A Path to Real Public Safety

1) Zero Tolerance for Police Racism, Abuse, and Bigotry

Portland needs real police accountability: zero tolerance for abuse, profiling, racism, and all forms of bigotry. OPB reported in 2021 that Portland Police arrest Black people at 4.3 times the rate of white people, the 5th worst arrest disparity in the nation. This is unconscionable, abhorrent, and unacceptable.

At a minimum, drastically improved anti-racism training and zero-tolerance firing policies are absolutely necessary. Police must not be treated as 'above the law,' and justice requires they are held accountable and prosecuted for serious violations and abuses. Grassroots leadership must be continuously followed and respected by elected officials to ensure reform is not exploited to delay the realization of justice.

2) Restore the Community Board for Police Accountability

I fully support the original recommendations to establish the Community Board for Police Accountability with independent oversight of the police. Despite being approved by 82% of Voters in Portland to ensure transparency and justice, the ability to exercise independent oversight was radically watered down by the outgoing council as a result of lobbying by the Police Union.

3) End the Corruption of the Police Union

Corruption thrives when politicians prioritize special interests over the public.

As a board member of Honest Elections Oregon, I have experience winning policy reforms that have eliminated special interest influence. Over the last decade, we mobilized grassroots support to win historic campaign finance reform laws in Portland, Multnomah County, and Oregon.

We must continue the fight against special interest influence to free our city from the grip of the police union and other lobbies.

4) Decriminalize poverty and addiction

Houselessness and addiction must be treated as economic and health issues, not crimes. Instead of criminalizing the most vulnerable among us, we must adopt a Housing First policy and increase access to affordable mental health and addiction services. Punishing people for being poor or struggling with addiction is not only cruel but ineffective, expensive, and unjust.

5) Save our Resources, Invest in Portland

Already his decade, City Hall has handed over roughly $1 BILLION of taxpayer money to one of the most racist police departments in the country. Instead, we could be investing in:

A) Portland Street Response

Portland Street Response has proven to be very effective in addressing crises without armed police escalation. I support fully funding and expanding Portland Street Response to operate 24/7, citywide, ensuring that Portlanders receive the care they need.

B) Community Self-Defense

Portland must empower residents to protect themselves, and should subsidize self-defense training, especially for communities facing discrimination, profiling, and targeting at the hands of police.

Community self-defense is also crucial for earthquake preparedness. In times of crisis, such as the impending Cascadia Megaquake, armed looters may emerge. Both the police and fire departments, even if substantially reformed, will be completely overwhelmed - and we must be able to defend ourselves.

C) True Emergency Preparedness

While the Portland Police receive over $200 million annually, the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) gets only 2.5% of that total—about $5 million. ‘Budget cuts’ were used this year by the outgoing city council to justify eliminating the only dedicated earthquake preparedness position in the emergency department.

Just in the last month, we've witnessed police in North Carolina barricading grocery stores after Hurricane Helene to prevent hungry people whose homes were destroyed from accessing emergency food supplies. In Portland, instead of protecting us from dangerous threats like Zenith’s oil trains and the CEI Hub, the police have arrested community safety activists on behalf of corporate criminals.

Cascadia Ready is our plan for true emergency preparedness, rooted in the power of community - from community gardens for emergency food to community training for self-defense.