𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐅 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝐖. 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐍 April 15, 2025 Residents and Business Owners of Yoncalla, I’m writing today with disappointment and concern following the City Council’s decision last night (April 14, 2025), to end the enhanced police services contract with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. I understand that city leadership is tasked with the difficult job of allocating limited resources just as the county is. These are not easy decisions. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 — 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲. Ending this contract means stepping away from a level of law enforcement that has provided consistent neighborhood patrols, services to schools, traffic enforcement, business checks, ordinance enforcement, and a regular presence that contributes not just to safety, but to a sense of stability and community. These are not small things — they are the very services that help prevent crime, deter unwanted activity, and build trust between law enforcement and the people we serve. The city has offered $50,000 for basic response to 911 calls, but at this time, that won’t be necessary. Just as we do for unincorporated parts of the county, the Sheriff’s Office will continue to respond to emergencies within city limits. For non-emergency calls, however, residents may see a noticeable difference. Calls will be prioritized and handled as resources allow, and often without the direct, personal response many have come to expect. I think it is important for the residents of the city to understand that the proposed FY26 contract included only a 4% increase — just over $6,000 more than last year — bringing the total to $140,314.39. That figure is still more than $21,000 less than what it costs the county to staff a single mid-step deputy. In return, the City of Yoncalla would have continued to receive 24/7 coverage, including all the enhanced services residents and businesses benefit from daily. This contract was never about a steep increase — it was about continuing to invest in a level of protection and presence that we all know makes a difference. I am also disappointed to share that I sent a letter to the City Manager outlining this information and offering to discuss the future of the enhanced police services contract. Unfortunately, I did not receive a response, nor was I invited to meet with the City Manager or City Council to talk through the details. Given the impact this decision has on public safety, I had hoped for a more collaborative and communicative approach. In closing, I cannot help but feel it is a step backward. In times when public safety is becoming more complex, not less, this is not the moment to scale back. I truly hope the funds being saved through this decision will go toward initiatives that serve the community well — but I remain firmly convinced that few investments are as foundational as public safety. The men and women of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office have been proud to serve Yoncalla through this partnership, and it’s been an honor to work with your city and serve all of you. If the City Government’s priorities shift in the future, the Sheriff’s Office is ready to discuss re-establishing this agreement with your elected and appointed city officials. Until then, we remain committed to responding to emergencies and doing our best with the resources available. Respectfully, John W. Hanlin, SheriffPhotos from Douglas County Sheriff's Office's post