and making decisions.
His and his wife’s roots are on the west side of the Cascades.
His parents still live in Salem, a younger brother lives in Portland, and Darcey’s mom, Linda (Blanchard) Scott grew up in Sweet Home from the age of 5. Her grandfather is John Blanchard, who founded the original Economy Drug (later Hometown Drug). Ruth Blanchard still owns 200 acres off Berlin Road.
It was just about getting back to the west side of the mountains, Southard said. “I love the valley. I just love the lushness.”
He is coming from a town of 10,000 with a little bigger footprint than Sweet Home, Southard said, and so far he’s enjoying the change of scenery.
“So far, everyone I’ve met has been nice,” he said. “And they welcome me with snow (like Baker City), so I can ease into it. It’s not shock of rain off the bat.”
Southard said he plans on sticking around Sweet Home. He said he’s enjoying the department, and that morale appears to be high. The employees are happy and upbeat.
He and his wife would love to put a house on the family acreage, take up farming eventually and keep the property in the family, Southard said.
“We’re excited to have him on,” said Police Chief Jeff Lynn. “He comes with experience, so we’ll be able to transition out to the road faster than a brand new hire. He should make a quick, quick transition.”