Local News

DETECTIVE ROB HEYEN RETIRES FROM OKANOGAN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers

Jun 25, 2018

After 28 years of service with the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office Detective Rob Heyen retired from the Sheriff’s Office on June 21, 2018.

Rob started his law enforcement career back in 1987 with Chelan County. While working with Chelan County he worked as a Dispatcher, Corrections Deputy, Reserve Officer and was the Animal Control Officer for Chelan County as well as the City of Chelan.

In 1990 Rob tested for Chelan County and Okanogan County and was hired by Okanogan County on March 15, 1991, he has been a member of the Sheriff’s Office since then.

It would be impossible to list all of Rob’s successes and accomplishments he has had throughout his career. While working for the Sheriff’s Office, Rob has held a number of positions and been heavily involved within the Sheriff’s Office. Rob started out his career as a Deputy and then for years he was a designated Traffic Deputy, working traffic laws, DUIs and fatalities. Over his career Rob was an Emergency Vehicle Operator Course Instructor, Field Sobriety Test Instructor and the Special Response Team Sniper.

In 2012 Rob was moved into Detective where he worked until he retired. As a Detective he was involved in a multitude of cases and in his first year had to work a number of homicide cases. Rob is an excellent investigator and was able to bring quick closures to the cases he worked on. Rob has an excellent work ethic and truly cares about the victims he has worked with over the years.

It will be hard to replace Rob, especially with all of his years of knowledge and the leadership role he holds within the Sheriff’s Office. The one thing I can say is Rob is respected not only by those he works with but others from other law enforcement agencies and the community as a whole. We all wish Rob and his wife, Kecia, best of luck in retirement, they have earned this.

Me personally, I will miss his years of experience but also his wit and easy going attitude around the office. It’s more than a working relationship or friendship; it’s a bond that you can’t really explain. Rob and I have a lot of history working together and went through a lot of things together during the years we worked the streets. Those things can’t be explained, but those that have been a cop understand it. Simply put, Rob is a cop….and a damn good one. I will miss him!