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Gold Hill's former police chief gets 20-day sentence By CHRIS BRISTOL His law-enforcement career in Oregon all but over, former Gold Hill police chief David Crawford was sentenced to 20 days in jail Thursday for roughing up a suspect and threatening an elderly couple during an off-duty traffic altercation. Jackson County Judge Ross Davis also ordered Crawford to undergo anger-management counseling and serve two years of probation. "Mr. Crawford, this is a very difficult time for you," Davis said. "It's a very difficult time for society ... Serve it well." Crawford has one week to report to jail and may be eligible for alternative sanctions such as work-release or home detention. If not, it remains unclear how much time he actually faces, because the jail operates under a court-ordered population cap and has to release inmates most weekdays to avoid overcrowding. The burly, 41-year-old officer was convicted of fourth-degree assault and harassment in June for kicking and manhandling dirt-biker Chris Brooks after a brief but bumpy chase Jan. 2 along the railroad tracks north of town. Brooks, 30, has since formally notified the city that he intends to sue for damages. Davis, the trial judge, also convicted Crawford of attempted coercion in connection with a road-rage episode three years ago. An elderly couple from Trail said Crawford, who was off duty at the time, cursed and threatened them after they slowed for deer on Highway 234. The Gold Hill City Council accepted Crawford's resignation days after his conviction. He was the only officer in Gold Hill, and sheriff's deputies have provided protection until the town hires a new police chief. At trial, Crawford argued he was the victim of petty politics in a town of 1,200 known for frequent recall elections and City Council shakeups. He became chief in 1997 after Katie Holmboe was fired for unrelated misconduct. In court Thursday, defense attorney Michael Jewett argued against jail time. He said his client lost his job -- possibly even his career -- and his standing in the community had suffered as well. "Maybe he's a cop and should be treated differently," Jewett said, "but it seems unnecessary to bang him" with jail time. But District Attorney Mark Huddleston, who handled the case personally, countered that Crawford violated the public trust and deserved to go to jail "as a message that this kind of conduct will not be tolerated." "We expect people who are sworn to enforce the law to uphold the law," he said. Crawford waived his right to make a statement in court and quickly left at the end of the proceeding without comment. The convictions almost certainly spell the end of Crawford's law-enforcement career in Oregon. Acting on a letter from Huddleston, the state agency that trains and certifies police officers recently began reviewing the case for revocation. The process could take six months or more, depending on whether Crawford demands a hearing. Dianne Middle, director of the Department of Public Safety and Standards Training, said the state automatically revokes certification for felonies and usually revokes for misdemeanors that involve abuse of authority. "We have to show a relation to being a police officer," she said, such as kicking a suspect and "things of that nature." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA