FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
BCPD: Body cameras
Once an offi cer returns,
the camera is docked,
and all of the videos are
automatically downloaded
to the server. Organizing
and marking the videos
(as evidence or not, for
example) by the offi cer is
made easier, with the new
system.
Chastain indicated that
each camera (there are 18
in the server-connected
Dock and Go charg-
ing station, which stores
every video to a server
in a secured location) is
labeled with an identifi ca-
tion (ID) number, matched
to a specifi c offi cer. When
an offi cer logs in to access
a video (a Sergeant can log
in to view a team’s group
of videos, however, he
said), a record is made of
the date, the time, and the
ID number. To log in, an
offi cer would use the local
network at the department,
and camera-associated
software, called DEMS
(Digital Evidence Manage-
ment System).
He said that last year,
new legislation was passed
that requires the blurring of
faces (and other person-
ally identifi able informa-
tion) in video whenever a
Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) public request
is made, and that the only
portion of a video released
would be the contact
between the offi cer and
the person requesting the
record. Chastain said that
the only person who will
be allowed to redact the
video portions not released
is Administrative Assistant
Phoebe Wachtel, using
Silicon Valley-based Mo-
tionDSP’s Ikena Spotlight
video and audio redaction
software. He also said that
Evidence Technician Lynn
Magnuson will handle any
deletions of video stored
and organized as evidence
(when no longer needed),
and offi cers will not re-
ceive this same permission
at any point.
The delay in having the
system fully operational
is the lack of complete
installation of the DEMS
software, Chastain said.
Reveal can access the
system remotely in order
to fi nish that, but Sergeant
Mike Regan, who is more
knowledgeable in the area
of information technology,
needs to be present, and
the Department is currently
short-handed, Chastain
said. (Regan would need to
be available during shifts,
without the added cost of
overtime).
Once the software is
completely installed, a
Reveal representative will
be present, to provide the
department with training
on the system, after which
Chastain can issue the
cameras to offi cers (possi-
bly around mid-December,
he said).
Funding was available,
because instead of ask-
ing for a patrol car (which
would have been more
costly, and that purchase
wasn’t necessary this year),
this system was requested,
Chastain and Police Chief
Wyn Lohner said. Chas-
tain said that the purchase
was made in July, the be-
ginning of the 2016-2017
fi scal year, and the cameras
arrived around August or
September. The Dock and
Go charging station arrived
last week.
In speaking about the
inspiration for the move to
acquire the cameras, Chas-
tain said (noting that this is
his personal opinion only),
“I honestly believe that it’s
not going to be too long
before every agency in the
U.S. is going to be required
to wear these. So, I think
we’re getting ahead of the
curve a little bit, and get-
ting ahead of that rush, and
we’re saying, ‘Hey, look,
we’re going to be proactive
about this.’ It’s the future
of law enforcement...” He
said that it’s a type of sys-
tem that’s proven to reduce
the number of complaints,
and the use of force. Chas-
tain noted that the depart-
ment hasn’t seen many
complaints in general.
Chastain said that the
Department body camera
video recording policy
had to be totally rewrit-
ten because of the new
legislation. The legisla-
tion required almost every
incident or interview to be
recorded, but Chastain said
that departmental policy
will allow for the protec-
tion of rape victims, or
child sexual abuse vic-
tims, for example, by not
requiring video recordings
in those cases. The policy
will address other issues
as well, such as the Stealth
Mode operation of the
cameras only to be used
at night (this mode also
conserves battery power,
he said). Reveal provided
a sample policy, which
Chastain said has been
very helpful.
Lohner said, “We see
that within the next few
years it’s going to be
mandated (the use of body
cameras), so that’s why we
tasked Sergeant Chastain
with diving in, research-
ing, fi nding out what the
best one was out there, and
fi nding out what the best
way was to go about the
program ...We wanted to
test it out, and to see what
was the best out there, for
our use ... This is the only
fully articulating camera
out there, and we’re go-
ing to capture more than
most people will ...We
just wanted to make sure
that, if we did it, we did it
right, and I think we have a
good product (noting every
system has limitations)
...Reducing complaints,
and other things—that’s
just a statistical fact, at this
point... There’s nothing
negative about it...”
County Commission Work
Session: Call center and road
obstruction key topics
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County
Board of Commissioners
held a special session on
Wednesday, November 9,
2016, 9 a.m., in the Com-
mission Chambers of the
Baker County Courthouse.
Two main topics were:
a public hearing regard-
ing the abatement of a
road obstruction on Sutton
Creek Road; and the City/
County Intergovernmental
Cooperative Agreement
For Dispatch And Records
Keeping Services, a dis-
cussion which has ulti-
mately been continued to
the next work session, on
Wednesday, December 14.
Present from the Board
were Chair Bill Harvey,
Commissioners Mark Ben-
nett and Tim Kerns, and
Executive Assistant Heidi
Martin.
Following recitation of
the optional Invocation and
the Pledge of Allegiance,
both led by Harvey, he
explained that a special
session differs from a work
session, in that the Board
would possibly be mak-
ing decisions, whereas,
work sessions usually just
involve discussions regard-
ing agenda items.
Bennett noted an agenda
addition, an Oregon De-
partment of Transportation
(ODOT) Public Transit
Division Agreement No.
31372, which would be
discussed as part of Sched-
uled Business, and the
agenda was adopted, with
the noted change, with a
motion from Bennett, and
a second from Kerns.
There were no comments
provided during Citizen
Participation, and Harvey
noted that there were no
previous session minutes
to approve.
Baker County District
Attorney Matt Shirtcliff
and Baker County Road
Master Jeff Smith dis-
cussed, during a public
hearing, the Sutton Creek
Road obstruction, fences
and gates placed within the
right of way, in violation
of ORS (Oregon Revised
Statutes) 368.256, ac-
cording to an Order For
Abatement Of Road Ob-
struction, issued by Smith,
to property owner Dwight
Berglund, on Ocotober 24,
2016.
Pursuant to ORS
268.261, according to the
document, Smith has or-
dered Berglund to remove
any and all fi xtures and
personal property located
within the right of way of
the portion of Sutton Creek
Road located in Lot 2 of
Section 1, Township 11
South, Range 40 East of
the Willamette Meridian,
in the County of Baker.
Shirtcliff said the road
had been obstructed at dif-
ferent times by two gates,
as well as other items, and
the road is under the juris-
diction of the County, and
should not be obstructed.
Testimony during the
hearing was provided by
Smith, an employee of the
County for 29 1/2 years, 3
1/2 of those as Roadmas-
ter.
Shirtcliff showed Smith
a couple of exhibits,
which included Berglund’s
adjacent property, and
two gates, one of which
spanned a cattle guard the
County had installed, in
order to partially resolve
the issue, Smith said.
Shirtcliff entered other
items into the record, prov-
ing ownership by Ber-
glund.
Smith said he had
discussed the issue with
Berglund at least three
different times, beginning
approximately April 2016,
and on June 9, 2016, Smith
sent Berglund a letter.
On October 23, 2016,
Shirtcliff had done the
same, Shirtcliff said.
Earlier this year, Smith,
accompanied by a Sheriff’s
Deputy, asked Berglund
to open the gate spanning
the cattle guard, which he
did, however, it was closed
later.
Shirtcliff said, in addition
to this abatement hearing,
the Road Master has the
power, in an emergency, to
remove the obstruction.
Smith said that, in
August, after Berglund
placed a chain and a pad-
lock on one of the gates,
the chain and padlock had
been removed by the Road
Department, Nolan Perkins
having fi led a report, citing
fi re danger, and the need
to allow the free fl ow of
traffi c.
Shirtcliff said that
Berglund (who was not
present at this hearing)
had received the abate-
ment order, on October 24,
2016, he received notice
of the hearing, and he had
until November 4, 2016 to
remove the gates.
Smith said that, as of No-
vember 9, 2016, the gates
still had not been removed.
Shirtcliff asked the
Board to order Berglund
to remove the obstruc-
tions within ten days of the
date of the hearing, and if
they’re not removed, the
Road Department would
do so.
Bennett asked if there
had been any response in
writing from Berglund, and
Shirtcliff said no.
Smith said the County
had installed one of the
cattle guards in Spring
2016 (there are two, on
opposite ends of a 200-
foot road span), but that
normally is the property
owner’s responsibility.
Smith said that, with
private signs associated
with the road span, it gives
the public the impression
that the road is private.
Shirtcliff said that the
two gates are actually sit-
ting on County-maintained,
County road, which gives
the County the jurisdiction
to pursue the matter.
Discussion was closed,
with a motion from Ben-
nett, and a second from
Kerns.
Order No. 2016-160,
Baker County Commis-
sioners Order Of Abate-
ment, was approved,
along with the fi ndings of
Shirtcliff, with a motion
from Bennett, and a second
from Kerns.
ODOT Agreement No.
31372 was approved, with
a motion from Bennett,
and a second from Kerns.
Prior to approval, Harvey
explained that the agree-
ment, for grant funding of
$27,000 from ODOT, is
for the purpose of install-
ing a total of eight video
cameras on County senior
citizen and transit buses, to
aid with potential liability
claims.
Digital speed
signs active
Submitted Photo.
Legal speed limits will adjust to road conditions and
show on these new digital signs.
Digital speed limit signs mounted over a thirty-mile
stretch of Interstate 84 between Baker City and La
Grande have replaced the standard speed signs in that
area.
The new signs will use traffi c, road, weather and visibil-
ity sensors to lower the legal speed limit when ice, snow,
fog or a wreck ahead requires everyone to slow down.
Along with identifying the current legal speed limit, the
digital displays can also show the reason for a reduced
speed, such “ice” or “low visibility.”
The new variable speed limit signs were installed this
summer and have displayed the current freeway speed
limits for about two months. The signs are now connected
to road sensor and fully functional. Drivers are reminded
to watch for and obey these new digital speed signs,
which will show the current legal speed limit for the area.
Community
Orchestra to
hold concert
The Baker Community Orchestra will hold its Fall
Concert Friday, November 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the South
Baker Intermediate School Gym, 1285 Third ST, Baker
City. There is no admission and all are welcome.
The orchestra, under the direction of Kelly Brickman,
will perform a mix of classical, popular, movie themes,
and Christmas Music. Included are Beethoven’s Turkish
March, Rosamunde Overture by Franz Schubert, Slavonic
Dance #8 by Antonin Dvorak, a medley movie themes
from John Williams (think Star Wars!), some creepy clas-
sics you might recognize, and of course a nod to the com-
ing Christmas season! Oh, and The Magic Flute Overture
from Mozart!
The Baker Community Orchestra is made up of volun-
teer community members who have a passion for making
music. The orchestra is open to any community member
who can play a band or orchestra instrument. There is no
audition requirement, just come and play!
Holiday music
festival ahead
The Annual Holiday Music Festival is coming to
Eastern Oregon University with two shows set for 7:30
p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3-4 in McKenzie
Theatre in Loso Hall.
The gala event features more than 200 area performers
and holiday music from around the world.
General festival seating admission is $8 for adults and
$6 for students and senior citizens. Tickets are avail-
able at Looking Glass Books downtown and at the EOU
Bookstore on campus.
SEE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
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