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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 1992)
CAHOOTS van keeps the peace By German McLean Emerald Raporter Dial dll in Eugene, and who will nnrni to the rescue? Pollen, fin-, ambulance or maybe CA HOOTS Many people don't know thorn'* u fourth organ ization linked to thn city's emergency dispatch system It's caillud CAHOOTS, or Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets, and in a white, am bulance-stylo vun it rooms the streets of Eugene, wailing for calls Started three years ago by the city of Eugeno und the VVhitnbird Clinic:, CAHOOTS is the city’s answer to mentally ill or intoxicated people who cause problems In the community hut are not criminals The CAHOOTS van operates from 1 p m to 1 a m. Tuesday through Thursday In 1‘tHtt, city managers met to discuss an In crease in uncivil behavior on streets and city parks, said Lt Jim Hill of the Eugene polite de partment. This behavior included aggressive panhandling around the University, drinking and harassment in the porks, and illegal camping "These people are not necessarily dangerous. ' Hill said, "bul I ho perception is that where they are, it s not safe to he " Hill said a typical scenario would involve a i it - izen complaint, a police officer being dispatched, und the offender arrested and taken to jail The problem with this process, said Hill, was that these people needed treatment lor their |»fob lems. whether drug uddiclion or mental illness. Instead ol going to jail It was lor this purpose dial the CAHOOTS pro gram was started Stalled by mental crisis workers and emergenc y medic al technicians. CAHOOTS can assist people on the street who are drunk or emotionally ill and then direc I them to the proper sex ial service CAHOOTS direc tor David /.eiss describes Ibis process as one requiring patience "We deal with crises that arc often lime con suming, for example someone who's had a psy chotic break." Zeiss said Trealmenl might involve silting down with a We’re not a lights and sirens program dashing around. We’ve usually got time to think about what we’re doing.’ — Davis Zeiss, CAHOOTS director suicidal person on iht; sidewalk and simply talk ing about his or her problem, ho said "We re not a lights and sirens program dashing around," Zeiss-said "Wo ve usually got time to think about whnt wo re doing " bmputhi/.ing with troubled people Is not un common among ('.AHOOTS workers "People who staff these programs are often re covering themselves from emotional crises or drug addictions," Zeiss said Whether to accept CAHOO'IV help is entirely up to the c lient "CAHOOTS doesn't do anything against the cli ent's will,” said Zeiss "And if there's the threat of violence, we call the police " Al Neubuuer. director of the local Buckley House drug abuse program, has worked closely with CAHOOTS m the past three years "They do exceptionally well with drug abusers and intoxicated people," suid Neubuuer, noting that CAHOOTS delivers about two (leoplci a night to the Due kiey House At the Buckley House intoxicated people sober up and are then encouraged to enter a drug abuse program. Some enroll in a program, said Neubuuer, but there is a core group of people that refuse Some return to the- Due klny House via the CAHOOTS van eight to It) times a month, lie said Nevertheless, CAHOOTS provides the commu nity with un important service. Neubuuer said "It takes the cops out of the drunk-tank busi ness. and it's the first step in evaluating people with drug problems," Neubuuer said. Cahoots cun be reached through *)1t. but Whilebird Clinic suggests c ailing 01)7-5111 for di rect service. Native Americans speak out against oppression By Matt Bender Emaraid R*pon« Thu anniversary of Christo pher Columbus' voyage to iho Americas should be a time of reflection on 500 years of oppression, local Na tive American leaders said Monday after a showing of Incident at Offlula. The documentary, shown in a parked Room lftO PLC, was sponsored by the EMU Cultural Forum and the Na tive American Student Union in conjunction with Colum bus Day. The film is about u shoot out between FBI agents and Nnlivc Americans that took place on June 2(>, 1975. Leon ard Peltier, a Lakota Sioux, was convicted for the murder of two Mil agents killed in the gun fight. Many people, including NASIJ members, don't be lieve that Peltier is guilty. The movie presented evi dence that suggests Peltier may lie innocent. After the film, local Native American loaders spoke and answered questions from the crowd Native American leaders used the film as an example of the oppression they face in the United States "This is one example of the oppression of our peoplo in America," said Josh Nor ris, co-director of NASU Most of the I miners who spoke at the event made ref erences to Christopher Co lumbus and his voyage 500 years ago "We arc not showing this film to disregard the man who got lost and found us," said Geo Ann Baker, co-di rector of NASIJ. Vaughn Baker, who said ho knows Peltier personally, said it has been a long 500 years, hut now was the time to eliminate ignorance. "Native Americans. It is time to speak and eliminate ignorance and the exploita tion of our image," Baker said. "Things have to change. America has to live up to its image." University ussociuto profes sor Rof) Proudfoot, a member of the Seneca Nation, warned people not to pity the Native Americans. "Get out and learn about our history," Proudfoot said, "but don't pity us. We are strong people." Armando Morales, a Latino instructor at the University, joined the panel and dis cussed similar oppression of people in Latin America. He also voiced his opposition to celebrating Columbus Day. “I can't celebrate atrocities that happened 500 years ago.” he said. FQ SWEATSHIRTS T-SHIRTS Ifll SHORTS * HATS IMPRINTED GIFTS I U.S.A. COLLEGIATE HEADQUARTERS SALE ENDS 10-18-92
