OREGON SHERIFF Magazine News

Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen was elected as Union County Sheriff to replace retiring Union County Sheriff Stephen Oliver.

Sheriff Rasmussen brings his ability to work with people to solve common problems to the job as sheriff. He began his law enforcement career at the Union County Sheriff's Office which finishing a business and economics degree at Eastern Oregon University.

Running a sheriff's office the size of Union County is a lot like running a business. In order to be successful doing the law enforcement and corrections things a sheriff does there has to be adequate funding and good fiscal management to make sure the resources are adequate.

Boyd has a strong belief that law enforcement has to be fair. "How you treat employees is an indication of how you'll treat the public," he says. "If your employees feel they're treated fairly, that will carry through to the public."

Sheriff Rasmussen says, "I grew up in this fine community, and I'm interested in working to keep it that way." Boyd and his wife have four young girls.

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OREGON SHERIFF Magazine News

Winter, 2009 -- The Sheriff's Office was awarded a $309,000 Recovery Act grant. The two new deputy positions will be assigned to the MERIT Task Force; one assigned to Union County and one to Wallowa County. Sheriff Rasmussen is confident that the new additions will allow local law enforcement agencies to better handle drug problems in their communities.

The correctional facility received a $45,000 Live Scan unit from OSP ID services through a JAG grant. The new unit will make indentifying those being booked into jail much faster with returns received in as little as 45 minutes.

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Union County

Sheriff
Boyd Rasmussen