Residents of unincorporated Lane County say they are experiencing long waits and limited patrols from the sheriff’s office, according to an April 15 report. Several community members described incidents where deputies were unable to respond promptly to burglaries or other emergencies due to staffing shortages.
The situation has raised concerns about public safety in rural areas, as many residents feel unprotected and frustrated with the criminal justice system. Some worry that without changes, property crimes could escalate further.
Tracy Sandahl recounted returning home during her lunch break last November to find her house had been broken into. “I just started panicking. I thought, ‘what is going on?’” Sandahl said. She explained that after calling 911, she was told by a deputy stationed in Eugene that he would not be able to visit her home because he was the only one on duty at the time: “I realized what was happening, and I said, ‘are you telling me you’re not coming here?’ and he said ‘yeah I’m sorry, I’m the only one on duty and I’m in Eugene.’”
Lane County Sheriff Carl Wilkerson acknowledged his department is stretched thin across a large area of roughly 4,600 square miles serving about 119,000 people outside city limits. “Deputies are literally crisscrossing the county, going from priority call to priority call to priority call,” Wilkerson said. He added that this leaves little time for traffic enforcement or follow-up investigations.
District Attorney Christopher Parosa echoed these concerns regarding understaffing throughout the public safety system: “We are potentially on the cusp of system collapse, in that they are working far too hard. It’s not a sustainable level, is really the issue.” Parosa noted his office handled approximately 6,700 cases last year but lacks enough resources for effective prosecution.
The county’s financial challenges stem partly from low tax rates set decades ago when timber subsidies offset costs—a source of funding which has since disappeared. A task force found Lane County would need between $27 million and $95 million annually for adequate patrols and broader justice reforms.
Officials are now exploring solutions such as a payroll tax or creating a special taxing district dedicated to public safety needs. Board Chair Ryan Ceniga stated: “This is a long-term solution…everything’s going to be exhausted. There’s going to be a unanimous direction that we’re going to head.”
Some residents remain hesitant about new taxes but acknowledge more resources may be necessary if crime continues unchecked.
