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Our View: Sheriff eyes strategic improvements Friday Aug 19, 2016 at 12:01 AM Jackson County Sheriff Corey Falls is eyeing some changes he can make to his department now, with existing resources, while he waits for the next funding cycle. That's a smart approach that should help him make the case for additional support later on. The Sheriff's Office commissioned a report by the Police Foundation in Washington, D.C., a nonprofit that provides guidance to local departments. In a study that began last fall, the foundation conducted ride-alongs with deputies, held focus groups with the community and analyzed the department's strengths and weaknesses. Compared with his colleague in cash-strapped Josephine County, Falls has the luxury of a fully staffed department that provides patrol coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Josephine County is down to one deputy and one sergeant patrolling eight hours a day, five days a week. That still doesn't mean Falls has all the personnel he needs, but at least he's starting with a fully functional department. The department had 26 criminal deputies five years ago, which dropped to 16 last year because of budget cuts. The total is now up to 18. The Police Foundation report, posted on the department's website at http://bit.ly/2bh9ft2, recommends Falls hire an undersheriff to handle day-to-day operations, freeing the sheriff to take a broader approach. The report also recommends adding a fifth detective to better handle the criminal investigation caseload. Falls recognizes that need, but notes his budget is already set, so adding a position isn't in the cards right away.There are things he can do, however, as the report suggests. One is to create a criminal investigative aide position using existing staff. That position would not be a sworn officer, but would handle paperwork and administrative tasks. Another suggestion from the report is to create hybrid "field detective" positions, combining the functions of a deputy and a detective which could be implemented without adding more people. Falls says he's acutely aware of community concerns about jail capacity. He has had to limit jail operations because of the delay in filling five open corrections deputy positions, a requirement of state law over which he has no control. Three candidates are now undergoing background checks, part of an application process that takes months to complete. When budget time comes around again, Falls can ask for more funding, but he will have to compete with all other county departments for a limited amount of money. Every step he takes between now and then that improves the department's effectiveness without a budget increase will strengthen his argument for more support.