Document text
74 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, August 5, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds 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 Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 4, 2004 Cheney visit cost local taxpayers $30,000 State, county and city police had about 100 people on overtime to supplement the Secret Service and the U.S. Marshals Service By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune When a political leader such as Vice President Dick Cheney campaigns in Jackson County, local public safety agencies end up footing the bill for security. In Jackson County, at least eight local agencies provided more than 100 personnel for the Cheney visit last week, costing roughly $30,000 beyond normal operations. The Oregon State Police, hard-hit by budget cuts in recent years, had to call in 26 troopers from other parts of the state to bring local manpower to 44. OSP Lt. Tanya Henderson said it cost roughly $10,000 in overtime and hotel expenses to pay for the visit. "We don’t have the resources locally anymore, so we have to bring them in from elsewhere," she said. "I personally worked on it all week." Advertisement Henderson, who doesn’t normally calculate the cost for these kinds of visits, said five motorcycle units were called in and a mobile response team made up of 18 troopers was on hand to deal with any potential problems. She expects the coming visit by Sen. John Kerry won’t require the same amount of personnel from OSP. For the Cheney visit, local public safety agencies contributed their own manpower to supplement the Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals Service and other agencies. Officials from the Cheney campaign Tuesday were unable to provide costs for the visit to Central Point. Jackson County Expo manager Chris Borovansky said the total bill for the use of the facility was $14,000, which will be paid by the Cheney campaign. Medford Police Chief Eric Mellgren said the same or higher level of security is extended to any high-ranking official who might come to Jackson County. "Whether it’s George Bush or John Kerry, it demands the same level of protection," he said. Medford police spent about $6,000 or $7,000 extra for the Cheney visit, although the number of officers assigned was not disclosed for security reasons. Mellgren said that when President Bush came in 2002, even more security was needed, with the U.S. Coast Guard supplying an armed helicopter. He said he doesn’t expect any compensation for the security provided by Medford police. Mellgren also doesn’t think there was an excessive amount of security. "If we don’t spend that money as a nation, what impact is there if one of them is hurt?" he said. Medford police Lt. Mike Moran said the FBI and Secret Service have assisted local agencies with investigations in the past. Also, Medford police has received grants from the federal government. "If you balance it out, my guess would be we’d be on the winning end of it," he said. Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters said 25 to 30 deputies were assigned to the event. He minimized the amount of overtime by using deputies normally assigned to that schedule. "With Cheney, I anticipated more problems," said Winters. "I was surprised there weren’t more protests." He expects even fewer protesters when Kerry visits. He estimated that overtime for Cheney still cost about $2,500 to $3,000. Central Point Police Chief Jon Zeliff, who had 12 officers assigned to the Cheney visit, said the $1,500 extra he spent is just another part of his operations. "It comes with the territory," he said. Mercy Flights was on standby for about six hours before and during the Cheney visit, costing an estimated $720 beyond normal expenses. Medford Fire Department officials estimated about $3,000 in overtime was paid for the 13 firefighters assigned to the event. Medford airport director Bern Case said several people on overtime and other costs amounted to about $3,000 to $4,000 for the visit. Brenda Messmer, division chief at Fire District 3, said nine people were assigned to the Cheney visit, but only two were on overtime, amounting to an extra cost of $200. "When the president came out to visit, we had more people for longer periods of time," she said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] No official word on Kerry visit Sen. John Kerry will visit Medford at some point before the election, but campaign officials haven’t yet received a firm date. "The when and where have not been decided," said Paige Richardson, state director for the Kerry campaign. A high-ranking Kerry representative said Friday the presidential candidate could be in Medford the second week of August, but Richardson discounted this claim, saying Kerry’s schedule is in flux. However, law enforcement officials in Jackson County have been contacted by Kerry representatives recently. Oregon State Police Lt. Tanya Henderson said Kerry officials have told her the candidate will fly into Medford soon to begin a bus tour around Oregon. Sheriff Mike Winters has also been contacted by Kerry officials about a future visit. Richardson, expressing uncertainty about a bus tour, would only say, "There has been an advance team roaming around the country." Despite the lack of a firm date, Richardson said Jackson County is an important area for Kerry despite a strong Republican majority. "We’d love to have John Kerry and John Edwards in Medford," said Richardson. "We definitely want to be in Medford." Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times