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luly 18, 2007
Mental Illness Training Required for Police
ers in the state.
“This is a good bill,” said
Rep. Lim on the House floor.
“This subject became dear to
my heart as 1 followed the
story o f Jam es Chasse last
O ctober.”
Chasse died after a con­
frontation with Portland po­
lice last year. It was later re­
ported that Chasse suffered
from schizophrenia.
"1 do not want to put blame
on any law enforcem ent of­
ficer,” said Lim, “ 1 just want
to prevent losing more lives as
incidences of mental illness
increase.”
Police officers in Oregon
will get training to spot mental
illness and learn the skills nec­
essary to tap down the poten­
tial for violence thanks to a
new law promoted by State
Sen. Avel Gordly, an African-
American leader from Port­
land. Gov. Ted Kulongoski
signed the bill into law last
month.
C o -sp o n so re d by R eps.
John Lim and Andy Olson, the
legislation requires the Depart­
ment of Public Safety Stan­
dards and Training to include
at least 24 hours of training on
mental illness for police offic- Sen. Avel Gordly
Page B3
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According to a study re­
leased by the U.S. Justice De­
partment, 56 percent of jail
inmates in state prisons and 64
percent of inmates across the
country reported mental health
problems within the past year.
Portland Police Bureau re­
ports that the number of calls
involving people suffering from
mental illness is growing. In
2005, there were 2,078 calls,
up from 1,999 in 2004 and
1,907 in 2003.
“This mandatory training is
a major advancement in the
administration of justice in the
State of Oregon,” said Gordly.
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Search for Suspect in Holgate Robbery
The Portland Police Bureau,
in cooperation with Crim e
Stoppers, is asking for your
help identifying a robbery sus­
pect caught on tape.
On June 5, 2007, at 11:36
p.m., a lone female robbed the
Holgate Gas and Grocery lo­
cated at 4525 Southeast 28th
Avenue. The suspect entered
the store, made small talk with
the clerk and then left. She
returned a short time later,
and as she talked on her cell
phone walked to the counter,
raised her shirt and exposed a
gun tucked in her waistband.
The suspect tied the store on
fo o t, n o rth b o u n d a c ro s s
H olgate on Southeast 27th
Avenue. She may be associ­
ated with a black SUV that
was seen in the area prior to
the robbery.
The suspect is described as
a black female, approxim ately
20 years old, 5 ’5” tall with a
stocky build. In the surveil­
lance video, the suspect is
w e a rin g a b la c k h o o d e d
P o rtla n d .O R
503-221-3050
T o p 2°/o
in P o rtla n d M e tro
The Portland Police Bureau
has a voluntary program for
people with developmental or
mental health disabilities, pro­
viding officers with vital infor­
mation about individuals' dis­
ability should police contact be­
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The suspect should be con­
sweatshirt with a distinctive
logo that could possibly be a sidered armed and dangerous.
Crime Stoppers is offering a
backwards “F,” which may be
asso ciated w ith the skater cash reward of up to $ 1,000 for
information, reported to Crime
clothing brand “Fam ous.”
Registration in the DAR is en­
couraged for citizens who have
severe developmental disabili­
ties, brain injuries, some types
of mental illness and any other
condition where they might not
be able to communicate with an
officer if they become lost or
involved in a police action.
DAR not only provides a way
for officers to communicate with
those who may be unable to do so
in times of crisis, it is also helpful
come necessary.
The information gives offic­
ers an additional resource to
help them communicate.
In 1996, the Police Bureau in
partnership with the Develop­
mental Disabilities Advisory
Committee created the Disabil­
ity Accommodation Registry
(DAR). Individuals, or their le­
gal guardians, can participate in
this voluntary program by com­
pleting a DAR registration form.
Stoppers, that leads to an arrest
in this case, or any unsolved
felony, and you remain anony­
mous. Call Crime Stoppers at
503-823-HELP (4357).
in making officers aware of any
behavioral issues that may exist.
People with Alzheimer's disease
or mental health issues, who are
significantly impaired, are also
using the DAR.
For more information about
the DAR or to obtain a registra­
tion
form ,
visit
www.portlandpolicebureau.com
or contact the Portland Police
B ureau's Strategic Services
Division at 503-823-0283.
To Place Your
Classified Advertisement
Contact: Kathy Linder
Phone: 503-288-0033
Fax: 503-288-0015
e-mail: classifieds@
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The emergency contraceptive Plan B.
erage spend $57.3 out-of-pocket eess to emergency contraception.
Emergency contraception can
each year on birth control.
In addition, the new law requires prevent pregnancy if administered
hospital emergency rooms in Or­ within 72 hours of the assault. It
egon to offer women who have been contains the same hormones as
victimsof sexual assault, or that they those used in common birth control
believe have been a victim of sexual pills, though at different dosage
assault, information about and ae- levels.
6 p.m. The additional hours will
increase the C ity's public restroom
capacity during hours when no
other public restrooms are avail­
able.
T he SA FE In itia tiv e was
lau n ch ed last year to make
Portland's streets open and acces­
sible for all members of the commu­
nity.
Wally Tesfa
Residential and
Commercial Riokei
Oregon Washington
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City Hall Makes Restrooms Available
Restrooms located on the first
floor of City Hall will soon be open
overnight as part of the Mayor’s
Street Access for Everyone Initia­
tive to increase downtown livabil­
ity.
The 24-hour access is expected
to be in place by Aug. 2.
Currently, City Hall restrooms
are open to the public from 7 a.m. to
Fortt and Premine
MBA. M.f.d.. Brokers. (1RS. ABR. SRES
Law Widens Access to Birth Control
A new Oregon law requires em ­
ployee health insurance plans to
provide prescription drug cover­
age of birth control and emergency
contraception, and to be made avail­
able by hospital emergency rooms
to victims of sexual assault.
“This fight is fundamentally
about women being able to make
the best health care decisions for
themselves and their families,” said
Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
The law, which will go into effect
Jan. 1, means health insurance plans
would be obi i gated to offer the same
level of coverage for birth control
as they do for other prescription
drugs.
Nearly half of all indemnity health
insurance plans provide no cover­
age for prescription birth control -
even when there is coverage for
other medications. Women on av-
KELLER WILLIAMS
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Police Provide Remedy for Disability Issues
Voluntary
program helps
communication
Fax 503-227-8757
The plan includes providing day
shelters for the homeless during
hours when most shelters are
closed, increasing the number of
benches, opening public restrooms
and enacting a sidewalk obstruc­
tion ordinance that prohibits sit­
ting or lying on sidewalks in the
downtown and Lloyd District dur­
ing business hours.
I
Summer Sings!
2007
Choir
July 11 Handel's Messiah - Steven Zopfi conducting
First Congregational Church 1126 SW Park
July 18 Haydn's Creation - Sharon Paul conducting
Southminster Presbyterian
12250 SW Denney Rd. Bvtn
July 25 Brahms Requiem (English) - Stephen Coker conducting
St.Andrew Catholic Church 806 NE Alberta St.
Aug. 1 Mendelssohn's Elijah - Bruce Browne conducting
First Congregational Church 1126 SW Park
7 pm all nights - $5 at door only - Scores provided.
Call 503-223-1217 or visit www.pschoir.org for information
Proceeds to benefit the PSC Young Choral Artists Scholarship Fund