Says violent crimes are down from when he was elected, however fentanyl is an enormous problem
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — After eight years serving as Deschutes County’s district legal professional, John Hummel says he is grateful for the optimistic adjustments he was capable of assist make occur and the numerous challenges overcome.
Hummel introduced final yr that he wouldn’t run for a 3rd time period. He told us in August of 2021, “That is solely about the truth that I’ve felt the targets that I set for this workplace have been met.”
Though he’s experiencing some blended feelings, having been packing up his workplace wall hangings and eight years of mementos, Hummel lately advised NewsChannel 21 he is assured in his resolution to step away from the job.
Reflecting on his time in workplace, Hummel stated he is pleased with the collective efforts serving to to maintain Deschutes County protected.
Regardless of high-profile homicides and different circumstances during which he grew to become one thing of a lightning rod, Hummel stated, “There are fewer crimes of violence after I depart workplace than there was after I took workplace. It was carried out by me working in collaboration with my group.”
These collective efforts, he stated, concerned working intently with native regulation enforcement, a number of nonprofit teams and the workforce of attorneys within the district legal professional’s workplace.
However even with the push for progress, Hummel spoke of some rising challenges the group faces, particularly with explosive development in tourism and residents.
“We’ve seen an uptick in fentanyl medicine which are resulting in numerous overdose dying. That’s a difficulty that we have now to take care of,” Hummel stated. “An uptick of impaired driving — Bend Police and Redmond Police and Deschutes County Sheriff (Workplace) have needed to up their staffing and have extra patrols to try to take care of that.”
With 14 years invested in serving the group, together with the six years Hummel beforehand served as a Bend metropolis councilor, Hummel stated he is glad to go the torch to DA-elect Steve Gunnels to proceed making efforts to higher our group.
NewsChannel 21’s Bola Gbadebo could have a report on Hummel’s feedback at 5 on KTVZ.
