At long last, the gears are turning…

The city’s Portland Street Response program is finally real! They have staff, staff is going through training, pilot coverage area and times have been named, and there is a timeline for the next phases! There is even an official City website for the program — click on the button in our banner to visit them and find out more.

Screen capture of the City's PSR website

Thank you to all who have supported Street Roots’ advocacy — you all helped us get this far. We have received endorsements from:

  • 11 current or former elected officials, from city to local to state level;
  • 63 organizations;
  • 13 faith communities;
  • 27 businesses; and
  • 810 individuals.

Going forward, we will maintain this website to continue advocating for the City to see this program through as well as possible.

Read Kaia Sand’s editorial in Street Roots, “Portland Street Response pilot should explore more options”.

TAKE ACTION! Petition City Council to increase funding for Portland Street Response


UPDATE  Jun 18: City Council approved the budget yesterday, including $4.8 million for Portland Street Response. Thank you to all who contacted City Council in our support!

News coverage of the vote:

Final statements from Commissioners before the vote:


Dear Street Roots community,

In our streets and across the nation, people are demanding that cities dismantle unjust police power. Here in Portland, timing is on our side to demand bold action because city council is set to vote on the proposed city budget this Wednesday (June 10th).

A few weeks ago, it was likely that we’d see the $246.2 million police budget roll forward.  But thanks to courageous demonstrators, the conversation has shifted.

We need you to take action and tell Mayor Wheeler and Commissioners Eudaly, Fritz and Hardesty that we need the budget to support a just vision of public safety.

Today, tomorrow and Tuesday, please ask them to fund Portland Street Response to move us away from police-based solutions.  

As is, city council is set to roll forward the one-time funding for a single pilot. But now is the time in which we demand that the city designate ongoing funds so multiple pilots can simultaneously run across the city – not just in one neighborhood – transforming into a city-wide program. We need to speed this up.  

In addition, Street Roots joins voices across the city to defund police programs that that perpetuate racist and militarized police practices. It is time to shut down the Gun Violence Reduction Team, the renamed Gang Enforcement program, which city auditors showed severely over-policed Black Portlanders. Here is a list of demands from Unite Oregon and Portland African American Leadership Forum.

Please make your voices heard with city council over the next few days. Let’s get loud …  and fund what moves us toward a more just city.

Kaia Sand
Executive Director


Contact information for your city council:

Mayor Ted Wheeler
503-823-4120
Ted.Wheeler@portlandoregon.gov

Commissioner Chloe Eudaly
503-823-4682
chloe@portlandoregon.gov

Commissioner Amanda Fritz
503-823-3008
amanda@portlandoregon.gov

Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty
503-823-4151
JoAnn@portlandoregon.gov


Suggested email text:

Subject: Please increase funding for Portland Street Response

Please increase funding for Portland Street Response in the proposed budget that will be voted on this Wednesday, June 10th. In our streets and across the nation, people are demanding that cities support a just vision of public safety. PSR is a great first step to move us away from police-based solutions. Please designate 4.8 million dollars in on-going funds so multiple PSR pilots can simultaneously run across the city – not just in one neighborhood. We need to speed this up.

 

PSR saves lives, but is being undermined by City Council! Sign petition to save PSR!