MCSO: A Walk Down Memory Lane

[Net-5]

Hi everyone:

In a continuation from the Kelly Butte BOEC thread, here are some old photos of the Multhomah County Sheriff's Office over the years. These are all copies that I obtained with permission from MCSO. Copyright status is unknown. If anybody objects to these on copyright (or other) grounds, please contact me via PM and I will remove them.

Also, only a few of these photos are radio related. So, I hope nobody minds me posting these here. I hope you all like 'em! Comments are welcome.

Part I:

Scientific Investigation Division (SID) vehicle. Photo taken in downtown Portland at the corner of the SW 5th & Salmon. May, 1963. At this time, SID was MCSO's version of CSI and crime lab, including the Bureau of Identification. Many years ago, MCSO dropped both these units and have relied on the Portland Police ID Division and the OSP Crime Lab to handle those duties since.

Rocky Butte Jail. The quarry that the prisoners worked in is behind the building pictured, with Rocky Butte itself in the background. I visited RBJ a few times before it was torn down. It was quite medieval looking in it's contstruction, and must have been a formidable sight to newer prisoners! All that remains now are parts of the road that led to the facility, near the I-205 bike path.

MCSO deputy stands guard at the Vanport flood.


-- More to come --

 

[Net-5]

Part 2:

1960's patrol car, I believe at Multnomah Falls (?)

1960's patrol car interior. Note the radio set-up.

Two members of the MCSO Posse, who also participated in search & rescue missions. September, 1955.


-- More coming! --

 

[Net-5]

Part 3:

Be on the lookout for this dangerous fugitive!!!

MCSO wanted poster. Check out the narrative describing the suspect, etc. Hilarous! The Kelly Butte Jail was the first sheriff's corrections facility in Multnomah County. In the beginning, none of the guards wore uniforms. Instead, they wore civilian clothes with badges pinned to them. Prisoners at Kelly Butte labored at the "rock pile" and the materials were used for county road projects. Later, RBJ replaced KBJ and also had it's own quarry - prisoners making bigger rocks into smaller ones.

 

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Part 4

Sheriff Pratt on covered wagon. Note the special "horsepower" provided by MCSO motors!

Ard Pratt, Sr. I believe this photo was taken in the 1940's (?). There are three generations of the Pratt family who served with MCSO.

At Jantzen Beach. Left to right: Sheriff Terry Schrunk, Arnie Travers and Ard Pratt, Sr. Terry Schrunk later went on to become Portland's mayor. Terry Schrunk's son, Michael Schrunk, is the present DA of Multnomah County and bears a very strong resemblance to his father.

 

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Part 5

Motors, probable but unconfirmed as MCSO. I tried to figure out if this location was in Portland but I could never find out for sure. Do any of you recognize the building in the background? It might still be standing someplace... lower east Burnside area??

I have some other old photos that I found at garage sales and antique stores over the years. They are professionally framed and sealed-up, so they don't lend themselves very well to scanning, etc. If I can get some more images up though, I'll do so.

Does anybody else have some old MCSO or PPB photos that they would consider sharing here? I'd love to see more stuff from the old days!


And finally, here is the last photo (below)... this was taken someplace inside the Rocky Butte Jail in 1973 and appears to be a civilian employee. He looks like quite an old-timer!! And I'd bet he had some stories to tell...

 

[KE7JFF]

I want to say that photo of the MCSO motor pool there is at now where the Chevron on West Burnside is. The only reason why I say that is that Chevron franchise was one of the original Standard Oil Company gas stations in Portland eons ago.

 

[Net-5]

I want to say that photo of the MCSO motor pool there is at now where the Chevron on West Burnside is. The only reason why I say that is that Chevron franchise was one of the original Standard Oil Company gas stations in Portland eons ago.

Say, that's a great point. I did not know about a connection between Chevron and Standard Oil, but it makes sense. Thanks!

 

[mikepdx]

Thanks for sharing the pix.

The 1914 wanted poster for the Kelly Butte escapee notes his Bertillion measurements for identification:

(below pix not MCSO, just an example of part of the process)

 

[KE7JFF]

Say, that's a great point. I did not know about a connection between Chevron and Standard Oil, but it makes sense. Thanks!

Well, its because Chevron is one of the companies that was formed after Standard was broken up.

These pictures are great! the one with the Bertillion measurements is funny; wonder if there is one with notes on phrenology...