PAGE A10, KEIZERTIMES, MARCH 26, 2021
of the Week
presented by
MEREDITH MOONEY
Where and how
do you volunteer?
Currently, most of my volunteer
eff orts go toward a Community
Partnership Team called Keizer
United, where I hold the offi ce
of president. We hold monthly
meetings that foster a rich
environment of collaboration
between community partners that
serve various needs within the
community. I serve on the task
force for Keizer’s Library: The Next
Chapter. My role here is small,
mostly a listening ear, encourager
and fellow dreamer. But it is fun
to watch this dream unfold and
I look forward to serving more
actively as opportunities arise. I also
volunteer in the North Salem area,
where I work. I serve on the McKay
Commons Steering Committee,
volunteer at Hallman Elementary,
am a part of a Community
Partnership Team called CaPES,
volunteer at New Harvest Church
helping create programs such as
the After School Program, and
Northgate Park Program.
Why do you
volunteer?
I volunteer because I want to love
my neighbors as myself. I want
people to know they are seen, heard
and loved and that life is meant to
be lived in community with others.
That can’t happen unless we meet
people where they are at. I fi nd most
often God calls me to serve in areas
that are quite outside of my comfort
zone, but He always supplies what I
need to show up and love others.
Decriminalization movement's
goals are lofty, the effects are
already being felt locally
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
There are changes afoot at the
Keizer Police Department as a result
of Oregon residents passing Ballot
Measure 110 (BM110), which reduces
the penalties for user amounts of con-
trolled substances.
Depending on the source, the new
approach to heroin, cocaine, metham-
phetamine, ecstasy, LSD, psilocybin
and other opiates is either a matter of
equity or a hair’s breadth from full legal-
ization of all addictive substances. The
reality is likely somewhere in between,
but the measure triggered changes that
are already in place at KPD.
“As opposed to pre-BM110 enforce-
ment, custodial arrests are not an
option. Offi cers enforce this new law
by issuing violators non-custodial
citations to appear in court, similar to
the procedure involved with issuing
a traffi c citation,” said Lt. Bob Trump,
KPD spokesperson.
Offi cers can no longer arrest some-
one for possession of the substances
within the amounts defi ned by BM110.
In a broader context, Keizer Police
Department were not exactly over-
whelmed with drug arrests before the
new approach went into eff ect. KPD
offi cers made 126 arrests for narcotic
possession in 2019 and 117 in 2020.
Aside from reducing arrests, BM110
is expected to impact the everyday
interactions between police and citi-
zens. A large number of conversations
begin by an offi cer making contact with
a person and the individual consent-
ing to a conversation. To make a stop
based on suspicious activity, an offi cer
needs probable cause that a crime was
committed or about to be committed.
Suspicion that a person is in possession
of user amounts of many narcotics will
no longer fall under the list of viable
reasons for probable cause.
The citation triggers one of two
options for the recipient. They can pay
a $100 fi ne or report for an addiction
screening and get connected with ser-
vices that could help them get sober.
The bill also redirects funding from
schools, police and marijuana sales to
stand up community addiction recov-
ery centers throughout Oregon.
At the time of the citation, KPD offi -
cers will confi scate any drugs and those
will now be disposed of by property cus-
todians at the department.
“Once these substances are received
by property and evidence personnel,
Sam Goesch CLU, Agent
Sam Goesch
Ins Agcy Inc
3975 River Road North
Keizer, OR 97303
Bus: 503-393-6252 Web: SamGoesch.com
State Farm , Bloomington, IL
1211999