Oregon State Sheriff’s Association January 18, 2007 Table of Contents Part I: Overview Part II: OSSA Kim Family Search Review Part III: Fact Finding Details Part IV: Agency Compilation Timeline Part V: Attachments Team of Investigators: Agency Name Klamath Co Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Tim Evinger Marion Co Sheriff’s Office Sheriff R. Ramirez Oregon State Sheriff’s Assoc. Executive Director Dave Burright Jackson Co Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Rich Fogarty Douglas Co Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Hanlin Yamhill Co Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Runyon Jackson Co Sheriff’s Office Det. Sergeant Colin Fagan Klamath Co Sheriff’s Office Det. Sergeant Monty Holloway Marion Co Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Tim Steele Douglas Co Sheriff’s Office Investigator Dave Bartley Klamath Co Sheriff’s Office Detective Paul Johnson Clackamas Co Sheriff’s Office Detective Daniel Kraus Yamhill Co Sheriff’s Office Detective Todd Steele Douglas Co Sheriff’s Office Detective Jeff Wheaton Klamath Co Sheriff’s Office Investigator Sean Ferns Lincoln Co Sheriff’s Office Deputy Bruce McGuire Washington Co Sheriff’s Office Deputy Tygh Thompson Yamhill Co Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ron Wellborn PART I: OVERVIEW On Friday, November 17, 2006, James KIM, Kati KIM, and their children, Penelope KIM and Sabine KIM, left on what was to be a nine day road trip to Seattle, Washington and back. The family was expected to return to San Francisco on Monday, November 27, 2006. On Saturday, November 25, 2006, the family left Portland for the Gold Beach area. Late that evening they missed the main turnoff for Highway 42 leading to their destination. While following an alternate route, they became lost in a maze of backcountry roads. When both James KIM and Kati KIM did not show up for their commitments on Tuesday, November 28, 2006, friends became concerned for their safety. The KIMs were known to always keep in touch daily with their friends and co-workers either by phone or e-mail. On November 29, 2006, Charlene WRIGHT, a friend and employee of James Kim reported to the San Francisco Police Department that James KIM and his wife and two daughters were missing. The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) sought information regarding the missing San Francisco family. The SFPD investigation led to Portland Police Bureau issuing an “All Points Bulletin” (APB) on November 30, 2006. A search of western Oregon, the area of their last known whereabouts and one that spans nearly 17,000 square miles, began. On the afternoon of Monday, December 4, 2006, Kati KIM, Penelope and Sabine KIM were located alive in the wilderness of Josephine County, Oregon. On December 6, 2006, James KIM was located, deceased, in the wilderness of Josephine County, Oregon. On December 23, 2006, Detective Sergeant Ken SELIG of the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office issued a formal request with the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association for an independent fact finding inquiry into the KIM Family Search and the decisions and procedures implemented during that search. The Oregon State Sheriff’s Association then requested that Klamath County Sheriff Tim EVINGER, chair of the association’s Search and Rescue Advisory committee, lead the investigative review. On December 26, 2006, Klamath County Sheriff Tim EVINGER arranged a conference call with more than a dozen investigators from various Sheriff’s Offices across the state of Oregon. During this call, Sheriff Evinger tasked investigators with conducting interviews over the next several days and gathering facts to determine if, among other things, a reasonable standard of care was utilized by searchers, resources were used appropriately and if lessons could be learned to inform future SAR operations OSSA – Kim Family Search Review 1 of 23 PART II: OSSA KIM FAMILY SEARCH REVIEW On December 23, 2006, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office requested a peer review by the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) of their efforts in the search for James Kim and his family, who had become stranded on a forest road in the coast range mountains in late November of 2006. The review committee consisted of investigators and search managers from Sheriff’s Offices through out the state and was lead by Sheriff Tim Evinger of Klamath County. All of those involved in this review have extensive experience in criminal investigations and or search management (see attached list of investigators). The charge given this committee by Josephine County was to examine a number of issues including: • Command and Control • An accurate time line of events, any procedural errors or timeliness issues associated with the way Josephine County Search and Rescue performed their duties. Those issues will be made public and corrected to OSSA standards. The committee reviewed the mission reports and reports from a number of law enforcement agencies. Nearly 40 persons involved in the mission were interviewed. This included SAR volunteers, law enforcement officers, search managers, witnesses, reporters and technical specialists. PREFACE Oregon is a large State with vast areas that are sometimes seldom traveled. Most searches end in the missing persons being found within a few hours. When things do not go as “usual”, the outcome is often tragic, especially during winter months. Unfortunately, when a search does not end successfully, criticism usually follows. If the criticism is constructive, everyone stands to benefit. Search and Rescue Units in Oregon are generally under funded. Many units lack equipment and training required to complete their missions. There is certainly a need for dedicated funding and better coordination among units. State and local leaders must step up to the plate and address these issues. A Task Force was formed at the regional level in Southern Oregon immediately following the Kim search to form overhead teams of experts that are available to respond to searches anywhere within the region and assist each other on large-scale searches. The purpose of this investigation is not a finger pointing exercise. The purpose of this investigation is to clarify the events from the time the Kim family became lost and to offer suggestions for improvement. Governor Kulongoski ordered a similar review of State assets that were used in this search. The reports should complement each other. OSSA – Kim Family Search Review 2 of 23 A team of more than a dozen investigators and search experts from Sheriff’s Offices across the State interviewed private citizens, news agencies, investigators, volunteer search members and administrators who were involved in this search mission as well as reviewing search and rescue policy and procedures. These efforts should give an accurate overview of the entire event and will help fit the many lost until all family members were located as well as to review the actions taken by the many agencies involved in the search effort. The report should address things that worked, as well as lessons that we can learn from. The end result should be that all of us who were involved in the search to learn from the tragic pieces of the puzzle into a comprehensive finding of facts surrounding this case. Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) offers specific guidance on how search and rescue operations are to be organized. Several of those statutes are summarized in this preface in order that duties and responsibilities are clearly understood. Additionally, the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association (OSSA) has taken an active role in search and rescue operations at the State level. The OSSA has adopted minimum search and rescue requirements as well as establishing an Advisory Council that is responsible to establish minimum training; providing a training cadre; and reviewing search and rescue issues on a quarterly basis. ORS 401.560 directs that the Sheriff of each county have the responsibility for search and rescue operations unless delegated to the county Emergency Manager. Most Sheriff’s in Oregon maintain a search and rescue unit of their office that is primarily staffed with dedicated volunteers. Most Sheriff’s appoint a paid search and rescue coordinator to oversee the volunteers. As a rule, these volunteers are very dedicated citizens who selflessly donate their time, all hours of the day or night, often leaving their full time jobs to help those in need. These units are generally under funded and often no funding at all is dedicated to Search and Rescue units. Many units are non-profit organizations that rely on fund raising events to operate. Federal funds provided from the Secured Rural resources are now mostly depleted. Citizens of this State expect and deserve to rely on professionally and well-equipped search and rescue units to respond to these emergencies. Dedicated funding must be a priority for our leaders. On December 8, 2006 an After Action Review of the Kim search was held at the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue facility in accordance with ORS 401.576. That review summarized what went right and what went wrong with this search and recommendations were made for improvement. (See After Action Review-Josephine County) The State Office of Emergency Management has the statutory responsibility of coordinating search and rescue Operations State wide. While County’s have the duty to conduct search and rescue operations, the State has been charged with coordinating search and rescue functions of the Office of Emergency Management. The expectations spelled out in the statute may not be feasible with the staffing of that office. These responsibilities should be reviewed and OSSA – Kim Family Search Review 3 of 23 proposed legislative changes made if appropriate. The Sheriff of each County is required to adopt a search and rescue plan and to review that plan on an annual basis. The purpose of that plan is detailed in the enclosed Oregon Statutes. (See Attachment-ORS) The search and rescue plan is a guide that includes plans for coordinating resources, defines what constitutes a “search”, details volunteer resources available to Sheriff’s and very specific information on how searches are to be handled at the local level.