Blogtown, PDX

Thursday, November 8, 2007

News Cracksploitation Over…

Posted by Matt Davis on Thu, Nov 8 at 4:09 PM

Larry Norton on the Oregonian’s Old Town blog says the cracksplosion down there, following the expiry of the drug free zones (DFZs) at the end of September, is over with.

Amy and I ran a fantastic story on October 25 about how the Portland Business Alliance had been urging people to call 911, as opposed to a rent-a-cop, since June—explaining an explosion in calls for service since then, just as easily as a burgeoning crack trade might.

For the last two weeks, central precinct’s street crimes unit has been stationing a mobile precinct unit IN Old Town—literally parking it right on the corners where the crack dealers like to hang out. I ran into my would-be-cousin Sergeant Chris Davis down there last week and he was pretty pleased with the results. “Like cockroaches running for the shadows,” I think he might have said.

It’s good to see the cops have managed to find an equally effective tool for controlling downtown livability as the DFZs, that doesn’t impinge so much on people’s rights. We’re still waiting for the city to vote on the police bureau’s new scheme to replace the DFZs, but at least the likes of Larry Norton have stopped freaking out.

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Comments

Wow, imagine that. The police go down there, establish a presence in a known crime hot spot and actually walk around and hang out and arrest people that they see committing actual crimes. That is a wonderful revolution in police work in this city. Because see, no fancy weird 14 page long, constitution twisting, racist exclusion ordinances were actually needed.

Posted by LawGuy | November 8, 2007 5:05 PM

You should have my job LawGuy. You summed it up better than I ever could.

Interestingly, Norton's post ends by suggesting continued pressure from Old Town might result in "BEAT OFFICERS" for the district.

Good Lord.

Posted by Matt Davis | November 8, 2007 5:18 PM

Norton's hope for a "beat officer" [Officer Kerouac?] raises a fascinating issue. Are there really no particular cops assigned to walk around the Old Town neighborhood, chat with folks,arrest the drug dealers they note selling drugs? Is everything really done by special mission or in response to citizen calls? I am basically a libertarian when it comes to drug issues and critic of the police department but I am having a hard time believing that the PPB doesn't just have an officer or three just hanging out [and WALKING] all the time. I realize that they have budget and manpower issues, but an Old Town "beat cop" sounds like a no-brainer.

Posted by LawGuy | November 8, 2007 6:46 PM

Hi Sam..Err "LawGuy"

Posted by Whatever | November 9, 2007 12:18 AM

The police bureau uses non-union rent-a-cops to walk the beat and act as its eyes and ears.

It's not only cheaper, the liability is passed off to private insurance companies from the city.

Meanwhile central precinct is hugely understaffed because everyone calls the rent-a-cops when they have a problem, and crime falls, making it impossible for the police bureau to justify deploying real officers in central when there are higher crime stats out east.

Fascinating, the implications of privatizing a police force, really. Perhaps this is why no other city in the US has tried doing it, yet.

Posted by Matt Davis | November 9, 2007 11:09 AM

The PPB's idea of community policing involves driving squad cars on Waterfront Park, sitting in squad cars while parked on sidewalks, and hanging around in Starbucks. The only time I've ever seen Portland Police walking with their legs were to a) walk from their car to the sidewalk to harass/arrest a homeless person; b) walk from their car to Starbucks; c) tear-gassing babies and old people in wheelchairs for peacefully assembling.

Posted by Ed | November 9, 2007 11:16 AM

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