- A Public Safety Activist with over 20 years experience in NoPo gives her views on Rosie “The Down” Sizer

- Is the PPB Chief’s office cursed?

- What are folks in NoPo more concerned about: police misconduct or lack of cops? 

- Is Adams up for running the Police Bureau?

Chris Duffy is a native Portlander who’s lived in NoPo for over 20 years. She’s been Chair of the Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association since 2006. She is currently involved with North Portland’s ‘go to’ gathering for all things community policing, the Peninsula’s Public Safety Action Committee or (PSAC). I called her to find out what she thought of the Mayor’s swift toppling of the Police Bureau Leadership this morning.

Do you think it was a good idea to fire Rosie Sizer?

Yes, I do.

Why?

She’s had four years. She’s had a tough time with threats of precinct closures from the very beginning, then budget crisis in recent years, along with continued problems between citizens and police. Now she’s been dealing with rising crime rates along with complaints with how police handled situations...Perhaps it’s time for someone with a different perspective to pick up the challenge.

Do you know the new Chief of Police, Mike Reese?

I haven’t met him. But his credentials seem good. He’s been commander of Central Precinct. The mayor did a good job of articulating the problem that PPB has: They are now increasingly first responders to incidents involving the homeless and the mentally ill. Central Precinct handles that sort of situation all the time in Old Town. When Reese came in he brought crime down there. He’s committed to community policing.

Was Dan Saltzman effective?

I think he was headed towards being effective. Taking on the police bureau is a monstrous task.

What do you think of the timing of the announcement?


I think it's interesting.

What could Mayor Sam Adams do differently?

I think he could make a statement that “safety is a priority in the city.” Other cities make police a [budgetary] priority. He needs to commit to it [funding the department].

A few days ago he was moving toward cutting the PPB budget.

He needs to take it in another direction.

Portland Police Chief is almost like a cursed position. Since I’ve been in North/Northeast there was Chief Moose who drew incredible heat from the community in Northeast while he was in charge. He sort of threw up his hands and left for Prince William County only to have to face down the Washington DC sniper. Then there was Kroeker who took off after a lot of criticism and a failed attempt to reform the bureau. Derrick Foxworth was demoted out of existence following a sex scandal. Then Rosie, who gets  a public execution. Is Rosie really an isolated incident or is there a bigger problem here?

I think we’ve had problems here for 20 plus years. There always seems to be a difference between the vision of the chief and the mayor. There are constant problems with recruitment and constant budget problems.

[Ironically, crime has decreased exponentially in North/Northeast in the last 20 years.]

When I moved back to North Portland 20 years ago [the neighborhood] was a wreck. People put bars up on their windows. It’s much better now.

What are people concerned about now?

We’re seeing citizens reporting rashes of break-ins, car prowls and they aren’t seeing their neighborhood officers anymore. Since they closed the old North Precinct officers are just racing from one end of the patrol area to the other.

What are people most concerned about, police misconduct or police presence?

I’m not hearing much about misconduct in my circle. I am hearing about staffing levels and the concern for rising crime and disillusionment with the levels of service. People I know want to support the police in their work and they want to be actively involved in the safety of their neighborhood and it’s difficult for them to do that right now.

What’s the good news?

Commander Ferraris is once again commander of North Precinct. He chairs the PSAC meetings. He use to do that when he was commander at old North Precinct [two years ago]. When he’s there, it’s good. I think the new Chief Reese is a good person for the job. I’m still a Sam fan. He’s got a lot on his plate with the economic development of the city. But this is very important.

Maybe he has to cut our some bicycle event appearances?

I think he should pull back to the basics. I’d rather see him doing police than bicycles and green streets. When the economy is back on track we can go for the frills. But I think he can do it. He always manages to pull it off.

Public Safety Action Committee.
Fourth Wednesday of the month- Historic Kenton Firehouse- 7pm-9pm