Rodney Clayton Brown 1946 - 2021

Rodney Clayton Brown passed away December 10, 2021, surrounded by his family.

Rodney was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Clayton and Betty Brown, joining an older sister, Sally. In the middle of Rodney’s third grade, the family moved to Independence, Oregon. Rodney attended the Central School District, graduating in 1964. He attended Oregon College of Education for one and a half years, with an emphasis on football.

In January 1966, Rodney enlisted in the Marine Corps. During the next six-plus years he served with the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 5th Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California, Marine Corps Base Twentynine Palms, California, and training schools at MCRD San Diego, California.

Rodney married Virginia Reynolds in 1969.

Just before Rodney’s enlistment ended, the Marine Corps offered training to assist in the transition to non-military life. Rodney attended training, in conjunction with the San Diego Police Department, completing certification by the California Commission on Peace Officers Standards Training.

Upon completing his enlistment, Rodney, Virginia, one son, and a second child on the way moved back, to Monmouth, Oregon. Rodney returned to college at Western Oregon, waiting for an opportunity to apply for a police officer position to become available.

He applied and was hired by the Salem Police Department. Rodney worked for Salem from 1972 to 1988, serving patrol, detectives, communications, personnel and training and drugs. Rodney worked through the ranks from patrolman, corporal, sergeant and lieutenant.

In 1988, Rodney accepted a position as Undersheriff of Polk County, serving that community for two years.

In 1990, Rodney was hired as Chief of Police for the city of McMinnville, Oregon. The next 10 years were spent raising the bar of professionalism and striving to put in place standards for accountability, becoming one of the first police agencies in the state of Oregon to become CALEA Accredited (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc), an international law enforcement accreditation agency.

Rodney retired in 2000 and began working on developing the Oregon Accreditation Alliance (OAA). His purpose was to provide an opportunity for smaller Oregon law enforcement agencies to increase their professionalism and accountability through an accreditation process more specific to Oregon.

Through all the years, Rodney continued his education, obtaining his master’s degree and his Doctorate (minus dissertation) in public policy.

Full retirement came in 2010, and time to enjoy family. Rodney is survived by his wife of 52 years, Virginia; children, Kathleen Ann Wallace and Rodney Allan Brown; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren, with a third due in January.

Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, January 9, 2022, at Baker Creek Community Church, with private interment at Fircrest, Monmouth. Service will be live-streamed. Refer to the Macy & Son website for address. To leave online condolences, please visit www.macyandson.com