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.
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