Coffee with Sheriff John Snaza September 28, 2022

Join us for Coffee 

with John Snaza

September 28, 2022

at 1:00 PM 

This is our quarterly 

"COFFEE with a COP"

meeting

Please feel free to ask John questions.

The "Coffee with a Cop" meetings usually last

1 - 1.5 hours.  

Held in the Senior Center of Rainier

108 Michigan Street S

Rainier, WA 98576

(360) 446-2258

Coffee with a Cop Wednesday, June 22nd!

 Join us for Coffee with a Cop Wednesday, June 22nd at 1 PM.  

Come & visit with Sheriff John Snaza!

Please feel free to bring your questions and concerns. 

Senior Center of Rainier

108 Michigan St S

Rainier, WA 98576

(360) 446-2258

Upcoming Events at the Senior Center of Rainier

 Dear Seniors & Friends,

BINGO Monday!  Come join us for the fun and pick your own prizes!  Reusable BINGO Cards are 3 for $1.00.  Use them over and over during BINGO.  

Later on, Mary Gumbo will be at the Senior Center to talk to us about healthcare at 1:00 PM.  She will arrive early, if anyone has healthcare questions they'd like to discuss with her privately.

Wednesday at 1:30 PM is the We Love Rainier WA meeting in the Senior Center dining room.  Please bring your thoughts and ideas for things you'd like to see happen in Rainier!

Next week, (Fourth Monday) will be our monthly Board Meeting.  It will be held in the dining room starting at 1:00 PM.

This coming Wednesday we'll have a "We Love Rainier WA" meeting at the Senior Center.  

Coffee with a Cop will be the following Wednesday at 1:00 PM in the Senior Center.

A lot is happening at the Senior Center.  The Fire Inspector (Mark), Tom Arnbrister, Mike Oravits, George and I met yesterday at the Senior Center to go over any changes, updates we need to make as an Emergency Shelter.  Per the recommendations, Tom is making arrangements to have our older fire extinguishers recharged.  (We have 2 new extinguishers, purchased at Costco last month)

Mark recommends a few updated to the Senior Center.  Smoke & CO2 detectors, recharge fire extinguishers and new Exit signs with battery back up emergency lights.  The Smoke and CO2 detectors and emergency exit signs have been ordered.  We will make arrangements to have the Exit signs installed.

George and I are retiring from Public Service as of May 31, 2022.  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you all over these last few years.  We have a great volunteer staff who'll be taking over the Senior Center.  We'll still be in for lunch and visit with everyone!  The people at the Senior Center of Rainier will always hold a special place in our hearts!  Thank you again!

Linda & George Johnson

Coffee with a Cop June 26th @ 10:30 AM

Thank you for coming to "Coffee with a Cop"

Wonderful turnout for "Coffee with a Cop." started out with 30 people and ended up with over 40. Thank you all for supporting our local sheriffs!

Captain Gordon Phillips has been a deputy for over 27 years.  He answered questions members of our community had about fences, weapons, mail theft, how to report a tip or situation in our neighborhoods.  

He fielded questions about standards for becoming a sheriff.  The standards are high, yet there are many jobs available for people who can't pass the physical to become a deputy.  

Sheriff John Snaza shared details about the Thurston County Sheriffs Department (TCSC).  Both John and Gordon started out as reserve deputies, which is done on a volunteer basis.  You can't tell a reserve officer from a regular, paid deputy.  This is a demanding, volunteer position, so it can be very demanding on family life to be a reserve officer while working a full time job to support your family. 

• The (TCSC) serves Rainier, Bucoda, Rochester and Tenino (after hours).  
• They respond to 1600 - 1700 calls in Rainier alone every year.  
• Rainier pays yearly for the service of 2 deputies.  
• Thurston County has the same number of sheriffs as they did in 1995.
• The population has increased by over 100,000 people since 1995.
• It takes on average 
• 11 minutes and 32 seconds for a sheriff to respond to an "in progress call."
• There are only 7 sheriffs on duty in the morning, only 8 during the middle of the day to cover all of Thurston County.  This is why response time isn't instantaneous.
• The (TCSC) refunds money not spent on the cities they serve.  This year Rochester will receive a refund of $12,000 and Rainier will receive $9,000.
• There are 11 Police Academy classes every year.  The TCSD has six people waiting to go to the academy.   It is hard to recruit new deputies.
• Deputies on the TCSD are volunteers in their communities.  They are ministers, coaches and do a lot of other community service work.
• Law enforcement officers are more trustworthy than clergy.  Only one half of one percent deviate from the high standards set by their departments.

The new jail for Thurston County is open.  It was full to capacity after the second month of operation.  They have 408 beds and need 120 more beds, because violent offenders and people with mental health problems have to be in cells by themselves.  About 50% of prisoners have mental health problems, while 70% of prisoners have a drug problem.

Overflow prisoners go to jails in other counties.  Each county has different training and standards.  Thurston County no longer sends prisoners to the Nisqually jail.  The Nisqually Reservation is a Sovereign Nation and they can't be sued, but Thurston County could be sued.  The TCSD is hoping to pay for more beds in their new jail with a bond.  

A special "Thank You" to Captain Gordon Phillips, Sheriff John Snaza and everyone who attended "Coffee with a Cop" today!  We will do this again, soon!

Coffee with a Cop February 5, 2018

Coffee with a Cop:  Members from the Thurston County Sheriff's department will be at the Rainier Senior Center on February 5, 2018 at 10:30 AM.  The public is welcome to come for a free cup of coffee and snack.  This questions you have about our local community.  Coffee with a Cop brings members of the Thurston County Sheriff's Department and the community members they serve together–over coffee–to discuss issues and learn more about each other. 

Pancakes for Snaza September 17th

Johns Snaza was is a motorcycle accident in Montana last week.  He was critically injured.
That being said, he is now upgraded to serious condition and he is expected to make a full recovery.  

John has facilitated "Coffee with a Cop" meetings in Rainier.  George and I. along with many other citizens in our area, admire and respect him.  We wish him a speedy recovery.  He and his family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Pancakes for the Sheriff will be held on Saturday, September 17th from 7 AM - 10 AM at
Mr. Doug's Restaurant in Yelm.  All donations will go to the Snaza Family Support Fund.

Please attend and show your support for John.  He's been here - serving us for a long time.