No Cops To Help Her Due To Budget Cuts

[Frank Castle]

No Cops To Help Her Due To Budget Cuts


JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. (CBS Seattle) — An Oregon woman was told by a 911 dispatcher that authorities wouldn’t be able be able to help her as her ex-boyfriend broke into her place because of budget cuts.

Oregon Public Radio reports that an unidentified woman called 911 during a weekend in August 2012 while Michael Bellah was breaking into her place. Her call was forwarded to Oregon State Police because of lay-offs at the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office only allows the department to be open Monday through Friday.

“Uh, I don’t have anybody to send out there,” the 911 dispatcher told the woman. “You know, obviously, if he comes inside the residence and assaults you, can you ask him to go away? Do you know if he’s intoxicated or anything?”

 The woman told the dispatcher that Bellah previously attacked her and left her hospitalized a few weeks prior to the latest incident. The dispatcher stayed on the phone with the woman for more than 10 minutes before the sexual assault took place.

“Once again it’s unfortunate you guys don’t have any law enforcement out there,” the dispatcher said, according to Oregon Public Radio.

The woman responded: “Yeah, it doesn’t matter, if he gets in the house I’m done.”

Police say Bellah choked the woman and sexually assaulted her. He was arrested by Oregon State Police following the incident.

“There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t have another victim,” Josephine County Sheriff Gil Gilberson told Oregon Public Radio. “If you don’t pay the bill, you don’t get the service.”

The sheriff’s department had to cut 23 deputies and the entire major crimes unit after it lost a multi-million dollar federal subsidy, according to Oregon Public Radio. There are now only six deputies left.

The sheriff’s department even put out a press release warning domestic violence victims to “consider relocating to an area with adequate law enforcement services.”

Bellah pleaded guilty to kidnapping, sex abuse and assault.



 
http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2013/05/23/911-dispatcher-tells-woman-about-to-be-sexually-assaulted-there-are-no-cops-to-help-her-due-to-budget-cuts/

[BlueStarLizzard]

Of course they don't mention the possiblity of preparing to defend themselves, which would be a hell of a lot cheaper then moving...

[never_retreat]

I think that is the same place as a thread I started about a month ago.
http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=39370.msg797830#msg797830

[Ben]

Perhaps I'm misremembering, but I thought Josephine county had one of the more pro-CCW sheriffs.

[Tallpine]

The sheriff’s department had to cut 23 deputies and the entire major crimes unit after it lost a multi-million dollar federal subsidy, according to Oregon Public Radio. There are now only six deputies left.

So, what's the downside ?      



Dial 1911   

[brimic]

Of course they don't mention the possiblity of preparing to defend themselves, which would be a hell of a lot cheaper then moving...

My man-crush has no problems mentioning that.
 
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/sheriff-david-clarke-calls-guns-the-great-equalizer-in-radio-ad-dc8vu6e-194241801.html

[Ned Hamford]

Anyone else have a suspicion the cuts haven't affected their traffic enforcement role?

[Tallpine]

Anyone else have a suspicion the cuts haven't affected their traffic enforcement role?

The priority is always revenue collection.

That's why they are now called law enforcement instead of peace officers.

[slingshot]

Anyone else have a suspicion the cuts haven't affected their traffic enforcement role?

There lies the problem.  Revenue generation versus public safety.  I think more people need to develop the mindset that they have to provide for their own self defense whether it be in their home or outside the home.  Everything is over by the time police arrive in most cases. 

[Tallpine]

There lies the problem.  Revenue generation versus public safety.  I think more people need to develop the mindset that they have to provide for their own self defense whether it be in their home or outside the home.  Everything is over by the time police arrive in most cases. 

All over except possibly getting victimized a second time by the police.

[HankB]

On the phone:

"No police available to come out here? GREAT! That means I won't have to worry about being questioned by any cops when I blow the <expletive's> head off! I love this country!"

<click>

Bet the dispatcher would find a cop was available to respond after all . . .

[Monkeyleg]

How much would someone like to bet that the budget for non-essential personnel wasn't cut, or wasn't cut enough to allow sheriffs deputies to remain on the job?

[makattak]

How much would someone like to bet that the budget for non-essential personnel wasn't cut, or wasn't cut enough to allow sheriffs deputies to remain on the job?

It's part of the government's tactics now. Cut the meat and bone, leave the fat.

Claim that there isn't enough money CAUSE LOOK HOW WE JUST CUT TO THE BONE!

I hope people are getting wise to this. (But I don't have much hope of that.)

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

How much would someone like to bet that the budget for non-essential personnel wasn't cut, or wasn't cut enough to allow sheriffs deputies to remain on the job?

i'll cover any bet you want on that

a hint?  google is your friend
http://bigstory.ap.org/content/ore-county-cutting-law-enforcement-bare-bones

[Tallpine]

Most of us out in my neighborhood would call each other before 911 

[Monkeyleg]

i'll cover any bet you want on that

a hint?  google is your friend
http://bigstory.ap.org/content/ore-county-cutting-law-enforcement-bare-bones

CSD, all that story does is tell readers that the budget for sheriffs, prosecutors and corrections officers is being cut. It doesn't mention if the budgets for park workers, road work, traffic signs, tax collection, welfare workers, social workers, hospital cleaning staff workers, school lunch servers, or other non-law enforcement personnel have been cut. My guess is that law enforcement personnel were the first (and maybe only) workers to be downsized.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

CSD, all that story does is tell readers that the budget for sheriffs, prosecutors and corrections officers is being cut. It doesn't mention if the budgets for park workers, road work, traffic signs, tax collection, welfare workers, social workers, hospital cleaning staff workers, school lunch servers, or other non-law enforcement personnel have been cut. My guess is that law enforcement personnel were the first (and maybe only) workers to be downsized.

90 folks laid off. subtract the 23 cops leaves a few

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[cassandra and sara's daddy]

http://www.oregonafscme.com/mobile/index.cfm?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&homeID=246569

this is a lil better
its a choice the folks made there. turned down a public safety levy

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[Balog]

A union propaganda piece is the best you can do? Hey, I found a Daily Kos article saying Obama is great, that must be true!

[Fitz]

http://www.oregonafscme.com/mobile/index.cfm?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&homeID=246569

this is a lil better
its a choice the folks made there. turned down a public safety levy

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

The choice was by their local government, to unwisely spend money making the levy necessary, then cut the cops instead of nonessential bullshit instead

[MechAg94]

First, you can cover 24/7 with 6 cops, you will just have one most of the time. 

Out of 83K people, where are the volunteers?

With no cops, I would think neighborhood groups would take action.  The Sheriff should call for them if no one else will.  I guess we are a long way from our pioneer days. 

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

The choice was by their local government, to unwisely spend money making the levy necessary, then cut the cops instead of nonessential bullshit instead

i suspect that 70% of the land in county being owned by feds and same feds shutting down logging played a role

which of their expenditures was unwise?

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

First, you can cover 24/7 with 6 cops, you will just have one most of the time.  

Out of 83K people, where are the volunteers?

With no cops, I would think neighborhood groups would take action.  The Sheriff should call for them if no one else will.  I guess we are a long way from our pioneer days.  

maybe   maybe not
http://www.kdrv.com/josephine-co-to-recruit-volunteers/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/17/josephine-county-oregon-citizens-against-crime_n_1975029.html

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

and here a sarcastic piece
but the numbers are interesting
http://wonkette.com/517364/josephine-county-oregon-your-new-libertarian-paradise

[gunsmith]

With all the publicity, I wonder if some serial predator isn't on the way to Josephine County right now.