City council candidate Jim Middaugh just dropped round to the Mercury office to tell us about his position on the controversial rent-a-cops downtown.

MIDDAUGH: “I gotta be me…”

Erik Sten was reluctant to involve himself in the controversy over downtown rent-a-cops, who are funded by the Portland Business Alliance. You may have heard about them here but if not, here’s a few links to get you started.

“I’m hearing that homeless people are getting disproportionately targeted by private security,” says Middaugh. “Private security is great for private property.”

“But like any public service, enforcement of public safety should not be contracted out to private security,” he says. “And I think this issue is particularly sensitive because it requires a level of oversight that’s not being seen currently.”

The rent-a-cops are currently in back room negotiations with homeless advocates over a compromise on oversight, but the homeless advocates don’t have anyone on council willing to really take up their fight.

If Middaugh got elected, I’d be excited to see how his balls-out stance on this issue could positively impact the civil rights of homeless people downtown.

We’re yet to formally endorse a candidate for this position.