PENDLETON – What Jerry Russell brings to the table may be what emergency officials most appreciate: Objectivity.

“I’m coming in pretty neutral on it,” Russell said Tuesday of his charge to evaluate the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.

Russell, a 26-year veteran of the Oregon State Police, will be Gov. John Kitzhaber’s eyes and ears until an independent evaluation of the CSEPP program is completed. It’s expected to take about 45 days, he said.

“My job is simply to report back to the superintendent (of state police),” Russell said.

The emergency alert system in Umatilla and Morrow counties has come under fire in the wake of a false alarm on Dec. 30. Emergency officials are currently selecting an independent agency to evaluate the program.

Late last month, the governor selected Russell to monitor the evaluation. Russell put his uniform away in July and got it out for his first day on the job Tuesday.

His job will include lots of meetings. Today he is meeting with Morrow County commissioners. Thursday he will meet with Col. Tom Woloszyn, commander of the Umatilla Chemical Depot.

Russell’s involvement comes in a round-about fashion. Oregon Emergency Management disperses federal funds to the county CSEPPs, and OEM is a division of the OSP.

In addition, the governor must approve the incinerator site being built at the depot before it can be used. It is now more than 77 percent complete and is scheduled to begin burning weapons by October 2001.

The Salem man admits he has little knowledge of depot and CSEPP issues, but he said that may help him form a more objective picture of the matter. And while chemical weapons and emergency plans aren’t at the top of his repertoire, dealing with the public is. He was a station commander in Medford and later headed OSP’s patrol division in Salem, positions that required lots of public interaction.

One point Russell stresses is his lack of authority.

“I am not in charge of anything,” he said. “I have no authority for CSEPP, I am simply here to monitor (the evaluation.)”