Sheriff Tom Bergin - endorser

Clatsop County Sheriff
Seaside, Oregon

It is wrong to provide special drivers licenses to people who cannot prove legal presence in the United States. For Oregon to do so, will only enhance the ability for criminal behavior, thus creating a larger risk to our citizens public safety.  The Sheriffs of Oregon urge you to oppose this measure.

(Salem, OR) — Oregon’s sheriffs have voted overwhelmingly to oppose measure 301, which provides "drivers cards" to people who cannot prove their legal presence in the united states.

"Offering the privilege to drive to people who are breaking the law makes no sense to those of us who enforce the law," said Clatsop County Sheriff Tom bBrgin. "It just doesn’t pass the ‘common sense’ test.

Oregon’s sheriffs urge voters to oppose measure 301."

In 2013 the Oregon legislature passed a bill creating "drivers cards" for people in Oregon who are unable to provide documentation that they are in the United States legally. The basis for the law was to allow this population the ability to obtain insurance and drive legally.

Thousands of signatures were gathered to refer the new law to a vote. Oregon voters will decide the fate of drivers cards in November, 2014.

The Sheriffs of Oregon political action committee (SOO-PAC) is the voice of Oegon’s 36 elected sheriffs.

Support from a super majority of sheriffs is required before SOO-PAC takes a position on a measure or supports a candidate for public office.

28 sheriffs voted to oppose drivers cards. The remaining eight sheriffs have not taken a public position on the measure to our knowledge.

 

Sheriff Tom Bergin started his Law Enforcement career as a Reserve Police Officer for the Seaside Police Department in 1985. Bergin was hired fulltime in December of 1986 with Seaside where he worked patrol until 1992.

Bergin went to work for the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office in February of 1992 hired as a patrol Deputy. Bergin started the first narcotic canine unit at the Sheriff’s Office and had 3 dogs over the years of service.

Promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1996, Bergin has primarily been involved with patrol and narcotics over the course of his career and ran the Inter-Agency Narcotics team for several years. While supervising the team, Clatsop County Inter-Agency Narcotics Team (CCINT) was awarded Narcotic Team of the year 2001 from WSIN (Western States Information Network) in Sacramento California.

Bergin was promoted to Chief Deputy in 2003 and while Chief he finished earning his Middle Management and Executive certifications that were precluded by his Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Supervisory. Bergin has over 2200 hours of training in Law Enforcement from DPSST and also attended Oregon State and Portland State Universities.

Bergin ran for and was elected to the Office of Sheriff and started in January of 2005. He ran unopposed for a second term and was then re-elected for a third term in 2013.

Bergin serves as the Oregon State representative to the 14 Western States Sheriff’s Association and also serves on several committees for OSSA. Sheriff Bergin was elected to the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association executive board as Secretary in 2009, Vice President in 2010, and President in 2011. Bergin was also named Sheriff of the Year in 2010 and is proud to serve as an elected Oregon Sheriff.

 

Additional Information:

Graduate of Oregon Sheriffs Command College

Graduate of Oregon Executive Development Institute

Graduate of Oregon State Sheriff’s Academy

Graduate of Incident Command School

Drug Task Force Supervisors School

Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association

Aerial Spotter School

Clandestine Lab site safety school

Fight Crime invest in Kids

Oregon Search and Rescue Certified

Deputy Medical Examiner

Hostage Negotiator

Certificate of Commendation from FBI for child abduction case

Oregon State Sheriff of the year 2010