St. Helens Police Department

09/04/2026

St. Helens students begin returning to school on Tuesday, September 8. Help keep the St. Helens community safe by observing the following safety reminders:

Slow down in school zones. Reduce your speed to 20 miles per hour in school zones.

Always stop for a school bus with flashing lights or an extended stop arm.

Stay alert. Watch for children walking and riding bicycles near schools who may not always use the crosswalk or bike lanes.

08/27/2026

CONTENT WARNING: The attached images contain pictures of animal abuse which some people may find offensive or disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised. The content is being shared in the hope that additional information may come from the public related to the investigation. Anyone with information should contact St. Helens Police Officer Sprinzl or Chief Smith by calling 503-397-1521.

On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, St. Helens Police Department officers served an arrest warrant at a residence in the 2500 block of Columbia Boulevard. Eva Gerich, 29, of St. Helens was arrested on an outstanding warrant. While officers were making the arrest, Gerich was armed with a knife and swung it at an officer. No injuries occurred.

Officers located five cats with suspicious injuries at the residence. The injuries included cuts on the cats’ ears that appeared to be made with scissors or an edged weapon and suspected burn injuries. Officers transported a total of nine cats to the Columbia County Animal Shelter for assessment and medical treatment.

Gerich was lodged at the Columbia County Jail for Burglary in the First Degree, Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing, Animal Neglect, Animal Abuse in the First Degree, and Aggravated Animal Abuse in the First Degree.

The St. Helens Police Department is seeking any information regarding Gerich's neglect and abuse of animals. If you have information, please contact St. Helens Police Officer Sprinzl or Chief Smith by calling 503-397-1521.

08/19/2026

A DUI hits your wallet fast, and your reputation even faster. Choose a sober ride instead. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

Starting Wednesday, August 19, 2026, and concluding September 7, the St. Helens Police Department will participate in a national Labor Day DUII enforcement campaign. This collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is meant to educate the public about the importance of sober driving. “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” is a high-visibility drunk-driving prevention and enforcement campaign that urges drivers to understand the importance of sober driving. It is supported by increased law enforcement presence. Drivers will see more law enforcement on the road during the campaign period.

“Our goal is to save lives,” said St. Helens Sergeant Jose Castilleja. “St. Helens officers will be expanding their efforts with zero tolerance for impaired driving; whether it is from alcoholic beverages, ma*****na, or illegal or prescription drugs.”

The average impaired driving charge costs $10,000 in attorney fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, and more. Plan ahead before you begin celebrating. Have a designated driver established beforehand. Waiting until you begin drinking may create poor decisions. Call for a rideshare, a friend, or family member if you find yourself needing to get home safe. Remember, even one drink could be one too many.

“We encourage our community to call St. Helens police if they suspect a person is driving under the influence,” said Sgt. Castilleja. “If you have a friend or family member who is about to drink and drive, take their keys and have a sober person take them home. Let’s have a safe Labor Day weekend.”

08/11/2026

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the St. Helens Police Department held a Speeding Catches Up With You campaign July 6 through July 31, 2026. The campaign was successful in raising awareness of the dangers of speeding through increased enforcement, a zero-tolerance policy for speeding, and effective communication with road users on the importance of slowing down and being safe on the road.

Law enforcement officers wrote six citations for speeding violations during the grant enforcement period. Additionally, drivers were stopped for a variety of traffic safety related violations.

“This year’s Speeding Catches Up With You campaign was successful,” said St. Helens Sergeant Jose Castilleja. “Through our enforcement and education efforts, we helped keep community members safe and reminded all drivers of the importance of slowing down and driving safely. Issuing tickets was not our goal, but it was a way to remind people of the importance of such a simple action.”

The St. Helens Police Department wrote a total of 45 traffic violation citations and issued 180 warnings in July 2026.

07/22/2026

You're Invited!
Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: 1771 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051

Join us as we celebrate the groundbreaking of the new St. Helens Police Station and honor the legacy of City Administrator John Walsh, whose dedication to public safety and the St. Helens community continues to inspire.

The ceremony will feature remarks from:
• Mayor Jennifer Massey
• Police Chief Matthew Smith
• Public Works Director Mouhamad Zaher

This milestone marks the beginning of a modern public safety facility designed to serve the St. Helens community for generations to come. Community members are welcome to attend as we celebrate this exciting new chapter for St. Helens.

07/21/2026

TRAFFIC ALERT

The City of St. Helens annual pavement striping project will take place on July 27 and 28, 2026. The City is partnering with Columbia County Public Works to perform this annual maintenance project. They will re-stripe existing centerlines, fog lines, and bike lanes. Watch for slow moving vehicles and avoid crossing over freshly painted lines marked by cones to allow the paint time to dry.

The full list of streets scheduled for striping work is included below, as well as a link to view the project area map.

This project will paint approximately:
95,700 linear feet of 4-inch yellow pavement striping
59,100 linear feet of 8-inch white pavement striping
63,000 linear feet of 4-inch white pavement striping

Funding for this project comes from budgeted street funds and is reimbursable by STBG (Surface Transportation Block Grant) funds.

2026 Annual Pavement Striping Streets:
Sykes Road
Summit View Drive
Columbia Boulevard
Matzen Street
Bowling Alley Lane
North Vernonia Road
South Vernonia Road
Sunset Boulevard
Kelly Street
Howard Street
McNulty Way
Industrial Way
Old Portland Road
Kaster Road
Gable Road
Port Avenue
Milton Way
Plymouth Street
South 14th Street
McCormick Park
South 18th Street
South 15th Street
Cowlitz Street
St. Helens Street
South 12th Street
North 21st Street
North 20th Street
North 19th Street
North 18th Street
North 17th Street
North 16th Street
North 15th Street
North 12th Street
Wyeth Street
Oregon Street
Deer Island Road
West Street
North 11th Street
North 6th Street
North 5th Street
South 8th Street
South 7th Street
South 4th Street
South 3rd Street
South 1st Street
River Street

https://www.sthelensoregon.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/31

07/15/2026

Congratulations, Officer Marshall and Heidi!

At the July 15 St. Helens City Council meeting, the Council recognized Building Permit Technician Heidi Davis for 20 years of service and Patrol Officer Luke Marshall for five years of service.

Congratulations, Heidi and Luke!

07/08/2026

It’s better to be a few minutes late than not there at all. ⏰ Speeding Catches Up With You.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the St. Helens Police Department are calling on drivers to recognize that speeding is aggressive driving that endangers everyone on the road. NHTSA’s Speeding Catches Up With You campaign aims to curb the reckless behavior, educate drivers on the consequences of speeding, and save lives. St. Helens officers will be aggressively enforcing speed laws during NHTSA’s Speed Catches Up With You campaign running July 6 through July 31, 2026.

Speeding contributes to thousands of fatal crashes and many more injuries every year. In 2024, 39% of male drivers and 20% of female drivers in the 15- to 20-year-old age group involved in fatal traffic crashes were speeding. In 2025, St. Helens officers conducted 1,439 traffic stops for various traffic violations. In 2026, officers have conducted 1,091 traffic stops to date, on pace to double last year’s efforts to keep our community safe.

“A speeding-related crash can easily result in a devastating injury or a fatality because of the intense impact on the body,” explained St. Helens Sgt. José Castilleja. “Each mile per hour above the speed limit increases the likelihood of a crash and the severity of its impact. We are urging everyone to commit to keeping our roads and town safe by obeying all speed limits. Slowing down is the right choice — ultimately, Speeding Catches Up With You.”

Speed limits establish safe and predictable speeds that allow all road users to anticipate each other’s behaviors and share the road. Driving faster than the posted speed limit diminishes the driver’s ability to judge distance and time safely to avoid serious and deadly crashes.

https://www.sthelensoregon.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/30

05/12/2026

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and St. Helens Police Department are urging drivers to buckle up ahead of the “Click It or Ticket” seat belt safety campaign. The national high-visibility seat belt enforcement effort, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, runs May 18-31, 2026.

“Seat belt use should be an automatic habit every time you get into a vehicle,” said St. Helens Police Sgt. José Castilleja. “During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. Not buckling up could mean a ticket, or worse, risking a life.”

In 2023, there were 10,484 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes. The national seat belt use rate in 2024 was 91.2%.

In St. Helens, a study in March 2026 showed an 85% seat belt usage rate. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement during the campaign.

One of the focuses of the Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign is nighttime enforcement. NHTSA data shows a higher number of unrestrained occupant fatalities happen at night (56% between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m.). Of the males killed in crashes in 2023, more than half (53%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 41% were not buckled up.

Buckle Up the Right Way

• Place the shoulder belt across the middle of the chest and away from the neck.

• Lay the lap belt across the hips and not the stomach.

• NEVER place the seat belt behind the back or under arms.

“We are asking friends and family to remind each other to buckle up in the front and back seats and to consider changing their habits if they don’t,” said Sgt. Castilleja. “Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to remember to buckle up.”

For more information on the Click It or Ticket seat belt high-visibility enforcement campaign, please visit NHTSA.gov/ClickIt.

04/17/2026

Mystery Readers Visit McBride Elementary!

Our students had some very special guests this week! We were thrilled to welcome Officer Stratton and Officer Raethke from the St. Helens Police Department for a surprise reading session.

The officers shared the classic Officer Buckle and Gloria, teaching our young learners about safety through a fun and interactive story. Our students were all ears and loved getting to know the officers!

A huge thank you to St. Helens Police Department officers Stratton and Raethke for creating such a positive, memorable experience for our students.
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