Category Public Safety
COLUMN: Preparing for emergencies helps our community recover
Mark Wardell, the leader of West Salem’s Community Emergency Response Team, explains the role emergency management agencies play in preparing for disasters, and how you can help their work.
Oregon bill takes aim at ‘epidemic of violence’ around missing and murdered Indigenous people
Supporters of a bill to provide services and victim outreach to address missing and murdered Indigenous women say it’s an important step that moves beyond studying the problem and allocates staff from within the Oregon Health Authority to address the issue.
4 guns seized from teens accused of threatening person in NE Salem
A group of teenagers are accused of threatening a person with a gun last Thursday on Kacey Circle. Police seized four guns from the teens, including a short-barreled rifle and three high-capacity magazines.
5 takeaways: What’s driving Salem’s rising public safety costs amid city budget crisis
A historic look of Salem’s budget showed spending on police and fire has heavily outpaced inflation, while their staffing hasn’t kept up with rising costs. Here are five key takeaways from two decades of city budget data.
New program will help people recover from opioid withdrawal, connect with treatment
Starting March 10, people in opioid withdrawal will have easier access to medication that treats their symptoms, which include physical pain, nausea and emotional distress. The aim is to help people who have just overdosed break the cycle of using again and make treatment easier.
Pedestrian killed, another critically injured in NE Salem
Salem police said a pickup truck driver struck two pedestrians around 2 a.m. Saturday on Northeast Silverton Road. Raymond Dale, 77, died from his injuries and Ephraim Dale, 49, remained hospitalized Saturday afternoon with critical injuries.
Mother of physician killed in kayak crash with Buena Vista Ferry sues Marion County
Jacob Jackson, a longtime family doctor in Salem, died in June 2024 after a ferry operator collided with his kayak. His family is suing Marion County, which operates two ferries, in hopes of preventing future tragedies on the Willamette River.
Oregon Democrats in U.S. House, others warn that firings could mean dire wildfire season
Federal employees not only put out fires, they also manage prevention work, like controlled burns to clear out undergrowth that can fuel catastrophic blazes under dry, windy conditions.
Bill on wildfire prevention work could give utilities immunity from lawsuits
House Bill 3666 would set minimum standards for wildfire prevention work by utilities but lawyers say it also offers statutory immunity from lawsuits.