Josephine County honors Park Watch volunteers and sheriff’s staff; residents urge more action on park drug use

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners on a weekly business session recognized Park Watch Grants Pass for ongoing volunteer cleanup work and presented life‑saving awards to four sheriff's office personnel who helped revive a county facilities employee during a cardiac emergency.

Commissioner Del Barnett presented certificates and a short video highlighting Park Watch’s cleanup work, saying the group “are diehards every week.” Barnett also introduced a life‑saving award for two deputies and two staff members who used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to revive a county employee identified as Doug, a long‑time facilities worker who later received hospital treatment.

The acknowledgments came amid an extended public‑comment period in which multiple residents described persistent drug use and paraphernalia in city parks, linking that activity to a pattern of overdoses and community safety concerns. Park Watch members and others urged stronger enforcement, quicker access to treatment and more cooperation between city, county and state authorities.

Barnett told the room the county wanted to recognize the volunteer group and the sheriff's staff. “They are diehards every week,” he said of Park Watch. He also described the emergency response: sheriff’s deputies and staff used an AED and other life‑saving techniques before the person was transported to a hospital.

Speakers from Park Watch and nearby neighborhoods told commissioners they regularly document drug dealing and overdoses in parks and deliver the evidence to law enforcement. Brian Weldon, a Park Watch member, said the group records drug activity and provides that material to authorities and the city: “We take that film, and we send it directly to the chief… We take that film, and we send it directly to the chief Henson and the city council.” Weldon and other commenters said arrests often do not lead to long‑term removal of dealers from the community.

Several speakers called for an expanded treatment option rather than only arrests. Dale Aldridge, who identified himself as a Grants Pass resident and a Park Watch founder, tied enforcement to upcoming local services: he said two rehabilitation centers are expected to open and predicted officers will have clearer choices between jail and rehab when those centers are operating.

Other commenters described direct exposure to hazards in parks: one resident said she found used syringes and a fentanyl‑contaminated needle where her child plays, pressing the point that cleanup alone does not resolve underlying addiction and criminal activity.

County commissioners thanked the volunteers and the sheriff’s office. Commissioner Barnett distributed certificates to Park Watch members and Commissioner Smith reiterated appreciation for volunteers countywide.

The board did not take further formal action on enforcement, treatment funding or city responsibilities during the session; speakers urged follow‑up from local officials and coordination with the city of Grants Pass and state authorities.

The board also announced Park Watch’s “Park Kids Stay in the Park” event planned for June 28 and encouraged volunteer signups for regular cleanup efforts.