Curry County Sheriff to cut over a dozen jobs due to budget constraints

CURRY COUNTY, Ore. – The Curry County Sheriff is announcing over a dozen jobs in the sheriff’s office will be cut as a result of budget constraints.

In a press release Tuesday, Sheriff John Ward says the county has been facing financial problems and as a result of the recent levy that failed in the May primary election, the sheriff’s office is forced to cut 19 deputy positions as well as materials and services.

He went on to say that several budgets were presented to the county’s Board of Commissioners and by the time a budget was approved they, “lost two positions in 911/Dispatch, two positions in Corrections and fifteen positions in Criminal/Civil/Patrol. Throughout our office we had seven open positions, those were cut along with eleven filled deputy positions, which resulted in layoffs or positions being eliminated. Because of budget and position cuts, we have also lost Patrol and Corrections Deputies to other agencies like Brookings PD, Josephine County, and Clackamas County.”

Despite the cuts, Ward says although the sheriff’s office is still there, officers “will not be able to provide the service to our citizens that we have in the past.”

He says as of July 15, the sheriff’s office will be down to only three patrol deputies. This will force them to make difficult decisions when it comes to what 911 calls to respond to. They will respond in-person to priority calls in progress, while most other calls Ward says will be handled through a self-report form available online or in the sheriff’s office lobby.

Sheriff Ward says he does not support the cuts and he shares the community’s concerns over increased criminal activity and the current wildfire season.

Ward ended the release saying, “I also want all of you to know that our hearts are broken from the dismantling of our Patrol division and the loss of good men and women who dedicated their lives to protect and serve our citizens every day.”