Traffic cameras coming to 82nd, Powell — and a lot more places — by the end of this year
It’s the most candid and detailed assessment yet of past problems and what to expect in the future
Police
Mayor Wheeler reinstates Old Town carfree zone to reduce violence
Starting tonight, a 12-block section of downtown Portland will be off-limits to cars two nights a week. It’s part of an effort from Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office to improve safety and reduce gun violence in Old Town Chinatown’s entertainment district. Wheeler hosted a press conference Tuesday at Kells Irish Pub to announce the plan. “As … Read more
Police, TriMet team up for enforcement action on SE 122nd Avenue
A multi-agency effort netted 15 arrests, including gun and drug seizures in just four hours last Thursday, September 8th. The location is likely familiar to many of you: the busy intersection of SE 122nd and Burnside, where a light rail line, bike lanes, and many other traffic lanes come together. Statistically, this intersection is a … Read more
Mt. Scott-Arleta residents celebrate vibrant plaza on formerly violent street
“This slip lane was being used for drive-bys and a lot of violent activities.” – Nadine Salama, resident It’s rare that a sitting Portland city commissioner will dance at a public event. Rarer still when it’s in the middle of what used to be a street known for regular shootings and traffic-related violence. But that’s … Read more
New report says Mt. Scott-Arleta violence prevention pilot shows promise
When multiple bureaus at the City of Portland came together with concerned residents on a novel approach to address a disturbing rise in shootings and speeding in the Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood last fall, many people responded with ridicule. Now a new report builds on initial claims that it just might be working. We’ve taken a … Read more
Despite police directive, Portlanders of color still overrepresented in traffic stops
Being stopped in traffic is the most common way most people come into contact with the police, but we don’t all experience those stops equally. In Portland (and throughout the United States), people of color are overrepresented in traffic stops, with Black people experiencing the most drastic effects of this bias. And this is more … Read more
Obscured license plates are illegal, dangerous, and on the rise
Have you noticed an increase in the amount of drivers using obscured license plates on their cars? We sure have. More and more people are trying to skirt the law — and avoid photo radar cameras — by making it hard to read their plates or removing them completely. For obvious reasons, these are illegal. … Read more
County Sheriff Mike Reese calls for more traffic enforcement to stem tide of violence
“I would hope [the Portland Police Bureau] would reconstitute their traffic division and focus those resources in high crash corridors.”— Mike Reese, Multnomah County Sheriff
Non-police traffic camera bill passes Oregon Senate committee
A high priority bill for the Portland Bureau of Transportation has taken another step forward in the Oregon Legislature. House Bill 4105 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday by a vote of 4 to 3. It passed the Oregon House last week. The bill would give cities the authority to take oversight of automated … Read more
Opinion: Police bureau isn’t our only tool to fix hate-filled streets
The events of this past weekend require me to make a point I’ve long understood about streets: safety is as much about culture as it is about concrete. If Portland truly stands for streets where everyone can feel safe and welcome, we must do more to defend them against dangerous people — whether the weapon … Read more
Book Review: Policing the Open Road
The idea that cars = freedom is a pervasive American myth. The truth is that the rise of the automobile — and rampant illegal behaviors that have always accompanied it — helped give rise to an armed street security force that too often acts as judge, jury, and executioner. Sarah Seo’s book, Policing the Open … Read more