Dear Mayor Potter
And as far as “cleaning up downtown” goes, I’d rather have piss in the streets than blood.The whole letter is here.
| Posted at 1:45 PM | Permalink |
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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on October 9, 2006 1:45 PM.
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Comments (6)
The beat goes on:
Although Potter declined to comment on the details of the case, he said Police Chief Rosie Sizer told him the officers who arrested Chasse were under pressure to reduce public drunkenness and other public antisocial activities. The officers had said they suspected Chasse of urinating in a downtown street before they arrested him.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 9, 2006 3:12 PM
Yeah, I caught that too. So is that yet another attempt to "share" the blame with the downtown business owners, or is there truth to this claim?
Posted by Madam Hatter | October 9, 2006 3:45 PM
I don't think anyone is saying that cops can't arrest someone for taking a leak in public--people are suggesting that maybe the same thing would be possible without breaking 12 ribs and killing someone.
Posted by Dave J. | October 9, 2006 4:51 PM
He said the mentally ill live throughout the region but gravitate to downtown, in part because of the ease of taking the MAX light rail system to Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Maybe it's time to rethink the fareless square? Or at least start enforcing the no dogs rule (service dogs excepted).
Posted by Mister Tee | October 9, 2006 5:38 PM
Maybe we also need public toilets so people don't have to pee in the streets?
Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now. Smash! Bam! Buddy you're under arrest. Oh, oh...now you're dead.
Posted by Frank Dufay | October 10, 2006 5:22 AM
I see as Jack predicted in this mornings O
"Death of homeless man spurs Potter idea
Reforms - The Portland mayor will form a panel for agencies dealing with the mentally ill
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
ANNA GRIFFIN
Mayor Tom Potter has talked about fighting homelessness and the causes behind it since he took office in 2004, but hopes the recent death of James Chasse Jr. in police custody will spur lasting changes in the way the city, county and the state handle people with mental illnesses and drug and alcohol addictions.
As soon as a Multnomah County grand jury releases its findings in Chasse's death -- an announcement expected this morning -- Potter plans to organize a committee of elected officials, mental health experts, police and advocates for the homeless. Their goal: to look for ways government can do a better job coordinating the often parallel efforts between psychiatrists and psychologists, doctors and nurses and police to prevent future tragedies.
"This is not just a Portland problem," said Potter, a retired police officer and former Portland police chief. "We need to look seriously at long-term solutions to tie together the good work that is already being done. From every indication, the system does not work well."
Posted by John Capradoe | October 10, 2006 7:08 AM