Specifics Released On Cutbacks at Josephine County Sheriff's Department

The Josephine County Sheriff’s Department is starting its scale backs. At 4 p.m. today, their major crimes unit and the records divisions will conclude their work at 11 p.m. tonight. The moves are part of an effort to anticipate a $7.5 million budget shortfall as a result of the federal government’s decision to terminate federal timber payments, a press release from the Sheriff’s office says.

 Starting Tuesday, May 29th, the Civil Division will be open only between 1p.m. and 4 p.m., and on  June 1st, their patrol services will be cut back from 20 hours, a day, 7 days a week, to 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. The number of personnel will be cut from 24.5 to 6.

 The K-9 and volunteer units will also be scaled back. Instead of four canine teams, there will be one. The volunteer unit will be very limited in terms of the services they offer, in particular, those that carry a higher level of safety concerns.

 The jail will also release 60 inmates to bring the jail population to a safely manageable level for the staff maintaining it. Closer to the time of release, further details will be released.