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Council codifies Portland Committee on Community Engaged Policing; narrows youth‑seat age to 15–23
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Summary
The council adopted an emergency ordinance to add the Portland Committee on Community Engaged Policing to city code (chapter 3.23). Debate focused on how the new code will interact with the Community Board for Police Accountability and on the youth‑seat age range; an amendment to set youth seats to ages 15–23 passed and the ordinance was adopted 11–1 absent.
The Portland City Council on Thursday voted to codify the Portland Committee on Community Engaged Policing (PCCEP/PSAP) into city code by adopting an emergency ordinance that adds code chapter 3.23. Sponsor Councilor Kunal framed the measure as a way to make the committee a permanent, publicly accountable body and urged the emergency clause because a federal‑settlement‑related order could otherwise remove related protections as soon as April 17.
City attorneys and staff clarified that PSAP’s role is advisory: it gathers community input, makes recommendations to the mayor and police chief and does not itself have disciplinary authority. Heidi Brown and Dori Grubinski explained the distinction between PSAP and the newly formed Community Board for Police Accountability (CBPA), which has chartered authority related to discipline and thus different public‑meeting rules.
A major segment of council debate centered on the ordinance’s reserved youth seats. The draft raised the youth range to 15–25; councilors questioned whether expanding the top end would exclude high‑school‑age voices. Councilor Zimmerman moved an amendment to restore 16–23; multiple councilors and a youth interim co‑chair, Jorge Sanchez Bautista, spoke about recruitment challenges, retention and whether youth had been included in prior planning conversations. After procedural discussion and substitute motions, the council adopted an amended amendment setting the youth range to 15–23 (amendment vote 9 aye, 2 no, 1 absent).
City Attorney Robert Taylor and Heidi Brown explained legal context: the settlement provisions tied to PSAP have terminated and the city is legally free to adopt the code language; the precise youth ages were described as policy choices rather than binding legal requirements. The council then approved the amended emergency ordinance by roll call (11 aye, 1 absent).
Councilors emphasized next steps: clarifying how PSAP recommendations will be routed to the mayor, chief and council; ensuring the new code and the CBPA avoid duplication; and implementing outreach and staffing plans so youth seats are actually filled. Staff committed to follow up on implementation details.
