At our July 27, Rotary Meeting, the inspiration was provided by Marty.
Marty encouraged members to take time to journal or meditate and to enjoy a "nature bath"—being present in the beauty around us. She invited everyone to pause, look around, and express gratitude for the natural surroundings we are fortunate to enjoy.
Our guest speakers were from the Skagit County Sheriff's Office.
Chief Chris Baldwin began his career with the Sheriff's Office and was promoted to Sergeant in 2009. In 2019, he became Chief of Field Operations, overseeing the Patrol Bureau along with numerous specialty assignments, including Critical Incident Response and Community Engagement. He also serves on the North Cascades Regional SWAT Team, which serves both Skagit and Island Counties, and works with the Crisis Response Team and the Workplace Violence Prevention Team. Chief Baldwin is currently a candidate for Skagit County Sheriff.
Lieutenant Steven Dills joined the Sheriff's Office in 1996, beginning his career in Corrections before transferring to Patrol in 2000. During his career he has served in Traffic, K-9, and Search & Rescue assignments. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2019, supervising East Precinct operations, and became a Patrol Lieutenant in 2024.
Sheriff's Office Overview
The speakers provided an overview of the Sheriff's Office and its major divisions. Administrative Services handles warrants, court orders, restraining orders, evictions, and other civil process.
The Investigative Services Bureau is responsible for criminal investigations, including general detective work and drug investigations.
The Field Operations Bureau, the department's second-largest division, provides 24-hour patrol coverage throughout the county using four patrol squads assigned to four geographic zones.
La Conner is served as Zone 1. The East Precinct, headquartered in Sedro-Woolley, provides dedicated coverage for eastern Skagit County. The presenters noted that the department remains relatively young due to many retirements and officers relocating out of state in recent years.
The Corrections Bureau is the Sheriff's Office's largest division, operating with an annual budget of approximately $26 million. In addition to managing the county jail, it oversees inmate medical care, booking, transportation, and electronic home monitoring.
Specialty Assignments
Beyond routine patrol responsibilities, many deputies also serve in specialized assignments in addition to their regular duties. These include the regional SWAT team, Traffic and Motorcycle units, the Crisis Response Team, K-9 units for both patrol and narcotics detection, Search & Rescue, Marine Patrol, Animal Control, Crisis Negotiations, and the department's Training Unit.
The Sheriff's Office also operates six patrol boats and recently added two Zodiac boats for flood response. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (drones) are regularly deployed to assist with searches for missing persons and fugitives. Search & Rescue volunteers receive ongoing training from Sheriff's Office personnel and remain an important county resource.
Daily Operations
The speakers described the wide variety of calls deputies handle during a typical shift. Mornings often involve domestic violence incidents, DUI investigations, and serving civil paperwork such as evictions and restraining orders. Evening patrols more commonly respond to burglaries and other criminal activity. They emphasized that no two shifts are alike and that deputies must be prepared to respond to a broad range of public safety needs.
Announcements:
Saturday, August 8th: Members are encouraged to attend Hands Across the Border at Peace Arch Park and Heritage Hall in Surrey. Lunch begins at noon.
Tuesday, August 11th: Helping Hands volunteering at 10 AM will take place, and members are encouraged to sign up if they would like to participate.
Members are also asked to continue bringing donated reading glasses to upcoming meetings for the ETTA project.