Benny Westcott
Sweet Home Police Detective Geoff Hamlin received a commendation from Police Captain Jason Ogden on Wednesday, May 11, for his actions during a February 24 “elder in danger” assistance call.
Community member Peggi Rush recounted this experience during the city council’s May 10 meeting, speaking before its members, Ogden and Police Chief Jeff Lynn.
“I had a series of events take place at the end of February with my mother [92-year-old Edith Thompson], who has stage 4 Alzheimer’s,” she said. “We had a little trying time with [her] wanting to wander and not having a power of attorney or a guardianship. I was limited in what I could do. I couldn’t hold her in my house. That’s a kidnap, holding her against her will.”
Rush said Thompson went out in a snow flurry with no coat, hat or tennis shoes.
Hamlin and Recruit Officer Tyler Robinson found the older woman near the 1300 block of Poplar Street. According to Ogden, in addition to the medics, Hamlin attended to her needs, as well. Thompson was eventually transported to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, and Rush gave the detective credit for convincing her to go.
Ogden added that Hamlin also contacted Rush and connected her with Linn County Mental Health, which would eventually help her with the necessary resources for her mother. She now has guardianship of Thompson, who’s in an Albany memory care facility.
“It wouldn’t have happened without Officer Hamlin,” Rush said. “He took the time to come into my home with me and talk to someone that gave me a direction on how to go with my mom.”
Hamlin said he’d dealt with a similar case a few months earlier, where the organization also helped someone with guardianship of a parent.
“It was nice to hear that it had a positive impact,” he said. “In dealing with the mom, you could definitely tell that it was a difficult situation for the daughter. She hadn’t been sleeping well, because her mom just kept leaving the house and was having difficulty finding resources.”
In the “Memorandum of Commendation,” Ogden wrote, “I personally want to thank you for going above and beyond for a member of our community. I cannot tell you how good it felt to hear those words of gratitude being communicated by someone who reached to us for help. At a time when law enforcement is being scrutinized more than ever, your words and actions demonstrated what it truly means to be a public servant.”