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Commissioners discuss jail staffing challenges and plan town hall on East County policing district
Summary
Commissioners reported on recent legislative visits, a planned town hall about an East County policing district and continued constraints in filling corrections and sheriff's staff that limit full reopening of all jail pods.
Klamath County commissioners on Jan. 28 discussed public-safety topics including a proposed East County policing district and continuing difficulty hiring to staff the county jail.
Vice Chair Commissioner deGroot reported meetings in Washington, D.C., with members of the congressional delegation and agency staff on timber and water issues and said the board is advancing plans for policing districts, specifically the East County policing district. DeGroot invited the public to a town hall on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the New Gym in Bonanza to discuss the East County policing district in more detail.
Commissioner Nichols and other commissioners addressed county jail status. Commissioners described work with the sheriff's office, the undersheriff and community corrections on a plan to return the county correctional facility to fuller operation. Commissioners said the jail is not fully staffed: while the facility has beds and pods available, not all pods are open because the county is unable to attract and retain enough corrections deputies and to complete required background processes for applicants. Commissioners emphasized that, in their view, the limitation is staffing and recruitment rather than a lack of funding.
The board did not take formal action on policing districts or on jail staffing at the meeting; commissioners described ongoing planning and outreach and the development of operational steps with the sheriff's office.
Commissioners also reported participation in training for elected county officials ("County College" run by Oregon State University and the Association of Oregon Counties), attendance at the local Chamber Gala and a county economic summit.
