This should have been the summer of my 20 year high school reunion. The stuff that horror/comedy movies are made of. I had decided not to go before it was canceled due to lack of interest. Most of the people on the list I saw still lived in or around Logan. The good part for me is that Roxanne & Her family came to Oregon for a wedding and stayed one night. I’ve know Roxanne since the 5th grade (which is by anyone’s standard a long long time.) We took the Kelsey’s to the Crime Lab on their last day in town. Lets see if they grow up to be scientists now!

Paul had to go to the Seattle Crime Lab on Friday. Paul is setting up a post mortem toxicology lab for the Portland State Police.I took PTO to go up there. We stayed at the Chambered Nautilus in the University District. Armed with a very vague Seattle Map and a pile of Goolge Directions from random starting points I was loose on the town for the day. It seems like when ever I have the chance to be at Pikes Market it is always hours before it really opens. The Crumpet Shop doesn’t even open until 8 am.

I’ve had the house to myself a lot this week because Paul has been in prison. Bill Karelis from the Shambhala Prison Community was up to do a three day Shambhala Training Level One at the Oregon State Correctional Institution in Salem.

Prisons are very abstract to me. I’ve heard of them. I’ve seen them on TV. I don’t know anyone or have spent any amount of time with anyone who has actually done hard time.

pris·on

noun

A place for the confinement of persons in lawful detention, especially persons convicted of crimes.

A place or condition of confinement or forcible restraint.

A state of imprisonment or captivity.

[Middle English, from Old French, alteration (influenced by Old French pris, taken) of Latin prēnsiō, prēnsiōn-, a seizing, from *prehēnsiō, from prehēnsus, past participle of prehendere, to seize.]

One man was doing 7 years because he threw his car keys at the chest of a cop. He contested it in court and was found guilty. Oregon law has a minimum sentence if you contest and thats what he got.

Paul is doing job training tonight. He’s downtown in light armor picking up drug addicts. He is with Police Officers tonight. They find people who are visibly strung out and offer them food and cigarettes (and to not get arrested) in exchange for allowing the Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) to practice their tests. Paul is observing so he knows what the DRE officers are doing when he testifies after them in court.

Drug recognition tests are systematic and standardized examinations of persons suspected of drug impairment to determine: (1) whether the suspect actually is impaired; and if so, (2) Whether the impairment is drug- or medically-related; and if drugs, and (3) the broad category or combination of categories of drugs that is the likely cause of the observed impairment.

I stumbled upon the The Yuba City Police Department Website today. I was googling images and the photos of Yuba City’s most wanted came up. The pictures are not mug shots, though they contain more misery and suffering than I can imagine.

Paul is part of the Shambhala Prision community and is bringing meditation instruction and shambhala training to the Oregon Prisons. He toured two facilities in Salem a few weeks ago with Bill Karelis. Paul felt that the people he saw looked very normal and average.

When I left the house this morning there was a state police car in my drive way. You might think this would be a cause for concern. However, this is a mint green mini-van and Paul and the other new Forensic Scientists are car pooling to Salem for training.

Paul arranged for a special tour of the crime lab for my co-workers. We had a record turnout: Me, Debi, Larry M, Larry L, Rob & Monica, Beth, Flor, Michael, Jon, Manny, Ferry & Betty. Flor analyzed a check for fingerprints. This time we got to see the tank where they test fire bullets. These pictures were taken after the fact. The official trip photographer got distracted.