Ron Ruecker will head the police department until Chief Bill Middleton returns from active military duty

New Sherwood interim police Chief Ron Ruecker recently retired from a 31-year career in law enforcement with the Oregon State Police, rising from the ranks of an officer in southern Oregon to Superintendent.

On his way up, he was commander of two of the state police's three bureaus, and spent seven years as deputy superintendent. He's first vice president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and next in line to head the group, which has gained him contacts around the world.

So what could be so challenging about a half-year stint in a community of 16,000 like Sherwood, where Ruecker was named interim chief in January? Quite a few things, he said, especially when those six months lead up to the town's budgeting process.

"I've got a lot to learn about municipal policing, it's a new system of budget and finance," he said. "I have lots of budget experience with the state police, but that doesn't necessarily transfer."

Certainly though, Ruecker's budget experience with the state police has taught him some tough lessons. He's was superintendent for seven years ending Dec. 1, 2006, a time when the state police struggled with a very limited budget.

Despite the learning curve involved with the new job, Ruecker said he's enjoying dealing with less bureaucracy and working more directly with people.

"At the local level there are much greater opportunities to have contact and relationships with the staff and with the community," he said. "In the state police, you do it through various layers in the chain of command, it's just a constant battle trying to stay in touch and communicate within the organization."

State police headquarters are in Salem, where Ruecker has been commuting for years, but he "won't need a road map" to get around the area. He live in Wilsonville, was raised in Milwaukie, and spent years stationed in the Portland metro area.

Ruecker said he had every intention of staying in law enforcement after his retirement from the state police, he just didn't expect to have such good timing. Current Chief Bill Middleton, a member of the Army Reserves, is currently on active duty. He was in Sherwood briefly in January after returning from Iraq, and is currently finishing his military stint stateside, working out of Washington D.C. but traveling, according to Sherwood Police Det. Sgt. Dwight Onchi. Onchi said Middleton will likely be finished around June, and intends to return to his position. Former interim Chief Tim Addelman, who had served since Middleton left, retired.

"He's definitely a plus for our department because of his wealth of experience," Onchi said of Ruecker.

Ruecker's position with the IACP not only gives him a list of contacts worldwide, but gives him the chance to influence law enforcement legislation. Members of the group advocate for "best practices in law enforcement," often lobbying and testifying before congress.

Ruecker was named interim chief at the Jan. 2 city council meeting.

"I'm as surprised to be in Sherwood as they are to see me here," he said, "but I'm very happy to be here and help in any way I can for as long as I'm needed."