Marine Board Recognizes Impactful Lincoln County Deputy (Photo) - 08/14/26

The Oregon State Marine Board honored recently retired Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Marine Deputy Dion Blake during its quarterly board meeting held in Madras.

Over Deputy Blake’s 14-plus years with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, much of his time was dedicated to the Marine Patrol. Lincoln County’s waterways are complex and diverse, everything from saltwater bays to narrow freshwater rivers. Expert boat handling and knowledge are required, and Blake quickly mastered them. Blake served as a respected training instructor with the Marine Board’s Swift Water Rescue, Personal Watercraft, Drift, Jet, and Marine Law Enforcement Academy training schools. His boating skills, depth of knowledge, and calm demeanor were quickly recognized by others, and he became a mentor for many new marine officers.

Deputy Blake also maximized the use of Cadets, along with emerging mobile electronic boat examination reporting (eBER) technology, to create an exemplary and proactive abandoned derelict vessel program in Lincoln County. Blake, with help from Cadets, regularly visited local marinas and the Port of Newport to identify and document “vessels of concern.” Due to his efforts and follow-through in finding and contacting owners, Deputy Blake was able to build relationships and improve collaboration between boat owners, marinas, and ports in preventing numerous boats from becoming derelict or unseaworthy. Through strong collaboration with the Port of Newport, Blake was able to initiate and complete the boat seizure process to remove, dismantle, and dispose of numerous boats. The abandoned derelict boat partnership he developed in Lincoln County became a model for other Sheriff’s Offices throughout Oregon.

Blake’s eagerness to make every day count is underscored by his desire to help others, on and off duty. Deputy Blake once said after a full day on the water in training, “I take the motto of 'To protect and serve ' seriously. Every day someone is in need, and sometimes something as small as a kind word or smile can help build connection.”

One of Blake’s favorite career functions as a Marine Deputy was being able to go into grade and middle schools and participate in community events in the hopes of inspiring kids about boating and water safety. “It was so much fun sharing the boats, talking about safety aspects, and including active participation from the kids and members of the community in all of the demonstrations,” Blake says with a smile on his face and joy in his tone. “Our community and the support they provided was such a gift. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as seeing people out in the community putting to practice what they learned from you.”

During another occasion at one of the Marine Law Enforcement trainings, Blake approached Marine Board Chair Laura Jackson, who was participating in the on-water scenarios, and said, “What can I do to help you do your job on the Board?” Jackson had heard from several other current and past Board members that his question and commitment were sincere. Blake’s question was an invitation Chair Jackson accepted and led to thoughtful discussion and camaraderie.

Jackson said when presenting Deputy Blake with his challenge coin, “Thank you, Dion, for your service to the boaters of Oregon and for inspiring me in my role as a Board member. What an example you’ve set for so many.”

Learn more about the Marine Board, Oregon’s recreational boating agency, and its programs that serve boaters.

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