Enforcement
Bill would allow non-police agent to review traffic camera citations
A new bill in the Oregon Legislature would remove a major barrier to the use of automated photo radar cameras. Current Oregon law requires that every citation issued by a fixed speed camera must be reviewed by a sworn police officer. While well-intentioned, this statute has led to delays in citation processing, higher personnel costs … Read more
Portland Police Association says tragic traffic toll with continue “without proactive enforcement”
The president of the labor union that represents most of the Portland Police Bureau’s rank-and-file officers made a statement earlier this month warning people that a recent personnel shift by Police Chief Chuck Lovell would lead to dangerous conditions on our streets. I just realized today that that person – PPA President Brian Hunzeker — … Read more
Police Chief’s reorganization plan leaves no officers on traffic duty
In late 2020, the Portland Police Bureau was in the center of city politics and this reshuffling of officers has had vast impacts.
800 citations in 17 days: Tigard mayor connects dots from speeding to traffic deaths
It only took 17 days for Tigard’s two new traffic enforcement cameras to rack up over 800 citations. And just a few minutes for that city’s mayor to draw a line between this rampant, normalized lawlessness and death. The new cameras started issuing citations on July 14th at 72nd Avenue and at Hall Boulevard on … Read more
PPB traffic stop data shows Black Portlanders are overrepresented
H/T Latisha Jenson, Willamette Week In the first eight months of 2020, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers made 20,990 traffic stops. According to police data, between New Year’s Day and August 1st, 17.7% of the people stopped were Black — a significant overrepresentation of Portland’s Black population which was 5.8% as of 2019. Over the … Read more
PBOT splits with Portland Police Bureau on crosswalk law enforcement program
The Portland Bureau of Transportation has ended a 15-year partnership with the Portland Police Bureau that centered around the enforcement of Oregon’s crosswalk law. Since 2005 PBOT has conducted “pedestrian crosswalk education and enforcement actions” with the PPB. But in recent years conversations around the enforcement of traffic laws and concerns about racial profiling by … Read more
Scofflaw car drivers are keeping police very busy
Whether it’s the Coronavirus Effect, a general sense of lawlessness, lack of concern about consequences, or all of the above — the Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division has been very busy with dangerous drivers recently. You’ve likely seen the headlines about a spike in speeding. This is happening for the aforementioned reasons and because the … Read more
Police make 46 stops in 5 hours during crosswalk enforcement missions on SE Foster, Hawthorne
What does it take for people to stop when someone’s trying to cross the road? How about being on a commercial corridor full of shops? Maybe crosswalks with median islands and flashing lights? Perhaps a pandemic that asks everyone to lighten the load of first responders and hospitals? How about the presence of police officers … Read more
Hillsboro PD’s novel distracted driving sting nets 50 citations in three hours
Every city in America has a big problem when it comes to distracted driving. Most states have laws that outlaw it, but the challenge is enforcement.