By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor — A story aired by KEZI news on Tuesday centered on the staffing woes of rural cities.
Oakridge Police Chief Kevin Martin was interviewed as part of the report. Though the report centered around the difficulties smaller cities have in staffing the police departments, Oakridge has apparently started to turn that corner. Martin indicated that through aggressive marketing his force is finally starting to gain numbers.
He also believes that qualified police officers and potential police candidates are finding rural communities a better fit. Marin said that he believes that the pandemic has influenced people to move to rural areas.
The recent uptick in recruiting candidates and existing officers has Martin optimistic about the future of his department.
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.
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