06/19/2009

Associated Press

Chief Rick Mendenhall says is leaving the Shady Cove Police Department this summer to spend more time with his children and grandchildren, and do a little more hunting and fishing.

Shady Cove police Sgt. Julie Denney will serve as the interim chief.

Mendenhall cites his involvement in the search efforts for the Kim and Higginbotham families as his most memorable experiences in police work. Both became lost in the forests of Southern Oregon,

The chief made headlines two years ago when he handcuffed a third-grade girl who had been caught stealing and drove her home from school in a police car. The request had been made by the girl's parents, who wanted her to know that actions have consequences.

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Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/