On December 16, 2011, at the graduation of Basic Police Class number 327 at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) facility a capacity crowd watched as class awards were presented. The final award presented was the Victor G. Atiyeh Outstanding Student award. The award went to Officer Ryan Sisley of the Astoria Police Department. According to the DPSST website, the award is named in honor of the former distinguished governor of the state of Oregon, in whose term of office the current academy became a reality. This prestigious award is presented to the outstanding student of each basic class as selected by their fellow students and the academy staff. The student selected must display exceptional professionalism by demonstrating an exemplary attitude and outstanding achievement in leadership, academics, health & fitness and survival skills.

Officer Sisley is joined by at least two other previous recipients. Previous recipients include Officer Greg Walker honored in 1997 and Andrea Lewis in 1996. The department has had several officers who have won several other awards for top student in a particular area of study.

A previous release indicating that Officer Sisley was the first recipient was incorrect. DPSST records published on their website are incomplete. Astoria Police Department regrets the omission of other recipients of the award.

Original release related to the graduation and officers below.

On December 16th 2011 The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training will graduate Basic Police Class number 327.  This class includes two graduates from the Astoria Police Department. Officer Scott DeLapp and Officer Ryan Sisley will have completed 16 weeks of training including dozens of topics such as Oregon law, search and seizure, ethics, problem solving, survival skills, firearms, emergency vehicle operations, cultural diversity, elder abuse, drug recognition, DUII apprehension, and many others. During the training their knowledge and skills are tested in written tests, practical tests and scenarios. Officer Sisley, as the Class Leader will be a speaker at the graduation.

While their graduation from the Basic Police Academy is a large step at the beginning of their careers it is not the end of training for these two new officers. On Monday December 19th the Officers will be paired with a Field Training Officer. The Field Training Officer will act as a coach helping the officers to apply the new found knowledge in real world situations. Working under this close supervision for the following 13 weeks the officers will perform the work of police officers. They will then enter into an evaluation period where they will be shadowed by a police sergeant to determine if they are ready to work under looser supervision. The officers will also be required to attain 84 hours in training every three years as part of maintaining their certification as police officers.

Officer Scott DeLapp was born and raised in Salem, Oregon where he grew up working for a family construction business. After high school Officer DeLapp joined the Army National Guard for six years. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006-2007 as an infantry sergeant performing convoy operations. For the last 3 years he has worked as an Associate Pastor for a church in Turner, Oregon. He is married to Andrea DeLapp and they have one daughter.

Officer Ryan Sisley was born in Vancouver Washington, but has been a resident of Clatsop County for over 20 years. He is married to Lisa Sisley, his wife of nine years. Together they have two daughters. Officer Sisley's work experience has primarily been in the construction industry andhas spent the last nine years working for Diamond Heating. Officer Sisley has a 14 year military career in the Oregon Army National Guard and recently returned home from a year long deployment to Afghanistan, in which he served as Platoon Sergeant. He continues to serve as Platoon Sergeant in the 162nd Engineer Company out of Salem Oregon.

Officer's Sisley and DeLapp were both hired August 1, 2011 and sworn in that evening by Mayor Willis Van Dusen at a City Council Meeting.

Astoria Police can also be found at www.facebook.com/AstoriaPolice and on Twitter @AstoriaPD

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