Kitzhaber: No Armed Civilian Patrol

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Kitzhaber: No Armed Civilian PatrolNovember 5, 2001, 01:30 PM E-mail this story Print this story By AP Staff Gov. John Kitzhaber is voicing doubts about the local sheriff's plan to set up an armed volunteer civil defense force to deter terrorist attacks on sensitive facilities. Because the proposal calls for volunteers to carry firearms, Clatsop County Sheriff John Raichl's defense force appears to amount to a kind of militia, according Steve Marks, the governor's chief of staff. Only the governor has the authority to form such groups, Marks said. "We're very concerned with having citizens armed without training, and without being deputized to carry out the duties of law enforcement," he said. Still, Marks said the governor's staff is ready to work with the county on a compromise, to allow extra people to patrol vulnerable sites. At a meeting on north coast emergency preparedness last week, Raichl said he envisions a force of 125 volunteers who could be mobilized during periods of high alert. They would patrol docks, bridges, reservoirs, power stations, gas lines and other vital places that can't be adequately covered by law enforcement in Clatsop County. Under Raichl's plan, the volunteers would not be deputized but would operate under the authority of the sheriff. They would patrol in pairs, using standard sporting firearms such as rifles and shotguns, but would not be allowed to take enforcement action. Raichl said the idea isn't that much different from the civilian patrol groups who watched the country's shorelines during World War II. Marks said the proposal also raises tricky questions about the county's legal liability for the volunteers and for any actions they might take while "on duty." Deputizing a volunteer force is one way to get around the legal roadblocks, but Raichl said he wants the volunteers to act only as watchdogs, and not take any law enforcement action on their own. Raichl's plan called for the establishment of five "garrisons" of about 25 people each to help patrol facilities that could be targeted for attack. The volunteers would be required to call in regular law enforcement personnel if they spotted suspicious activity, and would be allowed to use their weapons only for self-defense. The sheriff said he still feels that allowing the volunteers to be armed is important if they are going to be patrolling in isolated areas of the county. Raichl said many people have already contacted the sheriff's office to ask more about the force and even volunteer their services. http://www.kgw.com/kgwnews/terrornorthwest_story.html?StoryID=30510