ITS
ITS REPUTATION AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER. YOU WILL HEAR FROM THE REPORTER
BEHIND POLLUTED BY MONEY.
FROM KGW NEWS, THIS IS STRAIGHT
TALK WITH LAURAL PORTER.
>> HELLO.
>> HELLO.
>> HELLO. WELCOME TO STRAIGHT TALK.
I'M LAURAL PORTER.
PORTLAND'S 911 SYSTEM IS
CLOGGED WITH CALLS ABOUT PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR
OTHER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES
ON THE CITY STREETS.
MANY TIMES, THERE IS NO NEED
FOR A RESPONSE INVOLVING A
BADGE OR A GUN BUT PORTLAND
POLICE OFTEN DEAL WITH THESE
CALLS BECAUSE THERE IS NOWHERE
ELSE FOR PEOPLE TO TURN.
EUGENE HAS BEEN USING A
DIFFERENT MODEL OF RESPONSE TO
CALLS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY
NEED POLICE INTERVENTION.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR
DECADES AN PORTLAND IS TAKING
NOTICE.
NOTICE.
NOTICE. WE'LL TALK TO THE NEW EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF STREET ROOTS TO
FIND OUT HOW IT WOULD WORK
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. AND
HERE. AND LATER IN THE SHOW, THINK
OREGON IS GREEN IN
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY? AN OREGONIAN INVESTIGATION WILL
HAVE YOU RETHINKING THAT.
WE'LL HEAR FROM THE REPORTER
BEHIND THE SERIES, POLLUTED BY
MONEY.
MONEY.
MONEY. FIRST, LET'S MEET THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF STREET ROOTS, KAYA
SAND.
SAND.
SAND. WELCOME TO STRAIGHT TALK.
NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, LAURAL.
>> YOU TOOK OVER AS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR LATE LAST YEAR.
WHAT HAVE THESE FIRST MONTHS
BEEN LIKE FOR YOU?
>> THEY'VE BEEN
EXTRAORDINARYISM GET TO BE PART
OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS
ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER
ACROSS HOUSING STATUS WHICH I
THINK IS SOMETHING WE REALLY
NEED IN OUR CITY.
ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE CARE
WHETHER THEY ARE HOUSED OR
HOMELESS AND WHERE STREET
ROOTS, WE BRING POEM TOGETHER
ON STREET CORNER BY STREET
CORNER.
CORNER.
CORNER. WE HAVE 170 OF THE HOMELESS
EVERY WEEK SELLING THE
NEWSPAPER.
NEWSPAPER. IT IS AND A UP.
THEY BUY FOR A QUARTER AND THEY
SELL IT FOR A DOLLAR.
>> FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN
THEM, THIS IS A COPY OF ONE OF
YOUR EDITIONS, ONE OF YOUR
SPECIAL REPORTS WE'LL BE
TALKING ABOUT.
TALKING ABOUT. YOU NOT ONLY DO THINGS
INVOLVING THE PAPER WHICH HAS A
CIRCULATION OF ABOUT 10,000,
YOU ALL DO ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE HOMELESS.
I WANT TO SHOW OUR VIEWERS SOME
NUMBERS BECAUSE THIS TOPIC IS
SO IMPORTANT TO OUR VIEWERS
ACTUALLY NEW DHM POLL SHOWS 33%
OF RESPONDENTS SAY HOMELESSNESS
IS THE BIGGEST CONCERN FACING
THE CITY.
THE CITY.
THE CITY. THAT IS UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
IN 2011, ONLY 1% SAID IT WAS
THE TOP ISSUE.
SO ONLY IN EIGHT YEARS, THAT
JUMPED.
JUMPED.
JUMPED. THE WILLAMETTE WEEK REPORTS THE
PORTLAND RECEIVES A CALL ABOUT
AN UNWANTED OR UNSHELTERED
PERSON FRIGHTENING SOMEONE
EVERY 15 MINUTES.
THE OREGONIAN REPORTED PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ACCOUNT FOR 52% OF PORTLAND
POLICE BUREAU ARRESTS IN 2017.
SHOULD POLICE BE HANDLING ALL
OF THESE CALLS?
>> NO, WE NEED THE RIGHT
MISSION FOR THE RIGHT JOB AND
THE PORTLAND POLICE BUREAU'S
MISSION IS ONE OF CRIMINAL
ENFORCEMENT AND SO WHEN THE
ISSUE -- WHEN THE CRISIS NOT A
CRIME, WE NEED DIFFERENT FIRST
RESPONDERS.
RESPONDERS. >> WHAT HAPPENS WHEN POLICE
SHOW UP TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT
WHEN SOMEBODY IS HAVING A
MENTAL CRISIS.
MENTAL CRISIS. >> THERE ARE PLENTY OF POLICE
TRYING TO DO GOOD WORK, TRYING
TO DO SOCIAL WORK AND WHAT I
WOULD SAY IS THAT WE ACTUALLY
NEED TO HAVE THE RIGHT FIRST
RESPONDERS.
RESPONDERS. WE SHOULDN'T DEPEND ON PEOPLE
TO HAVE A KIND OF DISCRETION
EACH TIME THEY SHOW UP FOR A
CALL.
CALL.
CALL. WHAT WE FIND AT STREET ROOTS IS
TOO OFTEN THINGS GO AWRY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR FOLKS TELL
US STORIES.
US STORIES. THAT IS WHY WE ENDED UP DOING
THIS PLAN.
THIS PLAN. THEY TELL US STORIES OF GETTING
ENTANGLED IN LEGAL MESSES THAT
OFTEN HAVE DO WITH JUST BEING
HOMELESS.
HOMELESS.
HOMELESS. THIS MORNING AT OUR VENDOR
MEETING, 70 PEOPLE PACKED INTO
THE OFFICE.
THE OFFICE. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PLAN.
THERE WAS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT.
ONE OF OUR AND HAVERS SAID
SOMETIMES I'M SO TIRED AND I'M
ASKED TO MOVE AGAIN AND AGAIN
AND AGAIN.
AND AGAIN. AND AN OFFICER ASKS ME TO MOVE
AND I SUDDENLY BLOW UP.
THEN THINGS GET WORSE AND THEY
GET WORSE.
GET WORSE. SO WHAT WE THINK IS WE NEED
DIFFERENT FIRST RESPONDERS, NOT
A BADGE AND THE GUN WHEN THE
CRISIS NOT A CRIME INFORM
EUGENE, WE SEE A MODEL WHERE
ACTUALLY THE FIRST RESPONDERS,
A MEDIC AND CRISIS WORKER ARE
ABLE TO ACTUALLY LISTEN AND
THEY SHOW UP JUST IN A
DIFFERENT WAY, A WAY THAT
EMPHASIZES PUBLIC HEALTH.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
EUGENE MODEL IN JUST A MOMENT.
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
SPECIAL REPORT YOU DID,
RETHINKING OUR FIRST RESPONSE.
YOU DIG INTO A LOT OF THESE
ISSUES.
ISSUES.
ISSUES. ONE IS ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE
HAVE DIED IN PORTLAND WHEN
THERE IS A POLICE RESPONSE WITH
PEOPLE WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH
CRISES.
CRISES.
CRISES. SINCE 2017, PORTLAND POLICE
SHOT SEVEN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, SIX
PEOPLE WHO WERE UNDER THE
INFLUENCE AND SEVEN OF THOSE 13
PEOPLE DIED.
PEOPLE DIED. THAT IS ACCORDING TO THE MENTAL
HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF PORTLAND.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. SO, AND IT IS IN ITS WORST
MOMENTS AN ISSUE OF LIFE AND
DEATH.
DEATH.
DEATH. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK
HAPPENS IS THAT WE AS A CITY,
WE TRY TO USE THE RESOURCES WE
HAVE AND SINCE WE HAVE A POLICE
BUREAU, WE KEEP TRYING TO BEND
IT TO FIT THE PROBLEMS THAT WE
HAVE.
HAVE.
HAVE. BUT
HAVE. BUT A LOT OF IT, THE ISSUES
RIGHT NOW ARE NOT ABOUT
CRIMINALLALITY.
CRIMINALLALITY. THEY ARE ABOUT DESPERATION.
THEY ARE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.
THEY ARE ABOUT TRAUMA FROM
POVERTY, BEING ON THE STREETS.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS AREN'T
REALLY POLICE ISSUES.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU TALK
ABOUT IN THE SPECIAL REPORT IS
IT IS NOT JUST POLICE THAT ARE
SPENDING A LOT OF TIME DEALING
WITH PEOPLE WOULD ARE HOMELESS.
A LOT OF CITY WORKERS ARE
HAVING TO SPEND A LOT OF HOURS
PER DAY, WHICH IS COSTING A LOT
OF MONEY.
OF MONEY.
OF MONEY. >> THAT'S RIGHT.
TWO PSU SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS
DID A RESEARCH PROJECT AND THEY
LOOKED AT ONLY 3% OF CITY
BUDGET AND THEY ANALYZED IT FOR
WHAT THEY CALLED REALLOCATED
PERSONNEL COSTS.
PERSONNEL COSTS. THEY FOUND MORE THAN $3 MILLION
IN THESE KIND OF REALLOCATED
COSTS THAT ARE MOSTLY ABOUT
ENFORCING RULES AND LAWS
AGAINST PEOPLE.
AGAINST PEOPLE. WE NEED TO STOP FOCUSING ON
MAKE LIFE HARDER AND NEED TO
MAKE ACTUALLY PRETTY DRAMATIC
SYSTEMIC CHANGES SO WE'RE
COMPASSION YET, CONSTRUCTIVE,
SMART ABOUT HOW WE'RE DEALING
WITH THIS.
WITH THIS. >> YOU ARE LOOKING AT A MODEL
INTO EUGENE THAT HAS BEEN GOING
ON FOR 30 YEARS CALLED CAHOOTS.
IT IS SHORT FOR CRISIS
ASSISTANCE HELPING OUT ON THE
STREETS.
STREETS.
STREETS. IT IS A NONTRADITIONAL
ALTERNATIVE TO A POLICE
RESPONSE.
RESPONSE.
RESPONSE. THE MAYOR WENT DOWN THERE TO
SEE HOW IT WORKS.
YOU WENT DOWN THERE.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW IT WORKS.
>> SURE.
>> SURE.
>> SURE. ACTUALLY IS THE POLICE CHIEF
WENT DOWN THERE TOO.
IT IS VERY EXCITING.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF LEADERSHIP
INTERESTED.
INTERESTED. I DID A RIDE ALONG WAY MEDIC
AND CRISIS WORKER.
IT WAS SO STRIKING BECAUSE SO
MANY OF THE CALLS THIS THEY
FEEL THAT WOULD BASICALLY BE
THE SO-CALLED UNWANTED PERSONS
REPORTS THAT YOU DESCRIBED IN
TERMS OF THE WILLAMETTE WEEK
REPORT ON HOW -- WHAT IS T
EVERY 15 MINUTES THE 911
DISPATCHER IS RECEIVING ONE OF
THESE CALLS.
THESE CALLS. SO THAT WAS ILLUSTRATIVE THAT I
COULD LOOK AT HOW IT WAS BEING
DONE IN EUGENE.
I THINK OF ONE EXAMPLE WHERE
PEOPLE AT A CONVENIENCE STORE
CALLED ACTUALLY MAN WAS ASKING
OUT.
OUT.
OUT. HE
OUT. HE WAS IN CRISIS ON THE STREET.
WELL, WHEN CAHOOTS SHOWED UP,
THEY WERE ABLE TO LIST TOP HIM
AND FIND THE STORY UNDERNEATH
THE STORY IS HOW THEY DESCRIBED
IT TO ME.
IT TO ME.
IT TO ME. THEY FOUND OUT WHY HE WAS IN
DISTRESS.
DISTRESS.
DISTRESS. HE HAD AN UNTREATED WOUND WHICH
THEY TENDEDDED TO.
HE NEEDED TO GET TO A CANCER
CENTER FOR HIS TREATMENT.
AND SO, OF COURSE, THAT WAS
CAUSING HIM A LOT OF AGITATION
AND CAHOOTS WAS ABLE TO JUST
SIMPLY DRIVE HIM THERE.
IN ANOTHER CALL, IT WAS AROUND
THIS SORT OF SORORITY
FRATERNITY ROW IN EUGENE.
SOMEONE CALLED BECAUSE SOMEONE
WAS SHEEPING IN THE ALLEY.
THIS WOULD BE A COMMON CALL IN
PORTLAND.
PORTLAND.
PORTLAND. CAHOOTS COULD SHOW UP, GIVE HIM
A GRANOLA CAR AND I THINK A CAN
OF SAUSAGE AND TRANSPORT HIM TO
A PLACE WHERE HE COULD BE SAFE.
IT DIDN'T HAVE TO ESCALATE.
THERE WERE NO GUNS.
THINGS DIDN'T GET WORSE.
THEY GOT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SO
STRIKING ABOUT HOW THEY
APPROACH IT.
APPROACH IT. ONE CALL INVOLVED THE POLICE.
SO SOMETIMES THEY'RE SENT OUT
WITH THE POLICE.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, OFTEN IT
IS THE POLICE ASKING FOR
CAHOOTS BACKUP.
CAHOOTS BACKUP. IN THIS CASE, A WOMAN WAY A
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, A VERY
SAD SITUATION.
SAD SITUATION. SHE WAS REALLY AT RISK OF
HARMING HERSELF.
HARMING HERSELF. SO THE POLICE OFFICER SAID TO
ME, IF IT HAD JUST BEEN US, WE
WOULD HAVE HAD TO PUT HER IN
CUSTODY AND IN HANDCUFFS TO
TAKE HER TO SACRED HEART
HOSPITAL IN EUGENE.
BUT INSTEAD, CAHOOTS COULD
TRANSPORT HER NOT ADD TO HER
TRAUMA AND IN FACT, CALM THINGS
DOWN, LISTEN TO HER.
>> HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MODEL
WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY PEOPLE
HERE IN PORTLAND?
>> I THINK THAT PEOPLE -- SO
MANY PEOPLE WOULD SUPPORT THIS.
I HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME IN MY
POSITION AT STREET ROOTS.
PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME ALL OVER
THE CITY WHAT CAN WE DO?
HOW CAN WE BE CONSTRUCTIVE?
HOW CAN WE DE-ESCALATE CRISES.
BUSINESS OWNERS.
BUSINESS OWNERS. I JUST TALKED TO A GROUP OF
HOSPITALITY WORKERS.
HOSPITALITY WORKERS. THEY WANT TO BE BETTER AT DE-
ESCALATING CRISES.
ESCALATING CRISES. I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM PEOPLE
ALL OVER WHO WANT TO SUPPORT T
I WILL SAY YOU CAN ENDORSE THIS
PLAN.
PLAN.
PLAN. >>
PLAN. >> THERE IS A WEB SITE.
>> THERE IS A WEB SITE.
PORTLAND STREET RESPONSE.ORG.
GO ON THERE AND ENDORSE.
FIGURE OUT OTHER WAYS TO ACT,
WHICH I WILL SAY IS TO PUSH THE
CITY IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET.
>> COMMISSIONER HARDESTY IS
ALREADY ON BOARD.
SHE WAS HERE ON STRAIGHT TALK
LAST MONTH TELLING US ABOUT
WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO WITH THE
911 CENTER BECAUSE HER BUREAU
IS THE 911-CENTER AND THE FIRE
BUREAU WOULD BE AFFECTED.
SHE WANTS TO START A NURSE
TRIAGE CENTER.
TRIAGE CENTER. LET'S LISTEN TO WHAT SHE TOLD
US HERE ON STRAIGHT TALK.
>> TOO MANY TIMES, WE ACCEPTED
THE WRONG FIRST RESPONDER TO
THOSE CALLS SO WE'LL REVITALIZE
THE SYSTEM SO BY THE TIME MY
FIRST TERM IS UP, WE'LL HAVE A
911 SYSTEM THAT KNOWS EXACTLY
WHO TO ACCEPTED.
IF SOMEONE IS SUFFERING A
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, WE'LL SEND
A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TO
THAT CALL.
THAT CALL. >> HOW MUCH WILL THIS SYSTEM
COST?
COST?
COST? IT
COST? IT ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO THE
BOTTOM LINE.
BOTTOM LINE. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. THE PROPOSAL THAT COMMISSIONER
HARD OF THEY'S OFFICE HAS PUT
FORWARD IS TO FUND DID 187,000
TOWARDS DEVELOPING THE PILOT
FOR THAT SYSTEM AND ULTIMATELY
FOR THE KIND OF PORTLAND STREET
RESPONSE.
RESPONSE.
RESPONSE. WELL HIKE TO KEEP PUSHING ON
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. THE
THAT. THE BUDGET OFF IS NOT EVEN
SUPPORTING THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO PEOPLE IN OUR CITY NEED TO
WRITE THE MAYOR, WRITE THE
COMMISSIONER AND SHOW UP ON
APRIL 2nd, FIRST PUBLIC FORUM
AROUND THE BUDGET GET THAT
FUNDED AND THEN WE ALSO WANT TO
REALLY PUSH THE CITY TO ACT
FASTER THAN THE ORIGINAL
PROPOSAL AROUND THIS PILOT
WHICH IS THREE YEARS TO REVAMP
THE 911 SYSTEM.
WE THINK THAT WE CAN START
TRAINING PEOPLE, WE CAN START
BUILDING IT AT THE SAME TIME.
CAHOOTS IN EUGENE IS WILLING TO
HELP TRAIN OUR FOLKS HERE IN
PORTLAND.
PORTLAND.
PORTLAND. THEY ARE ALREADY WORKING WITH
OLYMPIA, THE CITY OF OLYMPIA TO
DO THAT.
DO THAT.
DO THAT. THEY ARE IN CONVERSATION WITH
DENVER, WITH NEW YORK CITY.
THE PIECES ARE THERE.
>> YOU HAVE SAID NOW IS THE
TIME.
TIME.
TIME. THERE IS A GROUND SWELL TO DO
SOMETHING BIG.
SOMETHING BIG. >> THERE IS A GROUND SWELL.
WE JUST NEED THE WILL.
WE NEED THE FUNDING.
AND WE NEED ACTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, LAURAL.
>>> COMING UP NEXT, IS OREGON
AS GREEN AS