Northwest native born in Longview, WA

1969           Clatskanie High School (volunteered for Marines before graduating)

1969-1977   United States Marine Corps; Staff Sergeant

Lance Corporal: March 1970

Corporal: November 1970

served Republic of Vietnam: 1970-1972

(Vietnam and Japan)

Sergeant: 1972

Color Guard Supervisor (Senior NCOIC of the NATTCL Color

Guard) Bicentennial Year: 1975-1977

1982-1994   U.S. Marine Corps Reserve; Gunnery Sergeant

Desert Shield and Desert Storm: 1990-1991

Crash Crew Supervisor (aviation fire rescue crew)

Navy Achievement Medal 1994

1978-1980   Columbia County Sheriff’s Office; Reserve Deputy

1980           Columbia County Sheriff’s Office; Corrections Officer

1980-1983   Columbia County Sheriff’s Office; Patrol

Patrol Deputy: 1980-1992

Marine Patrol

Deputy Medical Examiner: 1981-present

Extensive, continuing experience:  +100 autopsies attended

A founding Detective member of Columbia County Narcotics Team (CENT) dually assigned with Portland-based Regional Organized Crime & Narcotics (ROCN) task forces: 1998-1994 and 1992-1994 respectively

Criminal Detective: 1994-2000

Supervisor for Sheriff’s Posse and Search And Rescue (SAR):

1997-present

Temporary Patrol Sergeant: 1999

Lieutenant: 2000-present

Undersheriff: 2000-present

 

Trainings and Certifications highlights include but not limited to:

                  Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Police Officer

                  Patrol Interdiction Emergency Response

                  Incident Command Systems

                  Oregon Medicolegal Death Investigation

                  Homicide Investigations and Homicide Investigation Coursework

                  Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) Command College

                  CCSO Supervisory Academy

                  Senior Officials Workshop Terrorism

                  Defeating Terrorism

                  DPSST Supervision

                  Deputy Sheriffs Academy

                  Preservation and Processing of Evidence

                  DEA Basic Narcotics Course

                  The Counterdrug Managers’ Course

                  Command Communication

                  Child Abuse And Exploitation Investigative

                  Contemporary Trends In Adolescent Violence

                  Advanced Criminal Investigation #4

                  Radiological Emergency Response

                  Advanced Firearms Instructors Training Course

                  CORR Field Training Manual

                 

Affiliations:

_1981_        Clatskanie Presbyterian Church; Ruling Elder- Personnel Committee

                  Chairman

member since 1958

_1971_        VFW

                  Joined in Okinawa 1971

                  Joined Clatskanie post ~1992

_1969_        American Legion, Clatskanie Post

_1976_        NRA Life Member 

_2004_        Columbia County Friends of the NRA; Chairman

Over $70,000 raised for shooting sports (half of raised money stays in Oregon, half goes national; national funds support US Olympic Shooting Team, Women’s Education Services, etc.)  Funds are raised via their yearly banquet- silent and live auctions, raffles, games- money raised supports grant opportunities for Oregon clubs with local beneficiaries such as the Clatskanie Gun Club who used their grant for range improvement.

                 

Favorite food:  Japanese

Favorite drink:  tea; green and earl grey

Favorite book:  non-fiction; history

Hobbies:  photography, hanging out with his family

 

           Married 34 years to Setsuko, whom he met in Japan.  Gerry and Setsuko have one son, Michael, who followed his father’s steps and joined the Marines.  After 8 years of service, Michael is now attending college to become an electrical engineer.

Gerald “Gerry” T. Simmons