At last Thursday’s Grayland Neighborhood Watch meeting, Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office Chief Criminal Deputy Steve Shumate introduced two deputies that will be residing and patrolling on the South Beach soon.
According to Shumate, Deputy Sean McKechnie will start working locally this fall, with fellow deputy, Jordan Stullick, coming onboard near the end of the year. Both will reside on the South Beach.
While both have been with the Sheriff’s Office for close to a year, according to Shumate, “It takes a lot to get new deputies qualified for solo patrol. They train with us for three or four months before attending the four-month Basic Law Enforcement Academy, then each new deputy needs another three or four months of training with another seasoned officer on patrol before we turn them loose to patrol on their own.”
McKechnie graduated from the law enforcement academy last December, with Stullick completing his stint in February of this year.
Sean McKechnie
McKechnie started patrolling on his own April 15, and has actually responded to some calls on the South Beach.
McKechnie, 25, is a Puyallup native and graduated from high school there in 2008. He graduated from WSU in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. McKechnie is very familiar with Grays Harbor County. His uncle, Keith Foust, served with the GH Sheriff’s Office and headed up the agency’s Drug Task Force for several years.
McKechnie’s choice of GH Sheriff’s Office was also driven by a desire to “get away from the hustle and bustle of the Puyallup area. I’m really looking forward to serving a small community that affords me the opportunity to get to know community members better,” he said.
Jordan Stullick
Deputy Jordan Stullick began his first tour of solo duty two weeks ago.
A native Aberdonian, Stullick, 22, is the son of the owners of Stullick’s Jewelry in Aberdeen and a 2011 graduate of Weatherwax High School. Interested in law enforcement from a young age, He participated in the Aberdeen Police Department’s Explorer Program for five years while in junior high and high school.
Stullick attended the University of Washington/Tacoma and then completed his degree in criminal justice through Western Governors University in 2014.
Saying that he’s always liked living on Grays Harbor, “The County Sheriff’s Office was an easy choice for me. I’m excited and looking forward to serving the South Beach area,” he said.
