The previous Sheriff, Gil Gilkerson fought the feds (BLM and USFS) tooth and nail. I'm not familiar with the new Sheriff Daniel but he speaks the truth about being undermanned.
From the Sheriff's website:
The Patrol Division is currently budgeted for 1 Deputy and 1 Sergeant who patrol rural Josephine County 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This Sergeant is also responsible for supervision of all Patrol Contract positions.
Due to budget and staffing cute, deputies are currently ONLY RESPONDING TO IN PROGRESS, LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCIES.
Our Patrol Area includes:
- Merlin
- Grants Pass
- Wolf Creek
- Williams
- Wonder
- Wilderville
- Cave Junction
- O'Brien
- Selma
- Murphy
- Sunny Valley
- Hugo
Josephine County is a beautiful area and a nice place to live. If the sheriff is facing budget shortfalls, it isn’t due to a lack of cash flowing through the area. If all the dope growers contributed even just a small percentage of their profits from each years harvest, that sheriff’s department would be rolling in money. Perhaps the sheriff and the growers could reach an agreement that if they start financially supporting him that he goes after the Mexican cartel growers FIRST. That could potentially be a full time job for the whole department all on its own. I can’t imagine anybody except the cartels not liking that arrangement.
