Rob Bovett:  Experience, Teamwork, and Solutions

Rob Bovett is an award-winning attorney who has been fighting to improve public safety in Lincoln County for over 15 years.

Holding Criminals Accountable

Rob has prosecuted hundreds of forfeiture cases against drug dealers and repeat drunk drivers in Lincoln County. Rob also prosecuted criminal cases as a Special Prosecutor in the 1990’s for Lincoln County District Attorney Dan Glode. That’s a lot of experience. But “experience” doesn’t say anything about skill or effectiveness. So here is what our judges said about Rob’s talents as a trial attorney back in the mid-1990’s:

• Rob’s “existing courtroom skills, coupled with his excellent ability to find and apply the law, makes Rob a potent advocate for Lincoln County." – Judge Robert J. Huckleberry
• “Mr. Bovett is in a class by himself at the top of the heap. His skills are not merely intellectual. He has shown an ability to relate well to others involved in the legal system and to demonstrate great professionalism.” – Judge Thomas O. Branford

Rob has taken on challenging and difficult cases that are important to the citizens of Lincoln
County, even in the face of fierce opposition. When the 11th largest corporation in America
tried to stop Lincoln County from developing a 21st century telecommunication system, Rob defended our rights and beat that corporate giant and its lawyers in the trial court, the court of appeals, and the supreme court. For this type of fearless pursuit of justice, Rob has received awards from the Oregon District Attorneys' Association, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association.

Proven Results

Rob is the author of our state’s landmark anti-meth laws, which have virtually eliminated meth labs in Oregon. Those laws are also being credited with reducing property crime in Oregon at a rate greater than anywhere else in our nation, and have become an international model. Mexico and Britain just adopted the Oregon solution created by Rob Bovett. Rob also helped write laws passed by Congress that have, for the first time in a decade, dramatically begun the process of reversing the meth epidemic that has devastated our nation. For this leadership, Rob received the Governor’s Gold Award for outstanding public service, the highest award given in the State of Oregon.

Work Experience

Assistant County Counsel, Lincoln County, 1992 to present
Legal Counsel, Lincoln Interagency Narcotics Team (LINT), 1992 to present
Legal Counsel, Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association, 2000 to present
Special Prosecutor, Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office, 1997-2000
Judicial Clerk, Clackamas County, 1989-1992
Law Clerk, Oregon Legislative Counsel, 1988-1989
Management and sales, Chief Auto Parts, 1981-1987

Lincoln County Meth Initiative

In 2000, Rob Bovett created the Lincoln County Meth Initiative, focusing on prevention, enforcement, and treatment:

• Rob initiated and obtained grants to ensure the continued existence of the Lincoln Interagency Narcotics Team (LINT), which helps take drug dealers out of our neighborhoods.
• Rob initiated and obtained grants to start and operate the Lincoln County Drug Court, which holds drug addicted offenders accountable and offers rehabilitation.
• Rob brought the Methamphetamine Awareness Project (MAP) to Lincoln County, which features films and TV commercials produced by Lincoln County students, as well as the first "No Meth Not Here" campaign sign created by the MAP students at Siletz Valley School.
• Rob initiated and obtained grants to start and operate the Lincoln County Drug Endangered Children Program, providing counseling, replacement clothing and personal items for the most tragic victims of our meth epidemic.
• Rob is the author of Oregon’s meth lab chemical control laws, which have nearly eliminated meth labs from the State of Oregon.  Rob also recently helped author federal laws to control meth ingredients on a national and international level.
• Rob has given over 350 presentations about meth and meth epidemic solutions.  Rob has also appeared on numerous programs and special reports about meth, such as Good Morning America, National Public Radio, KATU Town Hall, The Oregonian, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and PBS News Hour and FRONTLINE.

Other Law Enforcement Initiatives

• Rob is the administrator of the Lincoln County repeat drunk driver forfeiture program, which reduces recidivism by repeat drunk drivers by 50 percent.  That translates to saving lives and making our highways safer.  All other similar programs in Oregon have been cancelled due to budget shortfalls.  But Lincoln County's program was recently made county-wide.
• Rob has provided legislative counsel services for the Oregon State Sheriffs Association (OSSA) for over a decade.  Rob has drafted and successfully lobbied many pieces of legislation for the OSSA.

Task Forces and Coalitions

Rob has been appointed to serve on many task forces and coalitions, including:

• Governor’s Meth Task Force, January 2004 (inception) to December 2007 (conclusion) (Rob served as the Chair of the Drug Endangered Children Subcommittee)
• Oregon Medical Association’s Meth Task Force, 2005 (inception) to 2007 (conclusion)
• Attorney General’s Underage Drinking Task Force, 2005 to present
• Community Efforts Demonstrating the Ability to Rebuild and Restore (CEDARR)
  (formerly the Siletz Tribal Meth Task Force), 2005 to present
• Partnership Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (PAADA), 2000 to present

Volunteer

Co-Founder and President, Oregon Alliance for Drug Endangered Children, 2004 to present
Volunteer, Lincoln County Children’s Advocacy Center, 1999 to present
Instructor, Lincoln Combined Reserve Training Academy, 2001 to present
Board Member, Thugz Off Drugz, 2005 to present
Mock trial coach, Newport High School, 1998-2004
President, Lincoln County Bar Association, 2001-2002
Youth sports coach, YMCA, 1995-1998

Recent Awards and Certificates

The following are some of the awards Rob has received over the past several years:

• 2006 Governor’s Gold Award for outstanding public service - prior recipients include Senator Mark O. Hatfield (2005), Judge Laura Pryor (2004), and Governor Barbara Roberts (2003)
       Read the Governor's award letter
       Read Rob's acceptance speech
• Tribal blanket, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (2004)
• Outstanding contribution award, Lincoln County School District (2006)

• Prevention Person of the Year, Lincoln County Commission on Children and Families (2005)

• Special award, Oregon District Attorney’s Association (2005)

• President’s Award, Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association (2005)
• Special award for drug prevention, Drug Enforcement Administration (2005)
• Lone Litigator Award, Oregon District Attorney’s Association (2003)
• Special award, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (2003)
• Special award, Lincoln Interagency Narcotics Team (2003)
• Respect for Law Award, Yaquina Bay Optimist Club (2003)
• Community Partnership Award, Lincoln County Legal Aid (2002)
• Special award, Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County (2002)
• Certificate of Appreciation, Oregon District Attorney’s Association (2001)
• Special award, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Posse (2001)

Recent Publications

Meth Epidemic Solutions, 82 North Dakota Law Review 1195 (2007)
Meth Epidemic Solutions, CLE Oregon State Bar (2007)
Defeating Meth One Ingredient at a Time, Police Chief Magazine (2006)

Personal

Rob is married to Sally Bovett, who recently concluded 10 years as the Child Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator for the Lincoln County Children’s Advocacy Center.  They have four children (one working, two in college, and one in high school):  Taylor Plesha, Ashly Plesha, Sean Bovett, and Aaron Bovett.  They also have two dogs and two cats.  Rob's hobbies include working on cars and building guitars.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

- Margaret Mead

 

 There is no limit to what you can achieve if you don’t mind who gets the credit.

- Anonymous