Mercury is in retrograde.

The county is tasked with providing human services. How much does the county lose to Portland Urban Renewal zones? As of a few years ago, it was something like $18 million.

We can't have mental health services because connected developers need to build new buildings. That may sound simplistic, but it really isn't that far off.

When does the inquiry into the police conduct begin?

Doc: Do you feel like you are going to hurt yourself or anyone else?

A: No, not really

Doc: OK then, it's pretty obvious you're not a threat. Lets get the paperwork completed and get you the heck out of here.

I know about the horrors of mental hospitals past, and the need to get folks re-integrated. Once again however it is all too often taken to the extreme. Those who need stay in for treatment often get out way too quickly.

Its possible he can ride the MAX to Milwaukie soon and he can become their problem.

This is a chronic Oregon public health problem that begs Dr. Governor Kitzhaber taking the lead on in Salem. But, that might require him to work more than 40 hrs/wk. and some weekends, so he won't do it.

The naked guy should have been riding a bike. Just like bicyclists self-importantly ignoring stop signs, birthday suit bicycling in Portland gets a pass.

Why isn't this guy in the Oregon State Hospital? Is he on or off prescribed meds? Does he have a caseworker assigned and do they have the time and support to deal with his problems? How much did the last legislature take out of mental health services.

Gee, Leaving, what I wonder is when will the PPB's ginormous chip on the collective shoulder get noticed. Nobody had said the cops did anything wrong till you brought it up in that passive aggressive way.

But hey, you're right ... Maybe if we did a review every time a cop clubs and tazes somebody, we'd bury fewer of their victims. It's perfectly possible to think, hey, they're public servants with some pretty special powers, maybe we ought to just automatically look things over every time they feel the need to use them on somebody. A lot of times, such a review would show that the cops acted appropriately; sometimes it might show that they could have deescalated better; and sometimes it might reveal a murderous rager with a badge and a grudge against anyone who so much as suggests that sometimes the bad apple has a badge.

And people think those of us who carry guns in this city are crazy. I think you're crazy to leave your house without!

If three officers with tasers and restraint training can't subdue this guy I feel really sorry for the average Portland father trying to protect his family.

Public "Crazymaking" is inevitable since the Legislature began serious defunding of the Oregon State Mental Hospital in the 1980's, and the resulting solution to empty the place out was transporting van loads to Portland skidrow.
The "tax cutters" party just don't get it that there are deficient brains that just plain need to be housed in a mental facility, period.
The brightest minds go to the likes of Harvard, and the
hopelessly deficient should be housed and cared for in a facility for that purpose.

Posted. The mental health system is not as neglected as you think; they are in the process of building an entirely new State Mental facility as this is written. Much of it come from the state's Mental Health authorities that have chosen a community-based model, even with those found not guilty (by insanity) in violent crimes. As I have written here previously, many are put in public housing with various degrees of supervision. When they run away and go off their meds incidents such as this are the result.

HMLA-267, community-based mental health has been around in Oregon for over two decades, and especially emphasized in the last ten years. When do we get to see the improvements? Has there been any non-biased evaluations?

"At this time Freeman has been returned to the hospital"

I guess that means he can't run for Mayor?

These are some of the toughest challenges for cops, subduing a crazy - whether someone as high as a kite or someone flying a non-existent kite.

They don't respond to usual procedures and are completely chaotic.

And another reason why the taser is problematic. On some people it can be lethal, on others ineffective. But the cops have no way of knowing before they act.

And yes, we really don't think much of folks with serious mental issues. The only tool is to keep them ffff'd up on drugs and hope nothing bad happens.