King City police officer is named an Oregon Everyday Hero

Ernie Happala helps solve an elder abuse case

By Barbara Sherman

The Regal Courier, Dec 26, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Barbara Sherman / Regal Courier

ONE OF 14 STATEWIDE WINNERS — King City police officer Ernie Happala displays the award he won for helping to solve a difficult elder abuse case.

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An Oregon Everyday Hero works right here in King City.

Police officer Ernie Happala recently was named one of Oregon's 2008 Everyday Heroes by the Governor's Commission on Senior Services, and he was honored in Salem along with 11 other individuals, a bank and a Portland fire station.

The commission created the heroes' campaign to raise awareness of elder abuse, increase reporting, reduce tolerance of elder abuse, and find ways to connect individuals and families to community resources.

At the ceremony, Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers said, "The Oregonians we are honoring today noticed something that was consistent with elder abuse, they did something about it, and their actions kept someone safe or minimized the harm that was done.

"They set an example for all of us of what needs to be done to keep Oregon seniors safe in their communities."

Janet Martin, who is a Washington County Adult Protective Services specialist, nominated Happala after he assisted her with a case of elder financial abuse last summer. Although the crime occurred in another jurisdiction, the police force there would not take a report because the victim lived in King City.

Martin lauded Happala for working with her to get the case referred for prosecution.

"This was a difficult case to investigate due to the victim's cognitive challenges, the alleged perpetrator's relationship to the victim and a great deal of resistance from the victim's bank in providing necessary documentation," Martin stated in her nomination.

"Office Happala never gave up and provided the legal assistance necessary to obtain the evidence needed," she added.

Martin said that Happala also helped her with another case involving an elderly individual.

"Officer Happala made regular welfare checks on the client and utilized creative methods to keep the client safe," she said. "… Officer Happala stands out as a professional… officer who is committed (to) the well-being of the community and truly embodies the value of high-quality service."

Happala originally worked as a police officer in Scappoose from 1989 to 1992, when he left law enforcement field to become a golf pro. His last golf job was as the pro and director of instruction at the Lake Oswego Golf Course, but when he learned it was going to close for three months, Happala decided to get back into law enforcement.

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