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News Release: Police out in force for first day of school

This just in from the Portland Police Bureau: PORTLAND POLICE CONDUCT SCHOOL SAFETY MISSONS Starting Tuesday, September 2, 2008, and continuing every weekday for the next two weeks, officers from all five precincts, the Traffic Division, the Transit Police Division, and School Resource officers will participate in a citywide school safety mission. Among the goals … Read more


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Police share results from Rose Quarter “bicycle education mission”

New sign at entrance to Rose Quarter.(Photo © J. Maus) Yesterday from 3:30 to 6:00pm, the Transit Police and Traffic Divisions of the Portland Police Bureau staged what they refer to as a “bicycle education mission” at the Rose Quarter Transit Center. According to a statement just released by spokesperson Brian Schmautz, the mission was, … Read more


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Last of three ‘bike education missions’ this morning in North Portland

(Photos © J. Maus) Yesterday morning (7/23) the Portland Police Bureau’s Traffic Division conducted their second of three “educational warning missions” focused on bicycle operators at the intersection of North Flint and North Broadway. The results? According to Traffic Division Captain Larry O’Dea there were 61 total stops. 8 motor vehicle operators were stopped (all … Read more


Updated: Police target Ladds for educational mission

**See results and a statement about this morning’s enforcement mission from Captain Larry O’Dea below** Ladds Circle in Southeast Portland. Officers from the Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division were out in force this morning in the Ladds Circle area of Southeast Portland. This area, which is a traffic circle ringed by streets with stop signs, … Read more


Police Bureau Captain assembles new bike law working group

Traffic Division Captain, Larry O’Deaat the bike box press event in March.(Photos © J. Maus) Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division Captain Larry O’Dea wants to learn more about bicycle laws. In fact, he also wants his officers, local judges, bike advocates, lawyers, and others to learn more too. Next month, he’ll assemble all of them … Read more


Police begin enforcement of new bike box

Officer Voepel keeps a watchful eye on the new bike box.(Photos © J. Maus) This morning, officers from the Portland Police Bureau’s Traffic Division began a series of targeted enforcement missions at the new bike box on SE Hawthorne Blvd. Traffic Division Lieutenant Bryan Parman and three of his officers were on hand to watch … Read more


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Police plan bike box enforcement strategy

Traffic Division Captain Larry O’Dea.(Photo © J. Maus) The City of Portland’s campaign to remake several intersections with colored bike boxes and bike lanes is made up of much more than just markings on the pavement. Along with the new markings comes a significant change to the law; at all intersections slated to receive a … Read more


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Citizen citation yields success; driver pleads “no contest”

Lawyer Chris Heaps was not satisfied with the Police response to a bike/car crash, so he pursued justice himself…and got it.(Photo © J. Maus) Christopher Heaps, the Portland lawyer who mounted a “citizen initiated” campaign last December to bring the driver who hit Siobhan Doyle to justice, says we can “chalk one up for the … Read more


Sizer issues executive order on crash investigations; unveils new code procedures

Traffic Division Captain Larry O’Dea(Photo © J. Maus) In an executive order issued on Monday (2/11), Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer made official what I reported on one month ago — new language has been added to the list of crash investigation criteria that will have a major impact on bike-involved collisions. At last night’s … Read more


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Police Bureau: Crash investigation threshold lowered for vulnerable road users

A few minutes ago, I posted a story about a potentially new directive within the Police Bureau that would call for all bike-involved collisions to be investigated. Now I have confirmed with the PPB’s Public Information Officer Brian Schmautz that yes, there will be a modification of their policy, but it is a bit different … Read more