from
https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-city-leaders-respond-old-town-complaints/283-9c1d8cb5-5ed3-4313-b5fb-149652b33c9c

(Baxter will thrill to the reform
"including hiring more police officers.")

'It's a tragedy that it's gotten this bad': Portland city leaders
respond to complaints over crime in Old Town
Portland City Commissioner Mingus Mapps met with directors of cultural
institutions in Old Town at their request to develop solutions.

Author: Katherine Cook
Published: 11:22 PM PDT October 14, 2021
Updated: 11:22 PM PDT October 14, 2021
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PORTLAND, Oregon — Inside the gates of Lan Su Chinese Garden in Old
Town, thousands of people seek tranquility or at least a brief respite
from the grind. But just outside those gates, the people who run the
garden say rising crime, violent attacks, trash and public camping is
jeopardizing all of it.

“I have had staff in the last week assaulted,” said Lan Su director,
Elizabeth Nye. “I have had staff in their cars — people chasing after
them with metal pipes. We had somebody die on the streets right next to
them.”

Nye said Lan Su has hired private security to police the area, and that
nonprofits have agreed to help clean the sidewalks — jobs Nye believes
the city should be doing.

“We will do what is necessary for us to keep our staff, our visitors and
our volunteers safe,” said Nye.

RELATED: Old Town cultural institutions decry neighborhood's 'rapidly
deteriorating conditions'

On Thursday, Portland City Commissioner Mingus Mapps and members of his
team met with Nye and directors of three other cultural institutions in
Old Town: The Japanese American Museum of Oregon, the Oregon Jewish
Museum and the Center for Holocaust Education and the Portland Chinatown
Museum. The meeting was in response to a joint letter from all the
directors, asking for help. They sent the letter to Mapps and other city
and county leaders asking each to meet with them by Oct. 22.

“This is a citywide problem, it's a tragedy that it's gotten this bad,”
said Mapps. “I will have succeeded in helping them when we actually
change the reality that is on the ground; when I get that trash picked
up, when I get people who are currently sleeping on the streets and in
need of mental health care inside and in shelters and connected with
mental health service providers.”

Mapps said his office has already asked police to increase patrols in
Old Town. He's also looking ahead to the city's regular budget
adjustment process known as the “fall bump." He plans to ask for public
safety reforms including hiring more police officers.

“We literally do not have enough police officers to respond to all the
911 calls that we have,” said Mapps. “Right now we’re losing about 12
officers a month to retirement or who are going to some other [police
agency].”

Mapps said he'll also push to expand the Portland Police Bureau's
Behavioral Health Unit and supports expanding Portland Street Response.

RELATED: Portland Street Response should expand citywide, PSU
researchers tell City Council

After their meeting, Nye told KGW that the group of directors
appreciated Mapps' prompt response and specific ideas, but they still
have questions.

"We are concerned that many of these initiatives, which are connected to
the fall bump budgeting process, still means that Old Town will need to
wait until March 22 at the soonest for many of these to begin," said Nye.

To that end, Nye noted their problems began long before this year and
that it's discouraging that it took the group’s letter to start seeing
action.

Two other Portland city commissioners responded to KGW regarding the
letter. Commissioner Dan Ryan said in part, “Old Town needs our support
now more than ever. No employee, resident, or tourist should fear for
their physical or emotional safety because of where they work, live, and
play."

Commissioner Carmen Rubio said in part, “I want to acknowledge the deep
concerns I've heard when talking with some of these organizations and
community leaders ... significant planning and engagement is happening
as we speak to take necessary steps forward on these issues in the
coming weeks."

Mapps, who took office in January, said he looks at Old Town on a
citywide scale as he tries to make a difference for the future.

“We have not been served well by pretending that it does not exist,” he
said.