General Information FAQ

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Can I get a shoulder patch from the Sheriff’s Office? Can I trade a patch?

The Sheriff’s Office does not sell or trade patches. Present-day security concerns have resulted in a policy that prevents distribution of patches.

Who do I talk to about having a Deputy or K9 attend our Neighborhood Watch, Safety Fair, or other event?

For neighborhood watch, safety fair events, etc., contact Public Information Officer, Sgt. Tim Wallace, at 541-682-4179.

To request K9 attendance or demonstration at your event, contact Sgt. Ray May by e mail, or by phone at 541-682-4150, extension 9589 to leave a message.

I’d like to do a ride-along. Who do I call? Is there a certain age or requirement to have one?

Information on citizen ride-along can be found at https://lanecounty.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=3585881&pageId=4131139.

I plan on getting an alarm system for my house. Will the Sheriff’s Office respond if the alarm company calls when the alarm goes off?

The Sheriff’s Office currently has a “verified response” alarm policy. We adopted this policy after statistics confirmed that the majority of alarms to which we responded were false activations. With our staffing reductions, this policy became necessary in order to keep our deputies clear for actual emergency calls.

We will respond to any alarm that is activated by a person on scene, such as a panic button or duress alarm. For other alarms, such as motion detectors, glass breakage, and general burglar alarms, we require verification that the alarm is legitimate before deputies will respond. Verification can be made by a neighbor, family member, private security company, etc.

It is important that you work with your alarm company to make sure they are contacting the proper authorities for the alarm installed to ensure the correct emergency resource is dispatched. For example, if you have a Lifeline alarm, the alarm company should be contacting the fire department, not the Sheriff’s Office.

A street sign is down, who do I notify?

If the sign in question is a stop sign, contact our Dispatch Center at 541-682-4150 option 1. Stop signs are a priority, and crews work 24/7 to replace them.

If the sign in question is a street sign or other non-critical sign, contact Lane County Public Works at 541-682-6900, or report it to them via email.

Please provide information about the condition of the sign post when reporting downed signs. This allows crews to know if a replacement post will be necessary, or if the sign merely needs to be re-set. If a sign is damaged, this information should also be reported.

I got an email or telephone call that must be a scam. Who should I notify?

Report potential email and telephone scams to the Oregon Attorney General’s Office at 1-877-877-9392. The Oregon Attorney General’s website lists important information about scams, identity theft, lemon laws, etc. You can also sign up for email alerts as part of the Oregon Scam Alert Network, as well as file consumer complaints on their website.

I received an call or card in the mail soliciting donations. How do I know if this is a legitimate fundraiser?

You can investigate the legitimacy of a charitable organization, as well as how much of the donated funds are used for the charitable cause by visiting websites such as Charity Navigator, GuideStar, or the Oregon Department of Justice.

A house is vacant next door and we suspect that there may be unwanted and unauthorized occupants using the residence, but we are unable to locate or contact the owner of the home. Who should we call?

Contact the Lane County Land Management Code Enforcement at (541) 682-3724. The Code Enforcement Program enforces Lane County’s nuisance ordinances by responding to and investigating reports and inquiries from the public.

The Sheriff’s Office can only enforce trespass complaints on private property if the complaint is made by the property owner or the party responsible for the property. If an arrest is made, we must show that we acted on the authority of the property owner.

Can I target shoot in the woods?

Two county codes prohibit shooting at live standing timber and the unsafe discharge of firearms, which would include shooting in an area with no safe backstop, shooting on a roadway or ATV trail, or shooting in the direction of a residence.

I’m having a party. Do I need a permit to serve alcohol? For noise?

Generally, private citizens serving alcohol at their residence in a social setting do not require a permit to do so. Permits are generally needed only if a person is selling alcoholic beverages. For further information, you can go to www.oregon.gov/olcc or call the Oregon Liquor Control Commission at 541-686-7739.

Regarding noise concerns, there is not a permitting process currently in place for low level noise. For specifics, and to confirm if you need to pursue a permit, you should contact Code Enforcement for Lane County Land Management at 541-682-3724.

We’re having a parade or an event, such as a bicycle race. Do I need a permit?

Yes, a parade conducted on a public street or roadway requires a permit. Contact Lane County Public Works at 541-682-6900 to get information on the permitting process.

How do I find out if the house I’m renting, buying, living in, or next to was a meth house?

The State of Oregon provides information regarding properties that a law enforcement agency has declared by to be unfit for use due to meth lab and/or storage activities. You can find that information on the Building Codes Division – Drug Labs website.

What’s the law on public nudity?

Lane County’s Nudity Ordinance is located in the Lane Code – Chapter 6 – Offenses.

How do I find information about oustanding warrants? What should I do if I know the location of someone wanted by law enforcement?

Warrants information is not considered to be public information. Therefore, phone inquiries will not be answered about wanted status. If you want to check whether you have an outstanding warrant, present yourself at our Central Reception along with identification, such as a driver’s license. If you believe someone is wanted and you know his or her location, contact our Dispatch Center at 541-682-4150 option 1. Although Dispatch will neither confirm nor deny wanted status, our Communications Officers will take your information and do appropriate follow-up.

Someone towed a vehicle and left it on the street/across the road in a field/in their driveway and it's leaking fluids/is an eyesore/hasn't moved for months. What do I do?

If you are in the county, and the vehicle is parked in an appropriate location on the street, and has no flat tires, is not up on blocks, appears to be in running order, and the tags are current, it is considered legally parked. However, if the vehicle is in disrepair, is leaking fluids, does not have current registration tags, or otherwise appears to be abandoned, contact the Lane County Weighmaster at 541-682-4150 option 1 to report the location and description of the vehicle, including the license plate information.

Who enforces the noise ordinance?

Lane County Land Management currently enforces the county noise ordinance. For further information, contact their Compliance Officer at 541-682-3724.