Linn County Sheriff Bruce Riley last week announced several promotions within the Sheriff’s Office.
Riley said the promotions were in response to vacancies created upon Sheriff Tim Mueller’s retirement on Jan. 1.
Jim Yon of Sweet Home, a 20- year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office has been promoted to undersheriff.
Yon spent the last two years overseeing the Support Division, which includes evidence management, records, 9-1-1 dispatch and information technology.
Prior to that, he spent his entire career in the criminal division, serving in patrol and detectives.
“Jim brings a vast amount of knowledge and experience to this position and will do a fine job as second in command,” Riley said.
Yon and his wife Angie live in Sweet Home and have two children.
Don Messick, a 15-year veteran with the department, was promoted to captain of the Support Division.
Messick has served as staff sergeant in that division, assisting in the budget process, communications management and 9-1-1 dispatch Riley said. Messick and his wife Monica have four children and live in Harrisburg.
Micah Smith, a veteran detective with the Sheriff’s Office has been promoted to staff sergeant within the Support Division.
Smith has been with the Sheriff’s Office for 10 years and served in the patrol division before becoming a computer forensics detective.
He has a diverse background in computers, forensic data retrieval and crimes against children, specifically, child pornography detection and arrest, Riley said.
Smith and his wife Jessica live in Albany and have three children.