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Every holiday season, we see a rise in drunk drivers and deadly crashes. More travel, bad weather, and drinking at holiday parties make the roads more dangerous. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office urges everyone to play it safe by planning ahead and making smart choices.

Alcohol-impaired driving is a serious problem that leads to deadly crashes, especially during the holidays. Between 2018 and 2022, nearly 5,000 people lost their lives in crashes involving alcohol during December. In December 2022 alone, 1,062 people died because of alcohol-impaired driving. 

"Driving is a privilege, not a right," says Chief Deputy of Law Enforcement Carey Kaer. "We want everyone in our community to enjoy a safe and happy holiday season, and that means making responsible choices—especially when it comes to drinking and driving. The consequences of impaired driving are serious, lasting, and can affect your life forever."

• Plan ahead if you plan to drink. Don’t wait until after drinking to figure out how to get home.
• Before drinking, arrange a safe ride—either a designated driver, taxi, or rideshare service.
• If you can’t drive, hand your keys to someone sober.
• If a friend has been drinking, take their keys and help them find a safe way home.

MCSO will be joining several other law enforcement agencies for Operation Sober Drive ‘25 from December 31 to January 5. The mission will be focused on enhancing safe driving behaviors and preventing serious or fatal crashes by concentrating on the Fatal-5 driving behaviors, which include Speed, Occupant Safety, Lane Usage, Impaired Driving, and Distracted Driving.

Let's work together to keep our roads safe and make sure everyone gets home for the holidays.

MCSO Green Hornets Training

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) rescued a lost, visually impaired hiker near Wahkeena Falls on Wednesday, November 27.

At approximately 5:30 p.m., MCSO responded to a 911 call from a man saying he was lost on a hiking trail near Wahkeena Falls. The man, who reported being visually impaired, said that he was using his cell phone’s flashlight to find his way, but was unable to see the trail markers. He also mentioned that he was hiking with alone. His wife, who he’d been hiking with, returned to the car.

One deputy located the man’s wife at the Multnomah Falls welcome center, while the second deputy contacted the man through text message. They advised him to stop moving and stay put until help arrived. Deputies were able to get his location using cell phone data.

At 6:55 p.m., a small team of deputies known as the Green Hornets deployed to locate the man. The MCSO Green Hornets consists of a team of highly trained deputies with extensive wilderness and search and rescue experience. The Green Hornets team reached the lost hiker at 7:45 p.m. He was not hurt, and they safely guided him back to the trailhead, where he was reunited with his wife. 

The Green Hornets team is a special team within the MCSO Search and Rescue operations. They are called upon to assist with quick, foot searches for missing or lost hikers, and they work alongside the larger Search and Rescue team when needed. Many of the deputies are backcountry trail runners and considered navigational experts.

MCSO is grateful for the quick thinking and teamwork of our deputies that led to the successful rescue of this hiker. 

If you are ever lost or in distress while hiking, remember to stay where you are and call 911 for help. Read more about our Search and Rescue program and the Ten Essentials, on our website. 

Watch a video about the Green Hornets, here.

Photo Description: MCSO Green Hornets training on Dog Mountain in 2022.