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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2011)
4 I _ f street roots V July 22, 2011 City Council will get two months old, advocates already have existed to date. other, numerous concerns that the By folding the drug impact areas into District Attorney’s program may violate people’s constitutional Multnomah County’s existing parole office every 90 days with information on rights. program, there would seem to be no need how the program is working, including the Chris O’Connor, a public defender with for a policy outlining what the program is,; locations of prosecuted offenses, probation Metropolitan Public Defender, says that how it works, the process, the standards violations, the number of people excluded, people have a right to" travel, associate with upon which someone is excluded, etc. and their demographic characteristics. She others, and similar rights under the 14th Other policies created by city ordnance did not say if race was one of those specific amendment “And how could a persoh that involve the police have such policies. characteristics. prove that they are in a particular area to, One example is Portland’s camping Even though the program is less than for example, seek social services, if they do ordinance, which makes it illegal to camp not have written documentation of an on public appointment? That has not yet been property. The tested”. Portland Police By Jason Bo The person, O’Connor says, could be Bureau has what stopped by a police officer, and the officer are called I’ll take the hard road cause I am that way could possibly assume that the person has “standard Whatever the cost, the price I will pay been excluded. “There could be illegal operating stops and seizures,” O’Connor says. procedures” that I am willing to that that chance Also of concern is that anyone in detail what the I am stubborn and stoopid in my stance Multnomah County can be excluded from police officer I’ve done it just because I know I could the drug impact areas, regardless of where can and cannot After the fact, I don’t stand right where I stood an individual is arrested. For example, if do when they Comically I will do it all over again someone were arrested for heroin find someone Before I break I want to see how much I bend possession in east Multnomah County, or camping AU because of the choice I’ve made arrested for cocaine dealing in far underneath a My bed of mistakes is where I’ve laid southwest Portland, that person could still bridge. Someday I will eventuaUy learn be excluded from Old Town and downtown No such Portland, whether they frequent that area procedures exist Not to fee the fire so that it ho longer bums or not. So until I decide to call upon the rain for the drug “The District Attorney will seek stay- I will falter with absolutely nothing to gain impact policy, away orders as a condition of probation for “There is no all people who are Convicted of ai drug clear guidance in offense in Multnomah County,” says David the ordinance. Woboril, an assistant city attorney. “It will They’ve learned be up to the judges to determine how they a lesson from the Drug Free Zone,” want to handle this new type of probation O’Connor says. “It’s a smart move if you violation.” want to avoid outside critics from seeing O’Connor thinks that makes no sense. the data.” “There is no nexus with the crime,” and During the city council’s April discussion the area they are being excluded from, he before creating the drug impact areas, says. “You kick them out of a different part Mayor Sam Adams assured critics that of the county,” he says. there would be opportunity for concerned Ruiz says that because the drug impact parties to reconvene and discuss how the area program has been folded into the program was working, give input, and make court system, an individual’s Constitutional changes. rights are safeguarded. “Judges are issuing “The Mayor’s office assured those of us 4he stay away orders as part ofsenten'cing,” who werecoftcemedthatTKere w asgom ^1 Ruiz told Street Roots via email. “In that to be opportunity for policy” discussions, context, judges could do much more to input and feedback,” says Chani Geigle- impact a person’s ability to travel and TeUer, community organizer with Sisters Of associate, by putting someone in jail. Also, The Road. “That hasn’t happened. The keep in mind that the stay away orders community has had no input” contain numerous exceptions that allow a Ruiz says that the mayor’s staff will person to enter or pass through an IDIA to check in with neighborhood and community meet critical needs.” organizations this fah. And is the drug impact area a program The ACLU of Oregon told Street Roots with a paperless policy? Street Roots made this week that the organization is starting PHO TO COURTESY ÓF SISTERS O F THÉ R O A D public records requests for any written to monitor the program’s implementation. guidelines or protocol for the Drug Impact Someone from the neighborhood placed a well designed stickers on Areas from the Portland Police Bureau and street comers throughout Old Town Chinatown in June saying, the City of Portland. We were told none “Caution: Crack dealers.” DRUGS, from page 3 „ Choices The new Rose City Resource Guide is out July 27! 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