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Public commenters urge sustained funding for 24/7 responders, call for police accountability and local security supports
Summary
Five residents who testified during the Community and Public Safety Committee public‑comment period on Feb. 11 urged protecting 24/7 emergency services from proposed cuts, asked for better police oversight, and described business and neighborhood safety concerns in Stadium Hood and elsewhere.
Five members of the public spoke during the committee’s Feb. 11 public‑comment period, raising three recurring themes: (1) opposition to cuts that would reduce round‑the‑clock emergency responder capacity, (2) demands for stronger police‑accountability structures and community oversight, and (3) neighborhood business concerns about theft, vandalism and visible drug activity.
Key points from testimony
- 24/7 emergency services and staffing: Alan (Leslie) Combs, who identified himself as a District 3 resident and a member of the Training Advisory Council, urged the committee not to cut 24/7 first‑responder services and said attention should be paid to police and fire budgets as well as BOEC. He expressed concern that Portland Street Response is understaffed and suggested closer coordination with county services for transport.
- Police accountability and nominating‑committee structure: Charlie Michelle Wesley, a former police‑accountability commissioner, argued for stronger, community‑led oversight of police. Wesley criticized a proposed bar on nominees with “pro‑police or anti‑police bias” and flagged a perceived imbalance on a CBPA nominating committee that she said includes law‑enforcement representatives.
- Neighborhood business impacts and local safety: Karen Chiray, a small business owner in Stadium Hood, described repeated thefts, vandalism and drug activity that she says have forced many businesses to close. Chiray urged the committee to consider city‑funded neighborhood security, expansion of Clean & Safe programs, enforcement of ordinances and community service for low‑level offenders.
- Racial‑justice framing and committee values: Matt Levine called on the committee to align public‑safety priorities with the city’s core values — anti‑racism, equity and transparency — and to reconsider the structure of the community board for police accountability and its nominating committee.
- Business perspective on enforcement levels: Brian Ohandoff, a developer and business owner, argued against further policing cuts and said Portland spends a comparatively small share of its budget on police compared with other cities; he warned that reduced enforcement could drive businesses away and depress the tax base.
Ending
Speakers reflected a mix of public‑safety views. Several asked the committee to prioritize sustaining 24/7 response capacity and to weigh staff and program funding decisions against likely effects on neighborhood safety and small businesses. The committee adjourned after public comment and confirmed its next meeting for Feb. 25.
