Local garbage haulers know the neighborhoods they work in - and they know when something's not quite right.

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Now they've been trained to act as the eyes and ears of the sheriff's department, to report accidents, road hazards, people in trouble and suspicious activity.

The Curb Crime partnership between the sheriff's department and the Deschutes Refuse and Recycling Association - which includes haulers for Sisters and the surrounding area - is an example of the departments emphasis on community policing.

According to Sheriff Greg Brown, the garbage and recycling collectors came to the department with the idea for the program.

"This is the first good example of citizens coming to us with their ideas for partnership," Brown said. "We can't do it all ourselves."

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Brown said the drivers' training is designed to raise their awareness of suspicious activity, and to encourage them to call 911 when something seems wrong.

The drivers were given training on how to recognize sins of trouble, and how to provide accurate descriptions.

Garbage collectors are also trained to recognize the signs of drug use or manufacture in the trash.

Brown emphasized that the drivers are not supposed to act like police officers or put themselves at risk.

The program has already borne fruit in Sisters.

Sisters Public Works Director Gary Frazee noted that a week after the drivers' training, Andy Duran noticed a broken window at a Sisters residence and relayed the information to Frazee.

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When deputies investigated, they discovered that the mobile home had been burglarized.