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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 28, 2005 Medford fire, police detail staffing woes By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune With pleas for additional police and fire staffing made official, all the City Council has to do is find the money — or decide if cuts in emergency services are on the horizon for Medford residents. The Medford City Council listened to its police and fire departments make pleas for 10 new police and 13 new fire department positions during Thursday’s council study session. Over the next several months, council members will consider options for new funding or service cuts. New funding sources could include a voter-approved tax, a new fee on the city utilities bill, a fee on new development or federal grants, among other options. "The next phase after this will be probably early next year," said City Manager Mike Dyal. "We will have another meeting in the form of a retreat." The leaders of both departments say it’s time to address service and staffing because population has been increasing but staffing has not. Advertisement Medford police Chief Eric Mellgren said without more officers, the department is looking at only responding to emergencies in progress, rather than calls for assistance or to report a crime. He said response times already are increasing: While it took 3 minutes in 1990 to respond to burglaries, alarms and other emergencies, it now takes 9 minutes. "The grouchy neighbor has (by then) degenerated into the violent neighbor," he said. "Just last week we took a gun away from a young man," Mellgren said. "It (an emergency) was prevented. Nothing happened. That’s good. But that’s something that could have been a terrible headline. If you can solve the small crimes the big ones don’t occur." Mellgren has previously asked the council for a modern police headquarters. Councilman Skip Knight asked Mellgren which he would pick: a new building or staffing. "I’d choose people," said Mellgren. He said Medford has the busiest officers in the state because it’s the largest city and retail stop in a multi-county area, drawing residents from the surrounding region who rely on the city’s emergency services. "We’re serving a much larger population than the 70,000 (Medford residents)," he said. Medford Fire Chief Dave Bierwiler said the fire department is also facing lengthier response times and lower service levels unless staffing is increased. "One out of every seven fire calls is delayed," he said. Bierwiler’s wish list includes building a downtown station, adding a sixth engine company, relocating two stations and hiring a training captain and a fire inspector. He said another option is cutting staff to cover operating costs and lower the level of service. That, however, lowers the insurance rating and drives up insurance costs for commercial and industrial customers by about 15 percent. Bierwiler said average calls for service per station have risen from 410 in 1990 to 1,503 in 2004 — a 267 percent increase — yet the fire department has seen just a 5.71 percent growth in staffing in that time. The council presented each chief with particular questions and thanked them for the extensive reports, but offered no indication of where they stood on the requests. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail Medford fire, police detail staffing woes ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Cheap Website Hosting Discount Hotel Reservations Online Pharmacy Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Student Loans High End Computers Online Casino News Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Online Casino Fundraisers Advertisement s