The Police Chief in Prineville says he's facing a big challenge trying to keep the community safe while operating under a smaller budget because of a weak economy.  Prineville Police Chief Eric Bush says like many police departments across the state; the need for a strong police department hasn't gone away, even though some of the funding has evaporated: “How do we bridge the gap over the next couple of years, until property tax revenues can catch up to what appears to be a recovering economy, it’s a formidable challenge. And I think that public officials and public servants now are challenged more in a greater way today than they've ever been challenged before, to try to provide safety and a quality of life for their citizens and we're certainly working hard in that direction.” It may be a longer wait for better police budgets in Prineville. The latest state economic forecast shows our economy in Oregon is recovering, but it also shows that the rural communities have been hit the hardest.