Executive Director's Message Holly Russell, Executive Director, OSSA Happy 2012 Honorary and Business Members! OSSA thanks you for your continued support of Oregon's 36 Sheriffs and their staff, and we want to assure you that your generous contributions will continue to provide the most up-to-date training, programs and services to your local Sheriff's Office personnel. Working together we can ensure that Oregon's Sheriffs are able to provide professional and effective public safety services in your communities! In December of last year, OSSA hosted its Annual Conference and Awards Banquet. The 2011 conference included a day long leadership session that was attended by over 118 law enforcement professionals, the majority from Sheriff's Offices. The session titled, "Rising to Real Leadership" was presented by Dr. Kimberly Alyn, a best-selling author and international professional speaker, who has provided consulting, coaching, training, and keynote presentations for public safety organizations for over 15 years. With local and state training resources dwindling, it is imperative that organizations, such as OSSA, fill the void by providing high caliber training opportunities. I am pleased to share that OSSA's webpage (www.oregonsheriffs.org) recently received a "facelift" of sorts! The new webpage, while continuing to be user friendly, offers browsers the opportunity to learn more about the Association, each individual Sheriff's Office, and to both join the Association and shop the "OSSA Store" electronically. The site will be updated frequently with media releases and announcements pertinent to Sheriff's Office that will be of interest to citizens. We are currently working on an addition to the website that will provide a tremendous benefit to Oregon's citizens – look for more information on this in the spring issue of Oregon Sheriff! Finally, I'd like to convey my sympathy, and that of Oregon's 36 Sheriffs, to the family and friends of Oregon Department of Corrections Officer Buddy Herron, who needlessly lost his life at the hands of another, when he stopped to provide aid at the scene of a motor vehicle accident. Oregon's past and current Sheriffs would like to also convey sympathy and thoughts of comfort to the family of Retired Jefferson County Sheriff Hamlin "Ham" Perkins. Sheriff Perkins served as Jefferson County Sheriff from 1969 to 1987. After retiring, Ham and his wife, Bernideen, were founding members of ROSS; Retired Oregon State Sheriffs and hosted the retired sheriffs' and friends for weekend each July at their ranch outside of Madras for several years. Oregon lost two committed public safety professionals with the passing of these exceptional men. May they rest in peace and their service never be forgotten.