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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate NEWS NOW Costco considers Central Point for relocation ... MADGE arrests five in raid on Eagle Point home ... DA: Butte Falls woman killed with daughter in April crash drove too fast ... Costco considers Central Point for relocation ... MADGE arrests five in raid on Eagle Point home ... DA: Butte Falls woman killed with daughter in April crash drove too fast ... PUBLIC SAFETY Prison inmate working on Stouts Creek fire walks away from the job Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 10, 2015 at 3:56 PM Posted Aug. 10, 2015 at 3:56 PM » Social News CANYONVILLE — A prison inmate assigned to a work crew on the Stouts Creek fire reportedly walked away from the job, and police are trying to track him down.   The Oregon Department of Corrections reported Kenneth Curtis Polchowski was reported missing at 6 a.m. Sunday after a routine head count by work crew staff at a mobile camp where he was stationed. Polchowski has been in prison at the Warner Creek Correctional Facility in Lakeview since January 2015 on four counts of identity theft, first-degree theft, and first-degree burglary out of Lane County. A DOC news release said his earliest release date was Oct. 6, 2017. He had been staying at the mobile camp since July 31, a day after the Stouts Creek fire exploded to an initial 6,000-acre inferno in a matter of hours.  DOC spokeswoman Betty Bernt said inmates who work on fire crews have to qualify for the work. They have to have good conduct while in prison and also can't have convictions for violent crimes. "There are a number of different criteria," Bernt said.  The DOC website says outside work crews can only come from minimum security facilities, such as Warner Creek.  "Inmate work crews travel to work sites within a 90-mile radius of the institution to do manual and skilled labor such as forestry work, parks maintenance, landscaping, building maintenance, roofing and painting, right-of-way maintenance, clean-up, litter pick-up, limited construction, and other projects for government and private sector customers," the site said.  Polchowski, 26, is white, 5-feet-10 and 180 pounds,with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing blue jeans with the word "inmate" and the DOC logo stenciled in orange on the knee, along with a blue T-shirt also emblazoned with "inmate" on the front and back in orange.  Anyone with information on Polchowski's whereabouts is asked to contact Oregon State Police at 1-800-452-7888. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 10, 2015 at 3:56 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501