Page A2
January 5, 2000
(Elje ^lortlanb ©bseruer
i Police News/Vancouver
H H H H H
Kroeker attends first Chief Forum
By THE SI A H
Clinton Renominates
Greenspan
WASHINGTON(AP) Alan Greenspan, who has guided
the nation's monetary policy since Ronald Reagan was
president, w as nominated by President Clinton to serve
a fourth term as chairman o f the Federal Reserve.
Greenspan’s handling of monetary policy has w<on
praise from Clinton administration officials, and analysts
credit his handling o f interest rates with helping continue
the nation’s unprecedented economic growth. The
nomination must be confirmed by the Senate but
Greenspan, a Republican, is expected to have little
trouble winning approval intheGOP-controlled Senate.
Passenger Trains
Collide in Norway
OSLO, Norway (AP) - Two passenger trains with 96
people aboard collided, killing at least seven people,
injuring dozens and sparking a fire that was hampering
efforts to locate more victims. Almost four hours after
the accident, one o f the trains still burned intensely.
Police said they were afraid to even guess how many
people died until they got a complete overv iew o f the
passengers. At least one locomotive overturned and
flames could be seen shooting out of the windows o f at
least one passenger car. Officials said it was too early to
say what caused the crash.
Portland Police Chief Mark Kroeker met with community
leaders and residents this week at his first C hief's Forum,
w hich is a bim onthly m eeting w ith com m unity
representatives.
At the meeting Monday, Kroeker said he wants Portland
police officers to connect with residents throughout the
city as a way to reduce crime. He also applauded the
Portland Police Bureau for its work on New Year’s Eve
during the city’s Millennium Celebration at Pioneer
Courthouse Square.
One o f Kroeker's goals, he said, is for the Portland Police
Bureau to be an organization o f "motivated tough cops
with compassion, competence and character” that works
with the latest technological tools and weapons, and is free
o f corruption.
Kroeker, a Los Angeles police veteran was sworn in
December 17 as Portland’s 43rd police chief.
He replaced former Portland Police C hief Charles Moose,
who resigned in July to become chief in Montgomery
County, Md.
K roeker, a
n a tiv e o f
Dallas, Ore.
W ho grew
up in Africa,
France and
California as
the son o f
m issionary
p a re n ts ,
re tire d in
1997 as one
of
Los
A n g e le s ’
most w ell-
r e s p e c te d
and popular
d e n u t v
chiefs.
Mark Kroeker
Crimestoppers
CrimeStoppers
Vandal ism/Theft
The Portland Police Bureau, in cooperation with Crime
Stoppers, is asking for your help in identifying the
person or persons responsible for a vandalism and
theft.
On Monday, December 20, 1999, at approximately
10:50 PM, the Portland Police Bureau Sunshine
Division truck was parked at Southeast Peacock Lan€
and Stark Street, after members completed an evening ,
o f soliciting donations for the organization at the
annual Christmas light display. At 7 o ’clock the next
morning, the truck, a white Ford F-250, was found to have
been broken into and vandalized. The truck was sprayed
with green paint, and the drivers side door lock punched
out. Two small wooden barrels containing donations
collected the night before, were missing from inside. The
dollar amount of the loss, including clean up and repairs,
is estimated to be $ 1,000.
Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward o f up to $ 1,000 for
information, reported toCrime Stoppers, which leads to an
arrest in this case or any unsolved felony crime, and you
need not give your name. Call Crime Stoppers at (503) 823-
HELP.
Russia Sets Early Closing drug houses an involved process
Presidential Election
m R k hard Ri< tou . E ast P r k u n c t C ommander
LOR Tut P ortland O bserver
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s Federation Council, the
upper house o f parliament, meets in special session to
set the date for a presidential election, which Acting
President Vladimir Putin will enter as a clear favorite.
Yeltsin, 68, shocked the world when he announced his
resignation on New Year’s Eve. A new president is due
to be named at a pol 1 most likely to be held on March 26.
Under the post-Soviet constitution, the election must be
held within three months after a president steps down.
Banks Find
Problems
Few
WASHINGTON (A P)-A m ericans returned to work and
businesses and government offices reopened without
major computer problems. President Clinton’s Y2K
adviser predicted a smooth transition for most o f the
country but cautioned that some small retailers still
could have difficulties because a few haven't “done the
b u sin e ss e f f e c tiv e ly ." T h e S m all B usin ess
Administration planned to monitor businesses for Y2K
problems through 10 regional and 70 district offices.
Y2K chief John Koskinen said the country’s round-the-
clock Y2K center would soon begin scaling down
operations, calling the smooth transition a “great gift"
and worth the time and effort.
Suspects Linked to
Same Terror Group
BURLINGTON, V t.(A P)-Federal prosecutors linkeda
Canadian woman and an Algerian man arrested at border
entries in Vermont and Washington state to the same
cell o f an Algerian militant organization. In court
documents, prosecutors said Lucia Garofalo and Ahmed
Ressam were members o f the Armed Islamic Group,
which is as GIA. The GIA has been blamed fo some of
the bloodiest attacks in A lgeria's civil war, bombings in
France and an airplane hijacking. Prosecutors said the
information came from a foreign government, which he
did not identify. Also, a magistrate agreed to deny bail
for Garofalo until her trial on immigration charges.
H a r r is o n
H ospitalized With
Stab Wound
LONDON (AP) - An intruder broke into George
Harrison’s Oxfordshire mansion, stabbing the former
Beatle in the chest and attacking his wife, authorities
said. Harrison suffered a one-inch stab wound that was
deep enough to penetrate his chest wall but missed any
major organs, said Andrew Pengelly, medical directorof
the Royal Berkshire Hospital. However. Harrison was
transferred to Harefield Hospital, which has a special
chest unit. O livia Harrison received only superficial
injuries and was not hospitalized.
East Precinct officers recently concluded their sixth drug,
house mission this fall. The targeted suspected^
methamphetamine (meth) houses were between 1-205
and 148lh Avenue, between Southeast Stark Street and
Southeast Harold Street, several houses in the Lents
neighborhood, and some houses adjacent to Northeast
102nd Avenue. This mission resulted in 91 arrests and 118
cars being towed. Approximately 10 to 12 drug houses
were confirmed and evidence was gathered that may
lead to their closure.
The continued goal o f these missions is to reduce the
amount o f property crime occurring in East Precinct by
closing as many active drug houses as possible. It has
long been believed that in East Precinct a large number
o f street criminals (thieves, burglars, car prowlers, etc.)
are meth addicts, and commit property crimes to support
their habits. They use the stolen merchandise to trade for
illegal drugs.
If a drug house in a neighborhood is closed, there are
fewer reasons for illegal drug users to frequent and
victimize that neighborhood. The illegal drug user lose
their drug source and the “safe house” where they can
hide and sell their stolen goods. Illegal drugs users
typically don’t like the increased visibility and
inconvenience o f having to locate a new source for their
drugs and the possibility o f being “discovered” in a new
neighborhood.
Additionally, towing illegal drug users’ and sellers'
cars because o f license suspensions, insurance
problems, or other traffic-related offenses, reduces their
mobility and sends a clear message o f intolerance. It is
expected that some of the illegal drug users and sellers
and will end up in jail, some will leave the area and the
ones that remain will be less effective as drug sellers and
thieves.
This mission was started with a list o f suspected meth
houses. The list was compiled with the assistance of'
other precinct officers, crime prevention representatives
and community members. The list was continuously
updated as the mission progressed and new information,
became avai lable. One sergeant and seven officers were-
assigned to the mission. During the mission, one or two,
officers would use undercover cars; the other officers;
assigned would use marked police cars.
There are two irrefutable traits o f “drug houses.” When(
the drug dealer has meth, the house is active. When the-
drug dealer does not have meth, the house is generally/
quiet. Not every meth house is active every day.
At the beginning o f each shift, officers assigned to thisj
mission would spread out and look for active houses.
When an active house was located, the undercover carr
would monitor the activity. The undercover officers;
would then identi ty persons and cars leaving the location;;
traffic stops were made at this point based on traffic;
violations.
Most o f the people leaving drug houses are illegal drug.
users. They tend to have had their drivers licenses;
suspended, drive uninsured vehicles or are the subject
o f arrest warrants. During the missions, contact with ,
these subjects often resulted in arrests and frequently,
vehicles were towed. Searching the subject after arrest
sometimes resulted in the seizure o f drugs and weapons.
Because the arrested person was observed leaving a
specific location, these arrests also documented speci fic
criminal acts which are defined as nuisance activities in
the Chronic Nuisance Property Ordinance,
)
The information was then provided to the Neighborhood
ResponseTeam (NRT) officers, and property owners were
contacted. In some cases, the property owner sent the
MNMRMHMMM
Former teacher
wills 12 acres to
City of Vancouver
Land to become part o f Brush
Prairie preserve
CONTRIBUTED STORY
eor T iie P ortland O bserver
The Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation Services
recently finalized the acquisition o f approximately 12
acres o f property located adjacent to the existing 41 acre
Lauretta Noreen Forest Preserve in the Brush Prairie area
o f central Clark County.
As a former teacher, Laura Minkler appreciated the
education opportunities provided at the preserve and
specified in her will that Clark County be an opportunity
to exercise an option to purchase given property upon
her passing.
Following numerous public hearings held from 1989-
1992, a citizen-based Open Space
Commission identified the area as important open space
land. The area is one o f the 19 projects recommended by
citizen committee for acquisition funding under the
Conservation Futures Programs, approved by the Clark
County Board o f Commissioners in January 1998. The
property was purchased through these programs in
concert with a matching grant from the Washington
State Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation,
available through the W ashington W ildlife and
Recreation Program.
The preserve was originally established by an earlier
donation of 12 acres by Minkler in memory ofher mother.
Another area resident, Doris Troxel contributed 29
additional acres through the Trust for Public Lands. The
preserve will continue to be conserved for its open
space qualities and in support o f environmental and
outdoor education and recreational opportunities it
provides for area school children and residents.
(Please see 'Policing' page 6)
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