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53 °F 5 Day Forecast Monday, October 20, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend October 5, 2003 Sheriff’s office handles rising number of calls By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune When Sheriff Mike Winters promised that everyone who called his department for help would get a quick, in-person response from a deputy, people took him at his word. The number of calls to the department are up and deputies are busier than ever, officials said. Jackson County deputies have handled nearly as many cases in the first nine months of this year as they did all last year. In 2002, deputies worked 21,949 cases, department records show. As of the end of September, they have handled 20,497 cases in 2003. "People are testing our new philosophy," sheriff’s Capt. Joe Puckett said. "As people realize we do care and will respond, more people are calling." Advertisement In recent years, deputies often relied on phone calls rather than responding in person to gather information about minor thefts and vandalism, especially in outlying areas. When Winters took office, he vowed to focus on customer service and send deputies where they were needed. "People were discouraged when they were told they would have to wait hours for a deputy," Puckett said. Winters revamped the department’s schedule, switching deputies to 12-hour shifts so more officers are on the road at any one time and assigned patrols to specific areas of the county to decrease response times. He’s also added community service officers to assist with non-emergency calls and is building reserve and volunteer programs. Sergeants, a captain and the sheriff also have stepped up their patrol activities and respond to calls as needed, Puckett said. "I really believe that people see us out and about, so they are more likely to call," he said. That seems especially true in rural areas where deputies were once a rare sight unless a major crime was reported, he noted. Still, not every case is linked to a call for help. Deputies also are assigned case numbers for routine duties they spend time on. For example, marine deputies get a case number when they teach water-safety classes and deputies involved in child safety-seat inspections get a case number for those events, Puckett said. That practice remains unchanged at the department. Medford police also report an increase in the number of cases they’ve handled this year. The tally of cases has gone up annually for the past several years, Medford police Lt. Mike Moran said. Police handled 22,638 cases in 2001 and 26,004 in 2002. As of Sept. 30, they had worked 19,983 cases, putting them on track to continue the growth trend. "Things are getting busier," Moran said, attributing that partly to population growth. He noted that police also handle plenty of calls that are so minor they don’t merit a case number, and they don’t get case numbers for educational programs, beat projects and other routine duties. Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4459, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times