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Portland Residents Call 911 Every 15 Minutes To Complain About Homeless People Login/Join 
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https://townhall.com/tipsheet/...less-people-n2541107

Officials in Portland, Ore. recently estimated it will cost $640 million over the next 10 years in order to help adequately prevent homelessness in the area, but a report out this week shows that many citizens from the City of Roses have simply resorted to calling the police on unwanted vagrants. In fact, authorities say that more any other problem, residents are calling the emergency hotline to complain about homeless people even when immediate danger is not present.

Katie Shepherd of the Willamette Week reports that the Portland Police Bureau receives a call from the public on average every 15 minutes per day to complain about an unsheltered person who "frightens or inconveniences them." When lumped together with other calls such as mental health emergencies, police recive calls every 4 minutes for a non-violent issue.

Shepherd gave the following example from a cashier as a typical call 911 dispatchers receive from a variety of businesses:

"One guy," she told the dispatcher, "is over there, he put a tent over there. It's very close to our building. It's almost in front of the door."

"He's just camping out?"

"He put like a tent," the cashier said. "A big tent."

"So, I understand why you wouldn't be comfortable with that," the dispatcher replied. "But is he doing anything else?"

"No," the caller said. "No, no, nothing. But we're losing customers and everybody complains."

"OK, we'll come by in between emergency calls and tell him to leave," the dispatcher told the clerk before hanging up.

Portland police deal with these sorts of calls because they say the public simply does not know who else to call upon and there thousands of homeless people throughout the city.

"We get a lot of administrative-type calls," Bureau of Emergency Communications director Bob Cozzie told WW. "Those kinds of things are certainly not 911 emergencies, but because they don't know what other number to call, they call 911."

This poses a problem for a number of reasons, chief among them the Portland Police have a lack of staff properly equipped to deal with homeless people who often have a mental illness. Advocates say the department needs more funding and training to help solve the crisis.

"The Portland Police Bureau has not been given nearly enough resources to fulfill its small piece in addressing the homelessness crisis," police union president Daryl Turner said in a recent statement. "It's a recipe for failure to put the burden of the homelessness solution on the Police Bureau's shoulders and then give us insufficient resources to do the work."

Other public officials encourage folks who are concerned about an individual to call mental health offices in the city which are staffed with proper therapists, psychologists, and other trained professionals. "If people think they should call, they should call [the Mental Health Call Center]," Leticia Sainz, a program manager at the Multnomah County Health Department said "We can get them where they need to be."

Portland Commissioner Joanne Hardesty is implementing reform by having a medic and a counselor attend these 911 calls when it is apparent a problem is simply a homeless person.

"Police are not the best first responders for behavioral health issues," Hardesty told WW. "Our outcomes in Portland have shown that time and again. What we've found beginning to research alternatives is that sending crisis counselors coupled with a medic partner can be a more cost effective as well as a safer response."

The root of this issue is an increasing homeless population in the area. Portland has the second highest homelessness population in the entire country. The city has spent millions of dollars to try and deter homeless individuals and help others get back on their feet, but so far all methods have been unsuccessful. One example of a good-intentioned plan gone awry was the disastrous no-turn-away shelter program. The plan cost Portland millions, stretched resources, and ended up placing hundreds of families in motels. As noted by the Seattle Times, Portland officials tried establishing shelters for homeless families that had to accept everybody, but the "experiment showed that the best alternative is keeping someone from entering shelter in the first place." The program ended in 2018 though many places are still full.

In the short term, authorities now hope that by providing mental health resources, police can respond to other calls and avoid escalating situations which could result in somebody killed.


_________________________
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Posts: 12575 | Registered: January 17, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
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I would normally ridicule people for using 911 in this way, but really, I don't think I can blame them in this case. What else can they do? Take the matter into their own hands? Run roughshod over the vagrants popping up a tent right at the entrance of their stores?

I do have a suggestion actually. ELECT BETTER PEOPLE! In other words, stop elecing commies (ie, democrats).


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30297 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Step by step walk the thousand mile road
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If you offer the lame, lazy, and looney freedom to behave this way you should serve cheese with the whines of the rest of society.

During the 20th century'sy Great Economic Depression this is why hobos and Okies got arrested or turned back at the state lines of California, Oregon, and Washington.





Nice is overrated

"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government."
Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
 
Posts: 31376 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: May 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Learn it, know it, live it
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quote:
Originally posted by Sig2340:
During the 20th century'sy Great Economic Depression this is why hobos and Okies got arrested or turned back at the state lines of California, Oregon, and Washington.


I had to Google 'Okies' to understand your reference..
I knew it meant from Oklahoma, but didn't understand what you were referencing.
I learned something today. Big Grin
 
Posts: 4354 | Location: Great State of TEXAS | Registered: July 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Just send them to the closest Starbucks
 
Posts: 2465 | Location: WI | Registered: December 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Dirty Boat Guy
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quote:
What else can they do?

Call the NON-EMERGENCY number that pretty much every agency in the Country has. I get why they turn to law enforcement (you outlined it beautifully) but calling 911 is just idiotic.




A penny saved is a government oversight.
 
Posts: 6708 | Location: New Orleans Area | Registered: January 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Raised Hands Surround Us
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We serve about 350k people give or take and 250 square miles
Portland appears to be about 650k people for 145 square miles

I respond to at least 2 calls about vagrants a day. Same goes for pretty much everyone working. Others more depending upon where they Patrol and their vagrant population.

It is a serious problem with about zero resolution that will actually happen.


————————————————
The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad.
If we got each other, and that's all we have.
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.
You should know I'll be there for you!
 
Posts: 25353 | Registered: September 06, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Raised Hands Surround Us
Three Nails To Protect Us
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quote:
Originally posted by parallel:
quote:
What else can they do?

Call the NON-EMERGENCY number that pretty much every agency in the Country has. I get why they turn to law enforcement (you outlined it beautifully) but calling 911 is just idiotic.


Here is really makes no difference.
The non emergency line and 911 go to the exact same people. 911 just gives a flashing red light at the top of their screen.
I do wish that they would come up with a simple universal nonemergency number that works like 911.
Dependent upon where you live and work you could have to have numerous non emergency numbers to remember based upon responding agency.


————————————————
The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad.
If we got each other, and that's all we have.
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.
You should know I'll be there for you!
 
Posts: 25353 | Registered: September 06, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
Picture of Balzé Halzé
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by parallel:
quote:
What else can they do?

Call the NON-EMERGENCY number that pretty much every agency in the Country has. I get why they turn to law enforcement (you outlined it beautifully) but calling 911 is just idiotic.


Well yes. They should do that.


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30297 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Screw the liberal, progressive, socialist, Antifa democrats of Portland, I don't give a damn as they brought tis upon them selves. Again, SCREW THEM! I don't give a SH*T!
 
Posts: 970 | Location: Virginia | Registered: August 03, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Corgis Rock
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If people don’t complain the socialists will just spend money to cuddle the bums. They will then brag about the great and kind job they are doing. Then taxes go up to care for the bums that move n for the free service.
Any homeless camp will be filled with stolen items. Landowners are often fined or charged with the clean up.
The bleeding hearts go on about how the bums are “down on their luck” suggesting that they just want to get off the streets. Then comes the mental illlnes and drug use excuse.

Police recently cleared a homeless camp.

“Deputies offered to pay homeless campers to clean up their own mess — the campers did not accept.”
“They were self-proclaimed campers; they even put up signs in the woods,” Troyer explained. He said that the campers all have cell phones and have set up their own social networks to know where to go to get free goods and services.”
“A cleanup of the encampment revealed 30 tons of waste. It was waste that included not only human excrement and drug paraphernalia but also kids’ toys and “enough carts to start their own grocery store,” according to Troyer. There were no children living in the encampment, so all of the toys, Troyer said, were stolen.”
“Officers from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, along with volunteers from the surrounding neighborhoods, went into the woods and spent 300 hours cleaning the area. The homeless people left on foot or on bikes.”
“Among the trash, deputies said they removed eight gallons worth of hypodermic needles.”
“According to the Sheriff’s Department, in 2017, deputies responded to 90 calls for service at just one of the stores for crimes including shoplifting, vehicle prowls, trespassing, people sleeping in cars, and people urinating on sidewalks”


http://mynorthwest.com/1004272...rce-county-sheriff/?
Pierce County clears massive homeless camp, Puyallup businesses hope crime drops



“ The work of destruction is quick, easy and exhilarating; the work of creation is slow, laborious and dull.
 
Posts: 6060 | Location: Outside Seattle | Registered: November 29, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Quit staring at my wife's Butt
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you should see the camps along the freeway any place you can pitch a tent blue tarp or cardboard box, now Eugene is getting the same way.
 
Posts: 5574 | Registered: February 09, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
I would normally ridicule people for using 911 in this way, but really, I don't think I can blame them in this case. What else can they do? Take the matter into their own hands? Run roughshod over the vagrants popping up a tent right at the entrance of their stores?

I do have a suggestion actually. ELECT BETTER PEOPLE! In other words, stop elecing commies (ie, democrats).


That's a perfect time to test out the fire hose!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Posts: 21335 | Registered: June 12, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Coin Sniper
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I'm sure the homeless BUY all of those shopping carts right? Certainly they aren't stolen property.

I wonder how long its going to be before before the people on the left coast realize that this little social experiment is an utter disaster.

- Poop apps to tell you where the crap is
- Rampant homeless
- Rats in city hall
- Typhoid outbreak
- Measles outbreak
- Wild fires/mud slides




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343 - Never Forget

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Posts: 37931 | Location: Above the snow line in Michigan | Registered: May 21, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I was walking in Portland last Spring along beside one of the rivers and ended up in a vagrant camp under one of the big bridges... seems the city gives them port-a-potties which I guess is a good thing in the long run.... I had to pee real bad and thought about using one but for what ever reason either fear of what the inside of one was like or just not wanting to 'trespass' I decided to use a bush.

Seems the bad cold weather on the Pacific Northwest coast is causing a real problem... heard on the news yesterday day that Seattle was having to come up with shelter for the homeless there. I forget what the estimated number was but it was astronomical.


My Native American Name:
"Runs with Scissors"
 
Posts: 4441 | Location: Greenville, SC | Registered: January 30, 2017Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Here In Gresham (outskirts of Portland) the police mailed all residents a form with numbers to call if the shit bags start tossing up tents or camping in cars.
They do a good job of clearing them out when you call.

There is a wide spot next to the kids bus stop that they think is a great spot to park, shoot up and shit on the ground.
Vehicles with broken windows and flat tire get towed off within the day.
Someone thinks they need a tune up and keeps launching spark plugs with a wrist rocket through the windows and slashing the tires all the while loudly commenting on how flammable they are.
 
Posts: 1470 | Location: Portland Oregon | Registered: October 01, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I do feel for the conservatives that are out numbered. How ever when the complainants who are liberal are inconvenienced by the liberal policies it needs to be pushed back into their faces. This is what you voted for. Tough shit if you feel unsafe, smell shit every time your front door to your business is opened.


ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
 
Posts: 4810 | Location: SWMO | Registered: October 20, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Kinda like the L.A City Council members that got Typhus.
If that isn't Karma I don't know what is.
 
Posts: 1470 | Location: Portland Oregon | Registered: October 01, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Wait, what?
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More of the fruits of socialism- this is merely the reaping of the whirlwind. The majority obviously supported coddling the social programs that welcomed in the homeless. It sounds like the people there suck it up and keep encouraging their own demise, or there needs to be a new majority.




“Remember to get vaccinated or a vaccinated person might get sick from a virus they got vaccinated against because you’re not vaccinated.” - author unknown
 
Posts: 15501 | Location: Martinsburg WV | Registered: April 02, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Coin Sniper
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Pronoun: His Royal Highness and benevolent Majesty of all he surveys

343 - Never Forget

Its better to be Pavlov's dog than Schrodinger's cat

There are three types of mistakes; Those you learn from, those you suffer from, and those you don't survive.
 
Posts: 37931 | Location: Above the snow line in Michigan | Registered: May 21, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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