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street roots
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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
„
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