Oregon City leaders weigh downtown exclusion zone to limit repeat dangerous behavior

At a Sept. 9 Oregon City Commission work session, Police Chief Davis asked the commission for direction on creating a downtown exclusion zone that would let police bar people from a narrowly defined area after arrests or citations for specified offenses.

Davis told commissioners that an exclusion zone is “designated to protect the public from those who illegally conduct, or their conduct, and they pose a threat to the public health, safety, and welfare,” and described model language used in other cities. He said staff consulted City Attorney Carrie Richter and reviewed Oregon and out‑of‑state ordinances, including Medford and Milwaukee.

City officials said the zones are intended to be limited in area and behavior‑based rather than targeted at a group. Davis and staff singled out examples of features a local ordinance should include:…