Hood River, Ore. – Recently, Sheriff Matt English, who was sworn in for his third term on January 6, was recognized as Oregon’s Sheriff of the Year by the Oregon State Sheriffs Association.
Active with the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) since he took office in 2013, Sheriff English has served the organization in a variety of capacities, including Secretary, Vice-President, and President. He has served on countless committees, worked with state lawmakers, and testified before the legislature; all with the goal of improving public safety in Hood River County and across the state.
“It’s humbling and an honor to be recognized”, said English. “I’ve always viewed my work with OSSA as a way to ensure Hood River County and our residents have a seat at the table. I believe strongly in the pay it forward mentality. Through the work and relationships we’ve built through OSSA in the last eight years, the return on investment to our community is immeasurable.”
During the December 7th awards ceremony, Lincoln County Sheriff Curtis Landers, who was the event’s emcee, stated “Sheriff English is a forward- and critical-thinking individual who exemplifies the professionalism that all elected sheriffs should display. For these reasons and more, Sheriff Matt English is most deserving of the Sheriff of the Year award for 2020.”
The work that Sheriff English has done with the OSSA over the years has brought tremendous benefit to the residents of Hood River County. It is also important, however, to acknowledge the “and more” alluded to above. A tireless leader within the community, Sheriff English works above and beyond to serve Hood River County.
In a prime example, the attached picture shows Sheriff English working with NW Natural to provide blankets and heaters to residents affected by the natural gas outage that occurred the week before Christmas 2020. While seemingly small, it is representative of the way that Sheriff English never places himself above even the simplest of tasks in service of the people of Hood River County.
Please join the team at the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office in congratulating Sheriff Matt English for receiving this much-deserved award that acknowledges his hard work in service to Hood River County and all of Oregon.