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SIT LIE 4.0 CONTINUES:
The response this woman received subsequent to her testimony can only be described as patronizing by Mayor Adams and Commissioner Amanda Fritz. Adams' main response was that there are other places on the sidewalk you can sit, while Fritz stated, "There are lots of assertions that the ordinance is targeted to people who live outside. Your testimony shows it is equally enforced." So much for citizen input. No one addresed the officer's demeanor and behavior, how patently ridiculous this ordinance is, or that people visiting downtown Portland should not be treated this way. Commissioner Fritz continues to meet monthly with the Sidewalk Management Plan Committee, and Portland Copwatch (PCW) continues to send an observer. Little has changed, as those who are homeless continue to be given the most citations for alleged violation of the ordinance. Data furnished monthly by the Portland Police Bureau indicates that the greatest majority of those contacted by the police either have no address or give a shelter address. For several months, more contacts were made by bike patrol officers than by the intimidating mounted patrol, and we were encouraged by this trend. However, the June data indicated an equal number of contacts made by the mounted patrol and the bike patrol. The data also continue to indicate that two to three arrests are made each month when, after identifying those contacted, it is found they have outstanding warrants. While PCW points out that these are pretext arrests, Commander Vince Jarmer either ignores this, or denies they are pretext arrests. However, the fact remains that were it not for the ordinance, these arrests would not be made. PCW has also brought up the fact that no one knows how Sit/Lie citations will fare in the judicial system. Several months ago, officials said that no one had yet been to court about a citation. Questioning this brought a promise that the District Attorney would provide the Committee with the information, but that has not yet happened. At the June meeting, representatives of the Portland Business Alliance, Clean and Safe, and Portland Patrol Inc. discussed their programs. Clean and Safe was introduced as "a nonprofit responsible for cleaning and security and downtown marketing... and downtown ambassadors." Homeless people who are often approached by these organizations' employees might not see these guides and security guards as "ambassadors." Meanwhile, Portland's anti-camping ordinance is still pending in federal court. During the Rose Festival, Right to Survive (RTS) displayed the hypocrisy of that ordinance. By tradition, people come downtown and camp out the night before the Rose Parade. Members of RTS also camped out that night and received no citations. Had they tried the next night, police no doubt would have cited them and/or performed a draconian "sweep." |
September, 2011
• Live Rounds Wound Man;
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