Jan. 22, 2008 — John Mineau is the new undersheriff of Lassen County and the sheriff’s department is close to being fully staffed for the first time in 17 years. At a department supervisors meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 16, Sheriff Steve Warren announced the appointment. Mineau replaces Undersheriff Si Bollinger, who retired effective Friday, Dec. 28 after almost 30 years with the department.

The sheriff said the department hasn’t had a full staff since July 1991. It’s been close and is close now. Warren said he is considering hiring new employees now that will bring all divisions to full staff.

Warren said he prefers to hire and promote from within the department.

He said Mineau will continue to run the department’s custody-services division as the division commander.

“Right now with all that we have going on operationally in all divisions, keeping him there is in the best interest of the sheriffs office,” Warren said.

Mineau started with the department on June 8, 1992, was promoted to sergeant in Nov. 1998. He took a job with Susanville Police in September 2003 as a lieutenant. He transferred back to the Sheriff’s department on Feb. 11, 2005, as one of three assistant sheriffs.

Warren also promoted Lieutenant Dean Growdon to assistant sheriff and assigned him as the operations commander over patrol, investigations, the SWAT team and the Narcotics Task Force.

Growdon started with the department in January of 1994 as a correctional officer at the county jail, promoted to deputy sheriff in November 1995, and became sergeant in May 1999.

Certificate of valor
He made lieutenant in July 2005, the year he received one of two Peace Officer Certificates of Valor awarded in the state for the role he played during the December shooting in Ravendale.

As SWAT commander, Growdon took the armored SWAT vehicle and put it directly in the line of fire so the suspect, Harold Teeters, then 49, formerly of Susanville, couldn't shoot at the hostages while officers were bringing them out.

Growdon cleared all the vehicles out of the way and left the armored SWAT car as the only vehicle in jeopardy.

Over time, Growdon began placing his men in point positions around the mobile home and even put himself in the position closest to the house and closest to the shooter. From this angle, Growdon could see the movement inside and position his men accordingly.

"Dean took another man out of that position and placed himself in jeopardy to prevent injury to his own guys," Warren said at the time.

Negotiations quickly began to deteriorate and Teeters told the negotiator he was going to shoot anything he could see.

Growdon saw Teeters at the window and saw his rifle pointed right at him. Growdon and his men fired six rounds hitting Teeters with three of those rounds.

Promotion
Warren promoted Growdon to assistant sheriff/commander on Monday, Jan. 7.

“I am currently in the promotional process to replace the lieutenant’s position in the community correctional facility,” Warren said.

He added Office of Emergency Services Chief Chip Jackson will remain the chief over all the OES operations and will serve as the assistant sheriff for the administration division of the sheriff’s office.

Warren also recognized the department’s employee of the year, Sherry Bennett, the departments community services officer for civil matters.

“She is very good at what she does,” Warren said. “She’s very upbeat; she’s very helpful with the public and she is always smiling.”

Bennett was surprised at the announcement, Warren said, because he told her she had to give a presentation on civil process paperwork at the supervisors meeting and she had no idea she was to be named employee of the year.