JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Law enforcement agencies in Jackson County are getting more resources to combat illegal marijuana grows through a grant.
Oregon Senate Bill 1544 passed back in 2018 and created the Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement Grant Program.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County District Attorney’s Office and the Medford Police Department applied for the grant.
The sheriff’s office is receiving $335,618, $63,929 is going to the district attorney and $144,415 is going to the Medford Police Department.
The money will be used toward funding a part-time deputy district attorney, a criminal data technician and three detectives.
Sheriff Nathan Sickler said Jackson County needed the extra funding because the marijuana market is so saturated with overproduction, it needed extra hands to crack down on illegal grows.
“Some people in the industry chose to ship out-of-state, which is illegal, grew too much or didn’t get licensed at all, which is illegal,” Sickler said.
Sheriff Sickler said the legal marijuana businesses that he has spoken to like the extra patrols.
The grant will provide funding for up to five years.
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