Sweet Home Police Department

Home
United States
Sweet Home, OR
Sweet Home Police Department

1950 Main Street Sweet Home Oregon 97386 541-367-5181

The Sweet Home Police Department is dedicated to working in partnership with the community to protect life and property, solve neighborhood problems, and enhance the quality of life in our city. Our officers are well-trained professionals who are committed to the community and the law enforcement profession. Officers are proactive and strive to keep crime under control by aggressive patrol tactics

and by focusing on a community policing philosophy of problem solving. The Sweet Home Police Department’s services include the detection and apprehension of offenders, and enforcement of traffic laws and City ordinances. The department is also committed to non-enforcement programs which include Crime Prevention, Neighborhood Watch, Peer Court and Citizen’s Academies.

05/04/2026

Mark your calendars for June 13, 2026, and plan to join us from 9 AM - noon at Sankey Park for the 2026 Jim Bean Safety Fair presented by Sweet Home Police Department and the Sweet Home Public Library. There will be raffles, games, hotdogs, popcorn, a bike rodeo, FREE bike helmets (while supplies last), and much more!
This event will also be the official kickoff to the Summer Reading Program at the Sweet Home Public Library, and you can get kids of all ages signed up to participate!
For more information, contact Sweet Home Police Department or Sweet Home Public Library. We hope to see you there!

04/28/2026

Our phone lines are back working. Thank you for your patience.

04/18/2026

Earlier today, April 17th, 2026, Traffic Officer Gerkman observed a car driving at 98 miles per hour in a 45 miles per hour zone. That's more than twice the speed limit for some quick math.

He was able to safely get the car stopped and, in talking to the driver, noticed signs of intoxication. The driver admitted to drinking "a little," as so many of them say. Officer Gerkman saw otherwise and arrested the driver for DUII, Reckless Driving, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person because they took a passenger on this crazy ride. "A little" resulted in a .11 BAC.

We've all learned that alcohol affects our driving by slowing our reaction times and delaying our ability to multitask. Those factors, combined with excessive speed, can be fatal. Great job, Officer Gerkman, for getting another dangerous driver safely off the streets of Sweet Home.

04/17/2026

We are about half-way into National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and we just wanted to take a moment to extend a huge THANK YOU to CASA of Linn County, our SHPD volunteers, and all the community members who showed up in the rain last weekend to support the efforts to raise awareness for this issue.

We would also like to thank those who show their support in other ways, as well as the people who work everyday on the front lines to prevent child abuse and to hold accountable those who harm children. You all are part of what makes Sweet Home a great place to live. Thank you!

04/15/2026

This dog was found at Main Street near 18th Avenue, running loose. If this is your dog, or you know who it belongs to, please contact the Sweet Home Police Department at 541-367-5181.

04/13/2026

This week, we recognize some of our favorite employees of the Sweet Home Police Department. April 12th through April 18th is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

These individuals are the first people you'll speak to when you call for help. They are experts at remaining calm and gathering the necessary information to dispatch our officers to any situation.

But they also do so much more. They are the face that greets you when you come into the police department to ask questions or get help with non-emergency business. They are the ones who spend downtime entering warrants issued by Sweet Home Municipal Court so offenders can be held accountable; they enter your stolen vehicle or missing persons so they can be safely found, and they help process the paperwork our officers complete (and there's a lot of it).

This department would not run nearly as efficiently as it does without them. Please take a moment to recognize them by liking this post or stop by to thank them in person. They are at the front window, 24/7 to help you when needed.

We also want to recognize the telecommunicators at the Linn County Sheriff's Office who gather the initial information from your 911 calls and forward them to our department. Thank you!

04/05/2026

All of us at SHPD want to wish you a Happy Easter. Take the time today to do the things that are important to you, whether it's spending time with family, attending church, or sneaking some of the candy the Easter Bunny brought for your kids (we're pretty sure there's an exception to the law allowing that if they accuse you of stealing), but remember to indulge responsibly.

04/04/2026

**PRESS RELEASE**

SWEET HOME POLICE OFFICERS RESPOND TO A ROLLOVER CRASH RESULTING FROM ROAD RAGE

On April 4, 2026, at approximately 9:18 a.m., Sweet Home Police responded to a reported rollover motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Main Street (Highway 20) and 1st Avenue. Officers located a gold 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer on its roof blocking part of 1st Avenue. Sweet Home Fire District personnel responded and evaluated the driver, 22-year-old Justin Russell Jr. of Monroe. Russell Jr. had minor complaints of pain and declined transport to the hospital.

Roadway evidence showed Russel Jr.’s Trailblazer was eastbound on Main Street when it left the roadway, hitting a rock retaining wall at Clover Memorial Park. His vehicle went airborne, clearing the embankments of the creek running through the park, and rolled multiple times. Witnesses reported that Russell Jr. was driving at a high rate of speed when entering the west city limits of Sweet Home just before the crash. Property of the Oregon Department of Transportation and the City of Sweet Home was damaged because of the crash.

Russell Jr. mentioned being involved in a road-rage incident with an unknown red pickup truck on Highway 20 between Sweet Home and Lebanon. Russell Jr. was arrested for Reckless Driving, and his vehicle was towed.

Thank you to the Sweet Home Fire District, Oregon State Police, and Rogers Towing for their assistance.

If anyone witnessed this crash or the road rage incident before it, please contact Officer McPherson at 541-367-5181 or [email protected] and reference case 202602296. We are also interested in any dash cam video that witnesses may have recorded.

We want to remind drivers that road rage is never acceptable and can result in crashes involving injury or death. If you witness road rage, please call 911 immediately so law enforcement can respond and prevent crashes.

GGH
4-4-26
1345

04/01/2026

It is with great excitement that we share our new hood graphic with the community, which will be on all of our patrol cars.

Did you know that Chief Ogden is also the City Manager? Filling the roles of two upper-level managers is a lot, but he excels at both.

What better way to honor a great leader in our community than to put his face on all our cars so the community can see him daily? Keep an eye out as you drive around this April 1st.

Chief Ogden began his career as an officer with the Sweet Home Police Department in 1997. He has since held the positions of Sergeant, Captain, Acting Chief, Chief, and City Manager. That's quite a career in law enforcement, and he's still working hard every day serving the community.

Okay, there's no way that Chief Ogden would ever let us do this. Hopefully, this starts your April Fool's Day off with a little laughter. But no fooling around, thank you Chief/City Manager for the leadership you provide to the City of Sweet Home.

03/31/2026

Please join us at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 11th, at the Police Department, 1950 Main Street, for our annual March Against Child Abuse. We will open with presentations by the Sweet Home Police Department and CASA of Linn County, followed by the planting of a pinwheel garden and then a short march along Main Street. Hot dogs will be available after the march.

Our goal is to promote awareness around child abuse and encourage members of our community to step up and report when they see signs of child abuse, to be the voice for children who are often powerless to escape abuse on their own.

We ask Sweet Home residents and businesses to place blue pinwheels out during the month of April. They are available at the Police Department. Donations are encouraged to help support the mission of CASA and other child abuse organizations.

For more information, send us a message or call the Sweet Home Police Department at (541) 367-5181.

03/29/2026

Can you help us identify this person? We are looking to speak with the individual shown in this image regarding an active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Mendenhall at 541-367-5181 and mention SHPD case #202601839. Tips can remain anonymous.

Address

1950 Main Street
Sweet Home, OR
97386

Telephone

+15413675181

Website

https://www.sweethomeor.gov/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sweet Home Police Department posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Sweet Home Police Department:

Shortcuts

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Sweet Home?