Sheriff's deputies are promoted, touted

EPHRATA — The Grant County Sheriff's Office is starting off 2006 with a new detective and accolades.

Sergeant Tom Jones and Deputy Dean Hallatt were recently recognized by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. Jones and Hallatt have provided hundreds of hours of instruction throughout Washington.

Jones has served with the sheriff's office since June of 1997 and is currently assigned to the patrol division and supervises a team of patrol deputies. He is the lead Emergency Vehicle Operations instructor for the sheriff's office and the commission.

Hallatt has been with the sheriff's office since January of 2003. He is currently assigned as the training officer.

The sheriff's office also recently promoted Deputy Eric Talbot to the position of detective assigned to the Major Crimes Unit and hired Ryan Green of Ephrata to fill a void in the Patrol Division.

Talbot, with the department since October of 1998 and most recently assigned to the Special Operations Division with the sheriff's office, has also worked a number of years in the Patrol Division. Prior to joining the sheriff's office, he had two years of experience with the Royal City and Quincy police departments.

Talbot is a graduate of Ephrata High School and spent six years with the United States Marine Corp where he served as a military police officer and a Marine security guard. He lives in Ephrata with his wife Shelley and their six children.

Green most recently worked for the Ephrata Police Department where he was assigned as a detective. Additionally, Green served in the United States Air Force for four years. He lives in Ephrata with his wife Amanda and their four children.

— Staff report