Lincoln City Police
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Lincoln City K-9 Assists OSP in Locating Missing Driver (Photo) - 03/28/24

On Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at approximately 2:30 PM Lincoln City Police K-9 Officer Nix and her handler, Officer Snidow, responded to the area of Mile Marker 17 on Highway 20 to help locate a missing driver.  The driver, an 81-year-old male, had driven off the embankment of Highway 20 in the area the night prior.  The crash was not discovered until approximately 2:00 PM by a passer-by.

Discovered inside the vehicle was an elderly female passenger who had suffered a head injury. She was subsequently transported by medical personnel to Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport.

When Officer Snidow and K-9 Nix arrived, they began searching the area.  K-9 Nix quickly located the driver, who walked away after the crash, approximately 100 yards from his car stuck in an area of dense blackberries.  The driver apparently had a medical episode, and was transported to the Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport.

This incident highlights the importance of the Police K-9 program available in Lincoln City.  As there were no other K-9 units available in the county, Lincoln City Police Officer Snidow and K-9 Nix were instrumental in locating the driver and ensuring he received medical care. The Lincoln City Police Department is grateful for the community support that allows us to run this beneficial program.

Submitted By:

Sergeant Torin Liden / Lieutenant Jeffrey Winn

Attached Media Files: Nix.jpg
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Lincoln County Police Agencies To Conduct Active Shooter Response Training (Photo) - 03/21/24

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Newport Police, Toledo Police, Oregon State Police, and Lincoln City Police will be conducting active shooter response training exercises March 26-28, 2024 to better prepare officers to respond to an active shooter type event should one occur in our cities. 

These training exercises will be taking place at the Newport Middle School and Taft High School campuses. We want to alert the public in hopes of minimizing any alarm or confusion that may occur when people see a large concentration of officers and police vehicles at the schools. The training exercise will be occurring during spring break when no students or staff will be present at the schools. Signs will be posted outside the school indicating that a training exercise is underway.

This training event is not open to the public and access to the school will be restricted while the training exercises are being conducted.  

Should you have questions or concerns, please contact Lincoln City Police Department Lieutenant Jeffrey Winn or Lieutenant Eric Henderson at 541-994-3636. 

Lincoln County law enforcement agencies would like to extend a big thank you to the Lincoln County School District for allowing the use of their buildings for this training exercise. The cooperation of all our emergency response agencies and our school district partners is crucial to helping keep the communities and citizens of Lincoln County safe. 

Submitted by:  Lieutenant Eric Henderson / Lieutenant Jeffrey Winn

Attached Media Files: Active_Shooter_Training_II.jpg
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Distracted Driving Enforcement Operations Planned During April (Photo) - 03/20/24

The month of April is designated as the National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Lincoln City Police Department will be utilizing traffic safety grant funds to conduct enhanced enforcement operations during the month. The Lincoln City Police Department will be joining law enforcement agencies across the state and nation in working together to enforce distracted driving laws in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and deter drivers from using their cell phones while driving. The enhanced enforcement operations will be conducted periodically throughout the month of April.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2021 there were 3,522 people killed and an estimated 362,415 people injured in traffic crashes involving distracted drivers. Distracted Driving is a dangerous behavior for drivers, passengers, and non-occupants alike, and is a leading cause of vehicle crashes on our nation’s roadways. Distracted driving is a specific type of inattention that occurs when drivers divert their attention from the task of driving to focus on other activities, such as using their phones. During the month, drivers will see increased patrol efforts with an emphasis on seeking out drivers who are distracted by talking or texting on their cell phones, or using other electronic devices while they are operating their vehicle. The goal of these enhanced enforcement efforts is to increase the safety of the citizens and visitors of Lincoln City. 

The Distracted Driving Enforcement grant funds are a valuable resource that assist us in improving the traffic safety in our community. Our objective is to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, and to reduce the number of distracted drivers on the roadways to prevent crashes that cause injuries and cost lives. These grant funds were made possible through the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Impact.

Submitted By: Lieutenant Jeffrey G. Winn

Attached Media Files: Distracted_Driving.jpg
Scam Alert -- Citizens Receiving Fraudulent Calls From Scammers Purporting To Be Police (Photo) - 03/13/24

The Lincoln City Police have received a number of complaints from citizens receiving a call from someone purporting to be a Lincoln City Police Officer demanding payment regarding an arrest warrant or impending court action. The caller tells the subject they will be arrested unless payment is made, generally through some payment method using gift cards or other payment venue. 

Please know the Lincoln City Police Department and other Law Enforcement agencies WILL NEVER call to notify someone they have an arrest warrant and will never ask for any type of payment for a warrant to be removed. These types of calls have become a common scam type call where the scammer is trying to get personal information or is trying to get money sent to them. If you receive a call like this, do not give out any personal information and do not send any funds. You should ask for the person's name and hang up, and then call to notify us on our non-emergency number (541) 994-3636.

The Lincoln City Police Department want to remind everyone to stay vigilant in keeping your personal information secure and to not send any callers any monies unless you have independently verified the situation.

Submitted by:  Lieutenant Jeffrey Winn

Two California Men Arrested in Connection with Organized Retail Theft from the Lincoln City Outlets - 03/08/24

On the afternoon of Saturday, March 2, 2024, the Lincoln City Police Department received a call from a concerned citizen regarding suspicious activity at the Lincoln City Outlets. The caller noticed several occupants of a minivan making multiple trips into the Lincoln City Outlets with empty retail bags and returning with full bags over a short period of time, as well as changing their own clothing between trips. Officers recognized this as being consistent with several recently reported instances of Organized Retail Theft with matching descriptions of the suspects involved.

Multiple Lincoln City Police Officers responded and began investigating. Inside the minivan, Officers located 45-year-old Joel Duarte Pena, and 46-year-old Juan Carlos Espejo, both of Los Angeles, California, and began speaking with the men, one of whom provided a false name. After being Mirandized, Duarte Pena attempted to flee the scene, running back into the Outlet Mall with an Officer in pursuit. An off-duty Hood River Sheriff’s Deputy assisted the Officer with taking Duarte Pena into custody, and both he and Espejo were transported and lodged at the Lincoln County Jail on numerous charges. Two suspects remain at large, but are not believed to be in the area.

In the following days, the Lincoln City Police Department seized and searched the minivan under a search warrant and recovered approximately $6000 of stolen retail merchandise. The investigation is ongoing and more charges are expected to follow.

The Lincoln City Police Department extends its gratitude to the Hood River Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. 

Additionally, and most importantly, we at the Lincoln City Police Department depend on the eyes and ears of the public to report suspicious activity. Property crimes affect the law-abiding public through increased costs for consumers, and can influence where businesses decide to locate. We rely on our partnership with the public to deter crime in our community, and appreciate the trust and support.

Attached Media Files: 0001_van.HEIC