Community Service

One of the primary functions of the Benton County Posse is to provide community service to the Sheriff’s Office when it is called upon, or to other members of the community when they need our services. The two main types of community services provided to the sheriff are search and rescue (SAR) and tracking. SAR and tracking trained Posse members carry pagers and are on call 24-hours a day. They can be at the scene and ready for deployment within minutes after receiving the page. SAR missions are for lost or missing people and can use all personnel with SAR training including trackers.

Tracking missions can be either for lost or missing people, or for evidence collection at crime scenes. Only tracking trained personnel are called out for tracking missions. These missions can include strictly checking crime scenes for evidence or they may involve following the tracks of a criminal to try to find out where he went and what he did. When at the scene of a crime, trackers are always accompanied by a sheriff’s deputy or detective

The Posse can also be called out by the sheriff in times of natural or manmade disasters when more manpower is needed to help secure areas. For example members of the posse where called upon during the winter of 1996 when flood waters ravaged Corvallis and the surrounding communities. Posse members went door to door to help evacuate several low-lying neighborhoods that were in danger of being flooded. They also lent a hand to help evacuate horses from a stable just outside Corvallis that was already being filled with flood waters. Posse members have also been called on by the sheriff to help hold perimeter lines of crime scenes so that the area can be more thoroughly investigated without contamination from by-passers.

Another main community service function of the Posse is to provide security, mounted or otherwise, upon request from community organizations. Posse members and their horses can be seen at the Benton County Fair and Rodeo keeping a watch inside the fairgrounds as well as outside in the parking lots. They and their horses also provide traffic control services for the Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine during their annual Pet Day and Open House. This event is always held during OSU’s annual and popular Mom’s Week and is attended by several thousand people. Other security services have been provided for rodeos held at the Benton Count Fairgrounds, 4H Horse Fair, Philomath Grade School Halloween parties, and other community events.

The Posse and their horses also participate in several local parades throughout the year. They have appeared in the Corvallis Christmas Parade of Lights, the Philomath Frolic parade, the Jefferson Mint Festival parade, the Lebanon Strawberry Festival parade, and the Albany Timber Carnival parade, to name a few.