Chief issues a warning to parents

By Terry Murry on Thursday, May 18th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

HERMISTON – Hermiston police have issued citations to five parents whose children were involved in a fight at Hodge Park near Hermiston High School at in which a student was severely beaten today (Thursday). Chief Jason Edmiston said that applying the failure to supervise a minor ordinance has been used in instances of graffiti and for very extreme cases.

“Today was a day where five (5) parents received citations for Failing to Supervise a Minor, due to the actions of their children involved in the felonious assault of another student,” Edmiston posted on the department’s Facebook page. “The absolute lack of respect displayed by each of these youths while here at the police department is a trend our officers are seeing more and more and could be a sign of how these children were raised. Fortunately, the Umatilla County Juvenile Department agreed to lodge two (2) males and two (2) females on charges of Assault in the Third Degree, based on their actions. Those charges are in addition to the citations issued to the children’s parents, as noted above.”

The ordinance for parents has been in place for more than 20 years. Edmiston fears that it will be applied more frequently in the future.

“It is not the job of the school system nor the police department to raise children with values and morals,” he wrote. “With summer knocking on the door, I fully anticipate our department to start utilizing this ordinance and citing more parents this summer.”