From Mayor Wheeler’s Office:

As the 2018-2019 budget season is well underway, the Mayor’s Office would like to encourage our constituents with public safety concerns to give testimony in support of Portland Police Bureau’s budget request. Public safety in our community is in jeopardy.

The bureau is requesting funds for 93 additional sworn officers, and nine additional non-sworn professional positions. These requests support the Mayor’s key priorities of increasing public safety and police accountability, maintaining the City’s critical infrastructure, and enhancing livability. The bureau’s requests for additional ongoing resources will advance the bureau’s mission and goals to provide 21st Century Policing services, to support organizational excellence and inclusion, and to rebuild police units so they can better deliver community policing to all residents.

Staffing within the PPB has been a critical issue for the bureau for many years, and there are several factors that impact this issue: recruitment and hiring, attrition and number of officers.

There are the fewer officers in the bureau as there were a decade ago, despite a 10 percent increase in Portland’s population. This request would increase the number of officer positions by approximately 10 percent–on par with Portland’s growth.

The Portland Police Bureau continues to face challenges in patrol staffing, which has led to declining response times. In the last five years, total 911 call volume has increased by over 22%. These calls include a 97% increase in stolen vehicle calls, 64% increase in unwanted persons calls and a 32% increase in disorder calls.

Without an increase in staffing, the response time for these calls will only grow, threatening the safety of all Portlanders.  We urge constituents with any public safety concerns to voice their support for this proposed budget.

Your voice in this conversation is essential, and we urge constituents to either submit written testimony, contact city commissioners or attend one of the upcoming community budget events:

Community Budget Forums

April 17, 2018, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Roosevelt High School
6941 N Central St, 97203
Bus lines 44 and 75
Most testimony by random drawing

Budget Committee Hearings

May 10, 2018, 6:00pm – 8:30pm, hearing to receive public testimony
Council Chambers, Portland City Hall
1221 SW 4th Ave., Portland, OR 97204

May 16, 2018, 2:00pm, Council Action to approve City Budget, testimony heard
Council Chambers, Portland City Hall
1221 SW 4th Ave., Portland, OR 97204

Utility Rate Review
May 17, 2018 (first reading), 2:00pm, second reading May 23, 2018, time TBD
Council Chambers, Portland City Hall
1221 SW 4th Ave., Portland, OR 97204

TSCC Public Hearing
June 6, 2018, 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Rose Room, Portland City Hall
1221 SW 4th Ave, Portland, OR 97204

Council Action to Adopt Budget
June 7, 2018, 2:00pm
Council Chambers, Portland City Hall
1221 SW 4th Ave, Portland, OR 97204