Oregon town using cameras, volunteers to offset police shortage at night

Police shortages have remained both a local and national issue. While many cities like Seattle have begun aggressive recruitment campaigns, one town in Oregon is taking a different approach.

Cave Junction, a small southern town in Oregon, recently decided to install numerous security cameras around town that citizen volunteers will be able to monitor in order to help report and stop crime at night, reports The Oregonian. The town has partially seen police shortages as a result of declining timber revenues and related police budget cuts.

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At the moment, deputies only patrol Monday to Friday during the day, often relying on volunteer watch group to offset the shortage. The eight security cameras in the town of 2,000 would be installed on street lights, which the volunteer group will access and monitor.

Seattle hasn’t gone this far of as of yet, but shortage issues remain. New numbers released to KIRO 7 show 81 officers left the department in 2019, including terminations, resignations, and retirements. Police Chief Carmen Best said the department has hired 97 officers in the same time period, with one month to meet SPD’s goal of 104.

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While the current volunteer patrol group doesn’t undergo any type of background check, police officials say they will likely require one for those who monitor the security cameras.

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