[OR] Truth and Accountability: Sheriff's Sgt. Grahn's domestic triple-murder suicide case not over yet

...On Feb. 12, [Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputy, Sgt. Jeffrey] Grahn went to the M&M Lounge, 137 N. Main Ave., Gresham, and at close range shot his wife and the two women with her. Then he turned the gun on himself. Kathleen Hoffmeister was one of the three women Grahn killed, and her husband, Jay, believes more could have been done to prevent such a tragedy... [Jay Hoffmeister] will seek compensation, contending that Clackamas County failed to rein in an out-of-control employee... Women's eNews recently asked Dave Thomas, a retired Montgomery County Maryland police officer familiar with the case, to review how the Grahn case was handled...

DEPUTY'S CARNAGE MAY BE AIRED IN STATE COURT: Clackamas County could be faulted in its handling of investigation
The Sandy Post
By Jim Hart
Aug 3, 2010
[Excerpts] Six months after three people died at the hands of a Clackamas County deputy sheriff - before he turned the gun on himself - the case is likely to come to court. A tort claim has been filed against Clackamas County by Jay Hoffmeister and the estate of Kathleen Hoffmeister... It’s a legal document stating the intent of one party to file a lawsuit against a government agency - in this case likely a wrongful death claim as well as negligence in the way the investigation was conducted... The tort claim describes with very little detail that Hoffmeister intends to accuse the county of negligence in “failing to act upon or adequately investigate instances of anger, abusive behavior and domestic violence of Sergeant (Jeffrey) Grahn.” The tort claim suggests the investigations of Grahn by the Portland Police Bureau were not allowed to be adequately reviewed by county prosecutors, something the Hoffmeister family and their attorneys believe could have produced different results... The tort claim suggests the sheriff’s department and Portland Police Bureau should have acted sooner and should not have just accepted the statements of people who lived in the same home with Grahn or those of his closest friends outside of his home... [The Grahn's friends] told Portland police investigators that Grahn told his wife to be quiet or he would lose his job and source of income... their friends were telling Portland police investigators of conversations they had with Charlotte and her children — conversations in which one of the Grahn children said Charlotte had surgery that was necessary because her husband had hit her in the stomach... The investigators heard about the objects Grahn had allegedly thrown at family members, of his constant yelling at them and about the hair Grahn allegedly had ripped from Charlotte’s head. One of the family friends reported a conversation with one of the Grahn children, revealing the deputy was depressed and suicidal, and he had been prevented from getting his gun to keep him from killing himself. The child had predicted the result could be that he would kill his family and then himself... On Feb. 12, Grahn went to the M&M Lounge, 137 N. Main Ave., Gresham, and at close range shot his wife and the two women with her. Then he turned the gun on himself. Kathleen Hoffmeister was one of the three women Grahn killed, and her husband, Jay, believes more could have been done to prevent such a tragedy... Jay Hoffmeister, represented by McDougal, is demanding compensation... [READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.]

OREGON OFFICER WIFE-ABUSE PROBE PRECEDED KILLINGS
Women's eNews Inc
By Judith Spitzer
August 4, 2010
[Excerpts] The suicide-killing rampage by an Oregon sheriff's officer last February leaves questions about why early warning signs in 2009 went unheeded. A particular matter of concern: the Portland Police Bureau's decision to honor a request by the Sheriff's Office of Clackamas County to keep the local district attorney's office out of an internal investigation of the officer last year... Clackamas County Sheriff Sgt. Jeffery Grahn, 46, killed his wife Charlotte, 47, two of her friends - Kathleen Hoffmeister, 53, and Victoria Schulmerich, 53 - and then himself at a bar in Gresham, Ore., a suburb of Portland... For weeks after the shooting the Sheriff's Office of Clackamas County denied there were warning signs... Under pressure from local media, however, it made public documents that since have been widely reported on, showing allegations of domestic abuse just 10 months before the shooting... Women's eNews recently asked Dave Thomas, a retired Montgomery County Maryland police officer familiar with the case, to review how the Grahn case was handled. Thomas, now at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., trains police departments across the country about officer-involved domestic violence. "We're talking here about someone who is incredibly dangerous and agencies with prior knowledge," Thomas said in a phone interview. "The totality of it says even if he wasn't physically abusing her - which I totally think he was - there was enough administratively to pull his badge and gun given everything that's going on. He's a danger to himself, to his family and to the community." Jim Strovink, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office spokesperson, has consistently told reporters that the county's hands were tied because Charlotte Grahn would not talk with officers about specifics of the abuse... Thomas said Charlotte Grahn's reluctance to talk to officers should have itself been a sign that Jeffrey Grahn fit the profile of a batterer. "The fact that his wife says she's pleading the Fifth Amendment," he said. "That's a huge red flag that we have something seriously wrong here. If it's on the up-and-up why is she pleading the Fifth instead of just saying that there's nothing wrong?" In early May 2009, the Sheriff's Office requested the Portland Police Bureau take over the investigation... In an interoffice memo written before the killing rampage by [Portland Police Bureau's Sgt. Margaret Bahnson] to a police supervisor, Bahnson referred to Portland's standard police policy that when investigating one of its own officers involved in a domestic violence incident policy is "to bring in our district attorney's office." "When I brought up the idea of bringing in Clackamas County DA's office for this case Phalen asked that we hold off on that," Bahnson wrote. "Thinking that I was not making my point clear I further explained the reason we included the DA's office was to bounce ideas off each other, keep the investigation transparent and talk about charges or other legal issues," she wrote. "Lt. Phalen still asked that we hold off on including Clackamas Co. DA's office." Johns Hopkins University's Thomas criticized as "ludicrous" the decision by Portland police to honor the request of Phalen to keep district attorneys out of the case. Bahnson recently told Women's eNews that, "Yes there were a ton of red flags, but there was nothing criminal he was doing that we could come up with." When asked specifically about the red flags, Bahnson said Grahn scored "very high" on a lethality assessment conducted as part of the investigation... [READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.]

Charlotte Grahn

Kathleen Hoffmeister

Victoria Schulmerich

3 PREVIOUS POSTS:

• [OR] Charlotte murdered for trying to leave Sgt. Grahn, her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister murdered for supporting her, and friend Vickie Schulmerich - in critical condition - ...[Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant Jeffrey] Grahn shot and killed his wife, Charlotte, and her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister. He also severely injured Victoria Schulmerich, who is being treated at OHSU Hospital, before killing himself... ...[Walter] Trapp said his sister, Charlotte, was frightened of her husband but afraid to report him to police...
• [OR] Charlotte's relatives say they tried to report Sgt. Grahn & Sheriff Roberts says he feels sick, angry, betrayed - ...Relatives of Charlotte Grahn – who was shot by her husband, [Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant] Jeffrey Grahn\ – say she had feared her husband in the past and relatives had attempted to report his previous threatening behavior. If these statements are accurate, then the investigation into these shootings should include an examination of whether official reports about Grahn’s conduct were made, and whether police agencies responded appropriately to allegations against a fellow officer...
  
• [OR] The sad time came to let Vickie go - A Gresham woman quietly lost her fight for life Thursday, nearly two weeks after she was gunned down by an off-duty sheriff's sergeant in a triple murder-suicide at a Gresham lounge. Victoria "Vickie" Schulmerich died at OHSU Hospital in Portland...

LAST MONTH:

HUSBAND SEEKS COMPENSATION IN CLACKAMAS SERGEANT'S MURDER-SUICIDE
The Oregonian
Steve Mayes
Wednesday, July 28, 2010

The husband of a woman killed during a murderous rampage this year by an off-duty sheriff's sergeant will seek compensation, contending that Clackamas County failed to rein in an out-of-control employee.

Jay Hoffmeister claims the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office "was negligent in failing to act upon or adequately investigate instances of anger, abusive behavior and domestic violence" involving Sgt. Jeffrey Grahn.

Hoffmeister's tort claim, filed July 16, also alleges that Clackamas County "failed to allow full and complete investigation of Sgt. Grahn's conduct, including review of Sgt. Grahn's conduct by prosecuting authorities."

On Feb. 12, Charlotte Grahn and two of her friends, Kathleen Hoffmeister and Victoria Schulmerich, went to the M&M Lounge & Restaurant in Gresham.

Jeffrey Grahn arrived later and confronted the women. He took his wife outside and shot her in the head, went back into the club, shot Schulmerich and Hoffmeister, and then killed himself.

Hoffmeister and his attorney, Mark McDougal, declined to comment on the filing or to explain how the county was negligent, but previous reports suggest some possibilities.

In May 2009, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office asked the Portland Police Bureau to investigate accusations that Grahn physically abused his wife.

The investigation revealed that nine months before the shootings Charlotte Grahn's sister told police she thought the Grahns' increasingly abusive relationship could end in murder-suicide. The sister was one of several friends and relatives who expressed concern for Charlotte Grahn's safety.

Portland police also learned that Grahn, a 15-year sheriff's office employee, was depressed, angry, drinking heavily and occasionally suicidal. But they concluded the evidence did not support criminal charges.

A subsequent report in The Oregonian disclosed that Portland police had asked that a prosecutor with the Clackamas County district attorney's office be assigned to the Grahn investigation. In Portland, investigators routinely request a prosecutor's assistance when an officer is accused of domestic violence.

The head of the Clackamas County sheriff's internal affairs unit asked investigators to "hold off" on asking for a help. The county's lead prosecutor said his office should have been involved from the beginning but did not learn about the Grahn investigation until after the murder-suicides.

The Oregonian's May 22 report noted that Clackamas County's reluctance to follow Portland's protocol in the Grahn investigation could become significant as families of the victims evaluate the county's potential liability.

Members of the Schulmerich and Grahn families face an Aug. 12 deadline to file similar claims.

"We're keeping our options open," said James O'Rourke Jr., an attorney representing the Schulmerich family.

Attempts to reach the Grahn family's attorney were unsuccessful.

Clackamas County commissioners were briefed on the tort claim at a closed session Tuesday morning.

Edward S. McGlone III, an attorney with the Clackamas County counsel's office, declined comment on Hoffmeister's claim. The sheriff's office also had no comment.

Steve Mayes
[ARTICLE LINK]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities lethal murder liability accountability lawsuit]

[OR] Charlotte's relatives say they tried to report Sgt. Grahn & Sheriff Roberts says he feels sick, angry, betrayed

Charlotte Grahn

...Relatives of Charlotte Grahn – who was shot by her husband, [Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant] Jeffrey Grahn\ – say she had feared her husband in the past and relatives had attempted to report his previous threatening behavior. If these statements are accurate, then the investigation into these shootings should include an examination of whether official reports about Grahn’s conduct were made, and whether police agencies responded appropriately to allegations against a fellow officer...

Kathleen Hoffmeister

PREVIOUS POST:
[OR] Charlotte murdered for trying to leave Sgt. Grahn, her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister murdered for supporting her, and friend Vickie Schulmerich - in critical condition - ...[Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant Jeffrey] Grahn shot and killed his wife, Charlotte, and her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister. He also severely injured Victoria Schulmerich, who is being treated at OHSU Hospital, before killing himself... ...[Walter] Trapp said his sister, Charlotte, was frightened of her husband but afraid to report him to police...

Victoria Schulmerich 

..."As I thought about this (murder-suicide)," [Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts] said, "words really can’t adequately describe the actions that Jeff Grahn took when he shot these three innocent women. It makes me sick. It makes me angry. And it makes me sad for the victims and their families"... Roberts said he felt personally betrayed by Grahn... Just last month, Sgt. Jeffrey A. Grahn taught a course with Trauma Intervention Programs, a nonprofit that offers emotional first-aid to people in crisis...

Kathleen Beth "Katie" Hoffmeister
Published in The Oregonian on February 17, 2010
Guestbook
Obituary

Kathleen "Katie" Beth Hoffmeister
Obituaries for Feb. 17, 2010
The Gresham Outlook
By Calvin Hall
[Excerpts] ...A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at Greater Gresham Baptist Church, 3848 N.E. Division St... Gresham Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements. [Full article here]

DETAILS ARE EMERGING ABOUT THE THREE WOMEN VICTIMS
Submitted by KATU.com
Mon, 2010-02-15 00:39

KATU PAGE HERE

'I REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES'
Submitted by KATU.com
Meghan Kalkstein
Mon, 2010-02-15 01:42

KATU PAGE HERE

REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS
The Oregonian
By Rick Bella rickbella@news.oregonian.com
February 16, 2010, 8:17PM
[Excerpts from sidebar] Fund for children: The Clackamas County Peace Officer's Benevolent Foundation has contributed $10,000 to jump-start a benefit fund for children of all of the victims in Friday's shooting rampage. Donations to the Charlotte Grahn Domestic Violence Fund can be made at any branch of Wells Fargo Bank... A benefit fund has been established to help Victoria "Vickie" Schulmerich, who remains hospitalized with a gunshot wound. Donations can be made to the Vickie Schulmerich Fund at any branch of Chase Bank. Memorial: A service for Kathleen "Katie" Hoffmeister will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Greater Gresham Baptist Church... [Full article here]

SHERIFF EXPRESSES DEEP SORROW OVER WHAT HIS DEPUTY DID
Submitted by KATU.com
Tue, 2010-02-16 18:37
[Excerpts] For the first time, we're hearing from the sheriff whose off-duty deputy went on a deadly shooting rampage at a Gresham bar. Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts said words cannot describe his sorrow... "It makes me sick," Roberts said. "It makes me angry. It makes me sad - for the victims and their families." Roberts said the county already has several anti-domestic violence programs for deputies but he said all of them will be reviewed to see what they can do better to try to prevent this kind of tragedy in the future. [Full article here]

BEFORE HIS OWN BURST OF VIOLENCE, CLACKAMAS DEPUTY WORKED IN TRAUMA INTERVENTION
The Oregonian
By Rick Bella rickbella@news.oregonian.com
February 16, 2010, 8:17PM
[Excerpts] Just last month, Sgt. Jeffrey A. Grahn taught a course with Trauma Intervention Programs, a nonprofit that offers emotional first-aid to people in crisis... For years before his own burst of violence, Grahn was a big supporter of Trauma Intervention Programs, ever since he saw first-hand how the volunteers helped trauma victims.... Sheriff Craig Roberts offered his condolences to all the families, saying that Grahn's rampage has caused him a lot of heartache. "It makes me sick. It makes me angry, and it makes me sad for the victims and their families," Roberts said at a Tuesday news conference. Roberts said he felt personally betrayed by Grahn, who began working at the sheriff's office in 1995, rising to sergeant in 2003. Roberts said Grahn's actions would cast a pall on the sheriff's office and the profession. The sheriff's office takes seriously any reports of domestic violence by deputies, Robert said, despite the fact that a conviction could mean the end of a law-enforcement career. Roberts said the sheriff's office has an employee-assistance program and a peer-support team to help deputies work through personal crises. The sheriff's office also works directly with a chaplain, who is available to offer counsel. In addition, deputies are required to attend seminars by Dr. Kevin Gilmartin of Oregon City, a nationally recognized expert on dealing with police stress. "I intend to review all of these programs, looking to see if there is anything we can do better," Roberts said. "This is a huge loss, and it hits right in law enforcement"... The Grahns' children are staying with family members. Staff writers Steve Mayes, Stephen Beaven and Stuart Tomlinson contributed to this report. [Full article here]

Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts

GRESHAM SHOOTING’S LONE SURVIVOR CLINGS TO LIFE
Women became friends through daughters, who were Barlow High School cheerleaders
The Gresham Outlook
By Mara Stine
Feb 16, 2010
[Excerpts] As one woman clings to life, the family of another woman killed in Friday night’s shooting at the M&M Restaurant and Lounge is praying for her survival. Victoria "Vickie" Schulmerich, 53, of Gresham, was shot in the back of her head by her friend’s husband in what police are calling a domestic dispute. The gunman, Jeffrey Grahn, 46, of Boring also shot his wife, Charlotte Grahn, 47, and her friend Kathleen "Katie" Hoffmeister, 53, of Gresham during the 9:47 p.m. shooting Friday, Feb. 12... Schulmerich, the only one to survive the attack, remains in critical condition at Oregon Health & Science University. She is in a medically induced coma in the Intensive Care Unit, and her family is optimistic that she’ll survive, said her cousin Liz Donaugh... "We’re just praying that everything is on our side," Liz said. "She will fight to get back with every fiber of her being...." ...Relatives also credit a bystander at the M&M Lounge with saving Schulmerich’s life. Mona Makela of Gresham left her safe hiding place under a pool table to help Schulmerich following the shooting. Makela applied pressure to Schulmerich’s head wound and turned the woman from her back onto her side, which doctors say likely saved her life. "We’re so grateful," Connie Schulmerich said, breaking down in tears. "She would have bled to death." The three women targeted in Friday night’s shooting became friends through their daughters, who were Barlow High School cheerleaders. Grahn’s brother, Walter Trapp Jr., of Oregon City described his sister – the youngest of six children – as a soccer mom who loved to fish, hunt deer and elk, and who was a country girl at heart. "She was just a good person," he said... Hoffmeister was a "wonderful woman," said Patrick Keep, her longtime friend and boss at Northwest Crane Service in Portland... "She was a dedicated and loyal friend," he said, recalling her infectious smile and deep love for her 20-year-old daughter... "She was upbeat. Loved everybody. She didn’t really have a mean streak in her body"... Schulmerich’s family describes her as an outgoing lover of food, fun and family with a huge circle of friends – all of which her relatives contribute to her Italian heritage and the family’s Southern roots in Baton Rouge, La. "We’ll be having an extra cup of gumbo for Vickie today," Liz said... Victoria "Vickie" Schulmerich, the only survivor of the shooting, works at the school as an educational assistant in the Early Childhood Program through the Multnomah Education Service District... The Clackamas County Peace Officers Association Benevolent Foundation [ccpobf.org.] has set aside $10,000 in a Wells Fargo Bank account entitled "Charlotte Grahn Domestic Violence Fund," which will assist the children of Charlotte Grahn and the families of Kathleen Hoffmeister and Victoria Schulmerich. Anyone may contribute to the fund at any Wells Fargo branch... [Full article here]

GRESHAM RISES ABOVE NIGHT OF DEATH, VIOLENCE
Bystander becomes lifesaver after bullets strike victims at M&M Restaurant
The Gresham Outlook
By Mara Stine
Feb 16, 2010
[Excerpts] ... Michael Friend, lay chaplain for Bikers for Christ, bowed his head, offering blessings and prayers. The crowd stands near the backdoor of the lounge...  Mona Makela happened upon the scene... Feet firmly planted, his arms straight, elbows locked, he fired... She dialed 9-1-1 on her cellular phone and didn’t say a word for fear the gunman would hear her. Instead, she just let the line stay open...  Makela saw that one of the women was still alive. “I didn’t want her to die alone... Please hang in there, please hang in there,” Makela told the woman, rubbing her shoulder, stroking her leg. “You’re going to be OK. Help is on the way.” The family of the surviving shooting victim credits Makela with saving her life... Makela has adopted a new mantra: Faith and fear. “You can’t have one if you’ve got the other, because faith is of God and fear is not,” she said. Others are turning their attention to the M&M’s traumatized owner, hoping to support her, and planning a benefit to help out the victims’ families. “People really rally around each other in this town,” Makela said. “And that’s not going to change.” [Full article here]

COUPLE DIDN’T FOLLOW THROUGH WITH PLANS TO GET A DIVORCE
The Gresham Outlook
By Mara Stine
Feb 16, 2010
[Excerpts]
Divorce attorneys representing Jeffrey and Charlotte Grahn are shocked that the husband shot and killed his wife, plus shot two of her friends and committed suicide, in a Gresham lounge Friday, Feb. 12. Jeffrey Grahn, a Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office sergeant, was off duty when he used his personal .40-caliber Glock to fatally shoot his wife at the M&M Restaurant & Lounge. He then shot two of her friends, killing one of them and critically injuring the other, before turning the gun on himself. Charlotte’s attorney, Scott Downing of Gresham, said both parties wanted to part ways, but Jeffrey filed the divorce papers first in August. Jeffrey was having an affair with a coworker and moved in with the other woman... But Jeffrey later moved back in with his wife... "I believed he was hopeful for a reconciliation with his wife," said Jeffrey’s divorce attorney, Rebecca Schaleger... On Jan. 7, the case was dismissed due to a lack of activity, Downing said. Jeffrey’s divorce attorney suggested he close out the case, but he said no. The financial strain the divorce would have caused was of concern for both Jeffrey and Charlotte... "It’s not the end of the world," Schaleger said. "But I guess it was to him"... Schaleger said the couple was not on her radar of contentious divorces, mainly because they agreed on custody issues... She never saw any indication that issues of jealousy, control or abuse plagued the marriage. Downing, however, said his client feared her husband. She was worried for her safety, as well as her financial security... Charlotte’s brother, Walter Trapp, said his brother-in-law Jeffrey had a violent temper and was a control freak. He recalled how on two occasions Jeffrey, angry that he lost a fish while angling, threw his cellular phone into the Columbia River. His sister never reported her husband to police for fear it would only escalate the situation, Trapp said... But while Charlotte never reported her concerns, Trapp said one of their sisters called police six times to voice hers. When nothing came of it, the family assumed it was because the couple lived in the same jurisdiction where Jeffrey worked. Meanwhile the couple’s four children, ages 13 to 23, are struggling to understand why relatives are planning two separate funeral services for their parents. "They’re having a hard time distinguishing why they aren’t going to be buried together," Trapp said. [Full article here]

SHERIFF RELEASES FEW NEW DETAILS DURING PRESS CONFERENCE
The Gresham Outlook
By Jim Hart
Feb 16, 2010
[Excerpts] ...Obviously distraught by what he called a "tragedy," Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts tried to make some sense of the actions of Deputy Sgt. Jeffrey Grahn, who lived with his family in Boring.... Roberts spoke cautiously during a news conference Tuesday afternoon. "As I thought about this (murder-suicide)," he said, "words really can’t adequately describe the actions that Jeff Grahn took when he shot these three innocent women. It makes me sick. It makes me angry. And it makes me sad for the victims and their families... (Hiring) is a year-long process," he said. "It includes an extensive background check of any kind of history related to (domestic issues), including a psychological exam. After being employed, deputies have fringe benefits that include counseling, peer support and a chaplain. Roberts said he had mandated attendance by all deputies at family violence training provided by a nationally recognized speaker, and asked family members to attend portions of the training. "We intend to review all of these programs," he said, "and see if we can do anything better." Under Roberts’ watch, according to Clackamas County Sheriff’s Det. Jim Strovink, the department has made it a priority to do everything possible to prevent family violence. Strovink detailed the annual workshops on domestic violence and child abuse promoted by the Sheriff’s Office over the past 10 years. Roberts put into perspective the situation with Sgt. Grahn. "The more you think about it," Roberts said, "(Grahn) should have been out there protecting women. But he was the one committing the crime. He betrayed the trust the community placed in him, and he betrayed the trust (his fellow officers) placed in him, and he’s betrayed the trust I’ve placed in him"... "Ten years ago," he said, "we began a direct focus on family violence issues. We even offered training about how to deal with domestic violence within law enforcement." According to Roberts, the department’s current focus is to support the families of the victims. He, therefore, wouldn’t answer questions about whether Grahn had exhibited any warning signs before this incident or whether he had sought counseling... Roberts also wouldn’t answer questions about whether department staff had overlooked information given by Grahn family members, warning about Grahn’s violent attitudes. "This thing just happened Friday (four days earlier)," he said in response to a question. "We’re trying to take a look at everything that has happened so far, and I want to make sure we look at all the details. I don’t want to make a comment on something I’m not 100 percent sure on. We’re doing a thorough review, and we’ll be able to come back and make comments later." [Full article here]

HEED WARNING SIGNS OF ABUSE
The Gresham Outlook
Feb 17, 2010
While it is still too early to draw definite conclusions, what we know so far about Friday night’s shootings point to an extreme case of domestic abuse. Relatives of Charlotte Grahn – who was shot by her husband, Jeffrey Grahn, at the M&M Lounge – say she had feared her husband in the past and relatives had attempted to report his previous threatening behavior. If these statements are accurate, then the investigation into these shootings should include an examination of whether official reports about Grahn’s conduct were made, and whether police agencies responded appropriately to allegations against a fellow officer... Such abuse can be difficult to detect and investigate, because too often the victims are unwilling or feel they are unable to come forward. But the importance of reporting suspected abuse is clearly and tragically reinforced by Friday night’s shootings... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities murder suicide oregon state fear terror tragedy double murder sucide]

[OR] After Sheriff's Sgt. Grahn's triple-murder suicide a zero-tolerance domestic violence policy is put into place

On Feb. 12, 2010, Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Jeffrey Grahn fatally shot his wife, Charolette Grahn, and two of her friends - Kathleen Hoffmeister and Victoria Schulmerich. Then he turned the gun on himself.

A task force has recommended a zero tolerance internal policy for the Clackamas County sheriff's office on domestic violence... Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts announced he has issued an order imposing a zero-tolerance policy and that all complaints will be subject to separate criminal and internal administrative investigations... Jeffrey A. Grahn, earlier had been the subject of a domestic violence complaint against him, but the subsequent investigation was inconclusive and Grahn was not charged or disciplined. It remains an open question, however, whether Grahn's killing rampage would have been prevented even if he had been prosecuted, fired or disciplined.

Does your law enforcement agency have a specific officer-involved domestic violence policy? Don't wait for a regional, deadly tragedy. Learn from those who have already suffered through one,

PREVIOUS POSTS:

• [OR] Charlotte murdered for trying to leave Sgt. Grahn, her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister murdered for supporting her, and friend Vickie Schulmerich - in critical condition - ...[Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant Jeffrey] Grahn shot and killed his wife, Charlotte, and her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister. He also severely injured Victoria Schulmerich, who is being treated at OHSU Hospital, before killing himself... ...[Walter] Trapp said his sister, Charlotte, was frightened of her husband but afraid to report him to police...
• [OR] Charlotte's relatives say they tried to report Sgt. Grahn & Sheriff Roberts says he feels sick, angry, betrayed - ...Relatives of Charlotte Grahn – who was shot by her husband, [Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant] Jeffrey Grahn\ – say she had feared her husband in the past and relatives had attempted to report his previous threatening behavior. If these statements are accurate, then the investigation into these shootings should include an examination of whether official reports about Grahn’s conduct were made, and whether police agencies responded appropriately to allegations against a fellow officer...
  
• [OR] The sad time came to let Vickie go - A Gresham woman quietly lost her fight for life Thursday, nearly two weeks after she was gunned down by an off-duty sheriff's sergeant in a triple murder-suicide at a Gresham lounge. Victoria "Vickie" Schulmerich died at OHSU Hospital in Portland...
• [OR] Truth and Accountability: Sheriff's Sgt. Grahn's domestic triple-murder suicide case not over yet - ...Kathleen Hoffmeister was one of the three women Grahn killed, and her husband, Jay, believes more could have been done to prevent such a tragedy... [Jay Hoffmeister] will seek compensation, contending that Clackamas County failed to rein in an out-of-control employee...
  

OREGON SHERIFF: ZERO TOLERANCE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Statesman Journal
January 13, 2011
A task force has recommended a zero tolerance internal policy for the Clackamas County sheriff's office on domestic violence. The Oregonian reports the recommendations also include changes in the sheriff's hiring, training and disciplinary procedures. Clackamas County commissioners launched the task force after an off-duty sheriff's sergeant shot and killed his estranged wife, two of her friends and himself last year. The sergeant, Jeffrey Grahn, had been the subject of a domestic violence complaint. But an investigation was not conclusive and Grahn was not charged or disciplined. Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts announced Tuesday he has issued an order imposing a zero-tolerance policy and that all complaints will be subject to separate criminal and internal administrative investigations. [LINK]

Slain: Charolette Grahn

Media and Interested Parties:
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON BEST PRACTICES ISSUES REPORT ON PERSONNEL PRACTICES, POLICIES IN SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYEE SERVICES
From: Tim Heider, Clackamas County Public Affairs Coordinator 503-742-5911
web12.clackamas.us
01-11-2011
[Excerpts] An independent committee examining personnel practices and procedures in the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and the county’s Department of Employee Services issued a series of recommendations for improvements...
THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE:
- Pursue and attain state accreditation.
- Develop and implement an early intervention system for Sheriff’s deputies.
- Add staff in the Professional Standards Unit and establish a direct report to the Sheriff.
- Improve the tracking capability of the Sheriff’s Office complaint database and formalize a protocol for written notification of alleged criminal misconduct by employees with the District Attorney’s office.
- Ensure periodic ethics training and review and increasing educational requirements for new hires and for promotions.
- Implement the newly-developed domestic violence policy for employee- involved incidents and ensure that all employees are adequately trained.
- Conduct a task analysis for all Sheriff’s Office positions, develop associated job descriptions and clarify the supervisory role of sergeants.
- Develop and implement a new performance evaluation instrument.
- Develop protocols for “fitness for duty” evaluations...
Members of the Advisory Committee included Hammerstad, a former Lake Oswego mayor and former Clackamas County commissioner; former Multnomah County Counsel Tom Sponsler; former police chief in Newberg and Beaverton Dave Bishop; retired Clackamas County judge Ray Bagley; former West Linn City Councilor and past executive director of Clackamas Women’s Services Michele Eberle and former North Clackamas schools superintendent Ron Naso. Former Albany, Oregon Chief of Police Joe Simon served as a paid consultant to facilitate the review and work with the committee. For more information please contact Timothy Heider, Clackamas County Public Affairs Coordinator, at (503) 742-5911 or theider@co.clackamas.or.us. [Full article here]

Slain: Kathleen Hoffmeister

CLACKAMAS SHERIFF PROMISES ZERO TOLERANCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The Oregonian
Rick Bella
January 11, 2011
[Excerpts] The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office should adopt a "zero-tolerance policy" toward domestic violence and step up supervisors' training in human relations and dealing with the mentally ill. Those are among the recommendations of a task force appointed by the county commissioners to look at the sheriff's hiring, training and disciplinary procedures... The commissioners launched the task after an off-duty sheriff's sergeant shot and killed his estranged wife, two of her friends and then himself last year. The sergeant, Jeffrey A. Grahn, earlier had been the subject of a domestic violence complaint against him, but the subsequent investigation was inconclusive and Grahn was not charged or disciplined. It remains an open question, however, whether Grahn's killing rampage would have been prevented even if he had been prosecuted, fired or disciplined. But the commissioners were looking for ways to identify "red flags" that might warn that an employee was teetering on the emotional edge. At the same time, the commissioners also were concerned about a million-dollar settlement in a federal lawsuit stemming from an officer-involved shooting, as well as several criminal prosecutions against sheriff's deputies. "The underlying reason for this committee being appointed was some very egregious incidents involving members of the sheriff's department," said task force chairwoman Judie Hammerstad, former Lake Oswego mayor and Clackamas County commissioner. "But the committee is encouraged that the sheriff has expressed a willingness to address them." Also Tuesday, Sheriff Craig Roberts announced that he had issued an order imposing a zero-tolerance policy toward domestic violence. The order states that all complaints against sheriff's office employees will be taken seriously and promises that separate criminal and internal administrative investigations will be launched... [Full article here]

Slain: Victoria Schulmerich

CLACKAMAS COUNTY PANEL PAINTS DIM VIEW OF SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Willamette Week Newspaper
by Nigel Jaquiss
January 13th, 2011
The “Best Practices” report delivered earlier this week to Clackamas County commissioners on the county’s troubled Sheriff’s Office runs to 93 pages —a nd is well worth reading for anybody interested in why Clackamas County deputies have been in the news for committing crimes so often. But if there are two points that capture the good old boys network in the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, they are these: “The system as currently structured does not appear to recognize the value of education,” says the report, written by a panel headed by former Lake Oswego Mayor Judie Hammerstad. Second, the agency’s ability to monitor problem deputies is, to put it generously, ineffective... The panel found CCSO’s internal affairs operation, in addition to not being able to access the information it has, is woefully understaffed. Just one person handles oversight of a 450-person agency... In an agency run by a sheriff whose biggest campaign contributor is the deputies’ union, an obvious question is whether the union’s power contributes to lax hiring standards, ineffective disciplinary oversight, and myriad other shortcomings the panel identified... [Full article here]


REGARDING THE REPORT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONLINE
http://www.clackamas.us/bestpractices/

TO: gschmidt@co.clackamas.or.us
DATE: Fri, Jan 14, 2011 at 2:37 AM
SUBJECT: Can't access file regarding internal policy for domestic violence...

Dear Mr. Schmidt,
The link to the January 11, 2011 Advisory Committee report to the Board of County Commissioners doesn't work for me. I get a message that the file is damaged. Is there a possibility that you can attach a copy to this email and send it to me? I would really like to read it...
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities lethal murder liability accountability lawsuit]

[OR] Charlotte murdered for trying to leave Sgt. Grahn, her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister murdered for supporting her, and friend Vickie Schulmerich - in critical condition

Whisper prayers.

Hopefully there will be things for us to learn from these stolen and crushed lives,

but now is not the time.

...[Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant Jeffrey] Grahn shot and killed his wife, Charlotte, and her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister. He also severely injured Victoria Schulmerich, who is being treated at OHSU Hospital, before killing himself... ...[Walter] Trapp said his sister, Charlotte, was frightened of her husband but afraid to report him to police, both for fear of how he would react and because she didn't want him to lose his job... "She's probably the most caring, beautiful person I've ever met," her friend Sheila Meyer said. "She was determined to live happy, live life to its fullest, to have a positive impact on her friends"... The Grahns filed for divorce last year but, according to [Grahn's uncle, Bob] Yungeberg, removed it from the court system. "They had their problems, and we thought [the problems] had pretty much gone away because they had stopped the divorce proceedings"...

NEWS EXCERPTS FROM TODAY:

CHARLOTTE GRAHN EXPRESSED FEAR BEFORE MURDER-SUICIDE, RELATIVE SAYS
The Oregonian
By Rick Bella
February 15, 2010, 8:37PM
[Excerpts] Six days before Clackamas County sheriff's Sgt. Jeffrey A. Grahn went on a shooting rampage that left three dead, he barged in uninvited at his in-laws' 60th wedding anniversary party. "He came right up to me, within inches of my face and he said, 'I understand you have issues with me,'" said brother-in-law Walter Trapp. "He wanted to talk to me, and I said no." Trapp said his sister, Charlotte, was frightened of her husband but afraid to report him to police, both for fear of how he would react and because she didn't want him to lose his job... According to Clackamas County records, no domestic violence calls were made from the home, and there were no restraining orders recorded against either of them. "They were seeing a counselor," said Detective Jim Strovink, Clackamas County sheriff's spokesman. "But how was that working out? Well, not very well, as you can see"... not all [Jeffrey Grahn's] colleagues had a high opinion of Grahn. A former co-worker, Lancer L. Meharry, told The Oregonian that Grahn was a control freak who had little patience for advice from more experienced deputies. Meharry of Canby, a retired sheriff's deputy, said Grahn "ruthlessly" rode senior deputies until they quit or retired. "How, you might ask, do I know and speak of these things?" Meharry said. "Well, after 35 years as a Clackamas County deputy sheriff, my last sergeant was Jeff Grahn. I bore the brunt of his ruthless behavior"... [Full article here]

Victoria Schulmerich

NEW DETAILS REVEALED IN GRESHAM MURDER-SUICIDE
KPTV
February 15, 2010
[Excerpts] New information from police revealed an off-duty deputy fired his gun both inside and outside a Gresham restaurant in a murder-suicide that left three people dead and one woman injured... Police said the motive behind the shooting was domestic violence. Grahn did not use his service gun to kill the women, detectives said. Three days after the shooting, flowers and notes remained on the sidewalk on Main Street on Monday as a sign of remembrance for the victims... Police said surveillance video from the night of the shooting will not be released. [Full article here]

Kathleen Hoffmeister

NEWS EXCERPTS FROM THE 14TH:

FAMILIES, FRIENDS OF THREE WOMEN SHOT BY OFF-DUTY OFFICER WONDER HOW HE COULD DO SOMETHING SO AWFUL
The Oregonian
By Brad Schmidt
February 14, 2010, 9:35PM
[Excerpts] ...[Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant Jeffrey] Grahn shot and killed his wife, Charlotte, and her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister. He also severely injured Victoria Schulmerich, who is being treated at OHSU Hospital, before killing himself... Charlotte Grahn worked hard at her marriage for years but recently had decided to make herself happy, her friend Sheila Meyer said. Jeffrey Grahn, 46, changed his mind about the divorce and tried to win his wife back, but it was too late... Charlotte Grahn worked as a personal banker at Chase... "She's probably the most caring, beautiful person I've ever met... She was determined to live happy, live life to its fullest, (to) have a positive impact on her friends." Walter Trapp described his sister -- the youngest of six siblings -- as a caring soccer mom who lived for her children. "She was too kind to a fault," he said... Kathleen "Katie" Hoffmeister, 53, raised two children with her husband, Jay. The family enjoyed tailgating at Oregon State football games and took annual trips to Honeyman State Park near Florence. She worked at Northwest Crane Service in Portland. "He killed my friend, and she didn't do anything. Today I placed a rosary on her and touched her hair. And I'll never see her again because of him," said Patrick Keep, owner of the Northwest Crane Service. Hoffmeister grew up in Mount Vernon, Wash., and became an integral part of her husband's boisterous family. She was fun to be around, but also serious and giving, said Mark Hoffmeister, her brother-in-law... Victoria "Vickie" Schulmerich, 53, remains at OHSU Hospital in a coma, according to her family. She and her husband, Scott, married in 1979 and have three children. She works as a teacher's assistant with the Multnomah Education Service District. Connie Schulmerich described her sister-in-law as a "wonderful, strong, loving person." Connie Schulmerich said she is concerned that Jeffrey Grahn has been portrayed as an otherwise good guy... "He hunted people down," she said. "He assassinated people." Witnesses say Friday's shooting happened after the on-stage band, Marquee, had wrapped up Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe"... Oregonian reporters Lisa Grace Lednice, Tom Hallman and Jeff Manning, and news researcher Lynne Palombo contributed to this report. [Full article here]

Charlotte Grahn

VICTIMS, SUSPECT IDENTIFIED IN M&M RESTAURANT
Second victim dies in incident; gunman identified as Clackamas County sheriff's sergeant
The Gresham Outlook
Feb 13, 2010
[Excerpts] Gresham police continue to investigate Friday night’s shooting at the M&M Restaurant in downtown Gresham during which a sergeant with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office shot and killed his wife and another woman and critically wounded another before turning the gun on himself. The shooting, which police say was a domestic dispute, occurred at about 9:30 p.m. Feb. 12 when Jeffrey Grahn, 46, of Boring shot his wife and two women with whom she was socializing inside the restaurant at 137 N. Main Ave. Grahn and Kathleen Hoffmeister, 53, of Gresham both died at the scene. Grahn’s wife, Charlotte Grahn, 47, of Boring died Saturday afternoon at Emanuel Hospital. The third victim, Victoria Schulmerich, 53, of Gresham, was listed in critical condition at Oregon Health & Science University... “Domestic violence is hard to predict,” [Gresham Police Captain Tim] Gerkman said, adding that the two women with Charlotte Grahn were caught “in the middle of a tragedy.”... Also on Saturday, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement extending condolences to the families of all the victims. “This heartbreaking event has resulted in multiple victims. Our devoted members of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office wish to express and extend their sincere condolences to all the victim families involved that have received the blazing brunt of this heartbreaking event,” the statement said. Anyone with any information is encouraged to call Gresham police at 503-618-2719. [Full article here]

CLACKAMAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S SERGEANT IN DOMESTIC MURDER-SUICIDE IN GRESHAM
The Portland Tribune,
Feb 13, 2010
[Excerpts] A restaurant shooting in Gresham Friday night has been revealed to be a domestic violence incident involving a veteran Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant who lived in Boring... Upon arrival Police found four victims of gunshot wounds... Gresham Police say that all four were acquainted with each other, and brand the incident a case of domestic violence, primarily between the Grahns. Officers are still investigating the circumstances of the tragedy, and do not yet know if the other two victims were intentionally targeted or simply got in the way when gunfire broke out. [Full article here]

FAMILY "DEVASTATED" BY MURDER-SUICIDE
Uncle of shooter says family thought domestic problems were over
The Outlook Online
By Janie Nafsinger
Feb 13, 2010
Updated Feb 14, 2010
[Excerpts] The uncle of Jeffrey Grahn, a Clackamas County Sheriff's deputy who shot himself and three other women in a murder-suicide, says the family is "devastated" by the killing. Contacted Sunday at the Grahn family home in Boring, Grahn's uncle, Bob Yungeberg, said, "The family is just devastated. They're dealing with the funeral home now, and that's a major shock to them."... "This was a typical family," Yungsberg said. "The kids were heavily into sports." The family included three sons and a daughter, some from a previous marriage, with the youngest still in public schools. The Grahns filed for divorce last year but, according to Yungeberg, removed it from the court system. "They had their problems, and we thought [the problems] had pretty much gone away because they had stopped the divorce proceedings," said Yungesberg... [Full article here]

VETERAN COP REVEALED AS GUNMAN IN MURDER/SUICIDE
Salem-News.com
Tim King Salem-News.com
Feb-14-2010 00:46
[Excerpts] ...A blog called glocktalk.com which appears to be frequented by members of law enforcement, has inside information going back and forth over this one. A post from the moderator reads, "Sadly, the comment boards in the local media are blowing up with rants by cop haters. Just a reminder to take care of yourselves and each other both on and off the job." The incident rings of similar tragic stories involving American combat veterans, who often 'snap' for a lack of better terms, and turn violent toward others, and even more often, toward themselves. These cases are generally related to a common condition among seasoned combat vets, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Anyone who doesn't think police and fire and ambulance personnel don't deal with this in huge ways, needs to reconsider their opinion. Nobody will ever know what was going through this man's mind in the last moments of his life, but the incident is proof that police sometimes need more frequent intervention and treatment from mental health professionals, and whether it is emergency services or military, these individuals should always be able to seek help without putting their careers at risk... [Full article here]

BACK ANOTHER DAY, NEWS EXCERPTS FROM THE 13TH:

CLACKAMAS COUNTY SERGEANT SHOOTS 2 WOMEN, HIS WIFE, THEN HIMSELF
The Oregonian
Lisa Grace Lednicer, Allan Brettman
February 13, 2010
[Excerpts] M&M Restaurant and Lounge in Gresham was closed Saturday following Friday night's fatal shooting of three women by a Clackamas County sheriff's sergeant. The Clackamas County sheriff's sergeant who shot and killed himself and his wife Friday night had filed for divorce last August, but neighbors said the couple were still living together and appeared to be on good terms... Dean Phelps and Steve Bates, who live on either side of the Grahns, said the couple often had neighborhood barbecues. "They weren't people who stayed to themselves," Phelps said. "They were good people. And they did a lot of things together as a family." Phelps said he knew the Grahns had filed for divorce and that they had seen a marriage counselor. He said he didn't talk to the couple about that aspect of their life... Charlotte Grahn often stopped by the Phelps home. "We'd have a knock on the back door," he said, "and it'd be Charlotte seeing what we were up to." The couple had planned a trip together to Las Vegas for their daughter's 21st birthday, Phelps said, which they'd done for their eldest son when he turned 21. Phelps said he viewed the trip as an indication the couple would reconcile. "We hoped they'd get through this," he said. [Full article here]

SHERIFF'S SHOOTING RAMPAGE SPARKS DAMAGE CONTROL
KATU News
By Meghan Kalkstein, Adam Ghassemi
Story Published: Feb 13, 2010 at 8:24 PM PST
Story Updated: Feb 13, 2010 at 10:06 PM PST
[Excerpts] ..."The message we want to say is this is a safe downtown," said Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis... [Full article here]

FOURTH VICTIM OF GRESHAM SHOOTING REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION
KGW.com
February 14, 2010 at 12:13 PM
[Excerpts] Victoria Schulmerich, 53, of Gresham, remained in critical condition at OHSU Sunday after she was shot along with three other women in a double-murder suicide by a 15-year veteran of the Clackamas County sheriff's office... Gresham police captain Tim Gerkman said Saturday evening that the shooting should reflect on the safety of day-to-day life in downtown Gresham. Unfortunately, this episode of domestic violence came out of the house into a random location, he said. Downtown businessman Cody Clark described the shooting as devestating and out of character with the "normal reputation" of the city... Numerous witnesses inside the club were put on a Tri-Met bus and taken to the police department for interviews... [Full article here]

EXCERPTS FROM NEWS ARTICLE COMMENTS:

...I know all the families involved. Where Jeff was a bit arrogant he never showed this side of him. He snapped and the reason why we probably will never know. But out of respect for the families, out of respect for those who lost their lives we need to quit speculating like we have the answers...

...I knew Charlotte, and what Jeff did is unbelievable. The police department needs to have a system in place to help prevent these situations from happening. Charlotte was scared for her life for some time and because her husband was a police officer she felt she could not get help or protection. As a result not only did her children lose their parents but another family lost their mother. This could have been prevented! My prayers go out to the families of the tragedy....

...I know Vicki, who is still in critical condition. She is awesome! I think our energy and efforts need to focus on those still fighting for their lives and less on the man responsible! What he was before this shooting really doesn't matter anymore...

...Please contact KATU News at (503) 231-4264 if you would like to speak to us from your perspective. The reporter on this story is hoping to put a voice to what may be Charlotte's side of this heart-wrenching story...

...Jeff grahn was my uncle. He wasn't crazy.. He was kind hearted sweet guy. Yes he has some things in his life going on...

...I care not one little bit if he was a great mentor, super driver, and has done lots of great things in the LE world. He made the decision to become a miltiple murderer and should not be praised in the least for anything he ever did. His final decision trumps everything he did in the past...

...It's very hard on my Grandparents and moth[er], and his kids. Loosing a son, a brother, a mother,a sister, and a father. It's hard on me, Losing an Aunt and an Uncle. I love them dearly, And the support of all of those, means everything to my family...

...Jeff was my first EVOC instructor, and took me under his wing when I was first off of FTEP. At one time, he was a GREAT cop. What happened last night is so far out of character for him, I was disbelieving of the first reports I heard. The Jeff that I know, wasn't in that restaurant last night, I have no idea what happened to him, but he wasn't there. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those poor women, and Jeff's kids. This has to be a nightmare for them.

[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities murder suicide oregon state fear terror tragedy double murder sucide]

[OR] Clackamas County Sheriff Roberts: Agency employees will be held to the standards of the law.

CLACKAMAS SHERIFF REAFFIRMS ORDER AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE; PLEDGES TO IMPROVE HIRING, TRAINING, DISCIPLINE
The Oregonian
By Rick Bella
January 21, 2011, 6:30 AM
[Excerpts] Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts already has checked the first recommendation off the list. When a county task force submitted its recommendations for improving the sheriff's hiring, training and disciplinary practices, Roberts immediately issued an order reaffirming a "zero-tolerance" policy toward domestic violence by deputies. Roberts said he already had been working on the order, which spells out a protocol for handling complaints against employees. "It clearly states that agency employees will be held to the standards of the law," Roberts said. "Domestic violence will not be tolerated." Domestic violence spurred the county commissioners to appoint the task force. Last year [Feb. 12, 2010], an off-duty sheriff's sergeant went on a shooting rampage, killing his estranged wife [Charolette Grahn], two of her friends [Kathleen Hoffmeister and Victoria Schulmerich] and then himself. The sergeant, Jeffrey A. Grahn, earlier had been investigated after authorities received a domestic violence complaint. No charges or internal disciplinary measures were filed when the investigation failed to turn up solid evidence. It is not known whether prosecuting or disciplining Grahn could have prevented the killings. However, the commissioners hoped the sheriff's office would adopt systems to detect early warning signs and prevent future problems... Other recommendations... Establish higher education requirements for entry positions and promotions... Clarify probationary language and align with contract language... Ensure regular ethics policy review and training... Clarify the role of sergeants... Conduct a job-task analysis for all positions and develop associated job descriptions... Develop a new performance-evaluation system by July 2011... Develop policies for evaluating physical and psychological fitness for duty... Provide human-relations training for supervisors and managers... Develop an early intervention system... Attain state accreditation... Increase staffing for internal investigations and report directly to the sheriff... Improve the database of complaints... Inform the district attorney's office of any criminal misconduct complaints against employees... [Full article here]

PREVIOUS POSTS:

• [OR] Charlotte murdered for trying to leave Sgt. Grahn, her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister murdered for supporting her, and friend Vickie Schulmerich - in critical condition - ...[Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant Jeffrey] Grahn shot and killed his wife, Charlotte, and her friend Kathleen Hoffmeister. He also severely injured Victoria Schulmerich, who is being treated at OHSU Hospital, before killing himself... ...[Walter] Trapp said his sister, Charlotte, was frightened of her husband but afraid to report him to police...
• [OR] Charlotte's relatives say they tried to report Sgt. Grahn & Sheriff Roberts says he feels sick, angry, betrayed - ...Relatives of Charlotte Grahn – who was shot by her husband, [Clackamas County Sheriff's Sergeant] Jeffrey Grahn\ – say she had feared her husband in the past and relatives had attempted to report his previous threatening behavior. If these statements are accurate, then the investigation into these shootings should include an examination of whether official reports about Grahn’s conduct were made, and whether police agencies responded appropriately to allegations against a fellow officer...
  
• [OR] The sad time came to let Vickie go - A Gresham woman quietly lost her fight for life Thursday, nearly two weeks after she was gunned down by an off-duty sheriff's sergeant in a triple murder-suicide at a Gresham lounge. Victoria "Vickie" Schulmerich died at OHSU Hospital in Portland...
• [OR] Truth and Accountability: Sheriff's Sgt. Grahn's domestic triple-murder suicide case not over yet - ...Kathleen Hoffmeister was one of the three women Grahn killed, and her husband, Jay, believes more could have been done to prevent such a tragedy... [Jay Hoffmeister] will seek compensation, contending that Clackamas County failed to rein in an out-of-control employee...
• [OR] After Sheriff's Sgt. Grahn's triple-murder suicide a zero-tolerance domestic violence policy is put into place - A task force has recommended a zero tolerance internal policy for the Clackamas County sheriff's office on domestic violence...
  

[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities lethal murder liability accountability lawsuit]

[OR] The sad time came to let Vickie go

Victoria "Vickie" Schulmerich

Victoria Schulmerich, victim in Gresham shooting, succumbs to injuries
The Oregonian
By Rick Bella
February 25, 2010, 9:15PM
[Excerpts] A Gresham woman quietly lost her fight for life Thursday, nearly two weeks after she was gunned down by an off-duty sheriff's sergeant in a triple murder-suicide at a Gresham lounge. Victoria "Vickie" Schulmerich died at OHSU Hospital in Portland, where she had been in intensive care since Feb. 12. She was 53.  Her death was the fourth fatality from a shooting rampage at Gresham's M&M Lounge & Restaurant. Schulmerich's father in-law, Ferd Schulmerich of Gresham, said family members agonized over whether to take her off life support, even after learning she would not recover. Schulmerich had been shot in the head and remained in a coma. "Finally, when they heard they could harvest her organs and help others, they came to agree," Ferd Schulmerich said. "It's so sad. She has been in the family for 31 years. She was a great daughter in-law." She and her husband, Scott, married in 1979 and have three children. She worked as a teacher's assistant with the Multnomah Education Service District... "First, my condolences go out to her family," [Clackamas County Sheriff Craig] Roberts said. "I also have to say Jeff's actions are like a kick in the stomach to us in law enforcement. The sadness and grief and pain his actions caused so many people is difficult to put into words. "My thoughts and prayers continue to be with her family - and all the families in this." Grahn, a 15-year sheriff's office veteran, was investigated in April 2009 after sheriff's deputies received information of possible domestic abuse... Charlotte M. "Char" Grahn, 47, of Boring and Kathleen "Katie" Hoffmeister, 53, of Gresham died of gunshot wounds (also)...[Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities murder suicide oregon state fear terror tragedy double murder sucide]