That's as may be, Dawn. But try to stay on topic, please.

I know of no such "list". If there were a "list" I would be the last one Tom Potter or Rosie Sizer would tell about such a "list".

Randy: Jeff Myers, the officer who you have lauded in the Portland Tribune for carrying out his NLCEP program, has shown me the list, personally. He keeps it in the front of his uniform.

You know this.

Why are you playing dumb, all of a sudden?

Commissioner, are Bill Sinott and Officer Myers of the Portland Police Bureau lying about their program and your involvement? And who wrote section III of your draft report about the city council?

And what did you mean when you wrote a comment here on blogtown that:

"I personally track the data closely because I am aware of the huge voids in the criminal justice system and the mental health system...the biggest hole being the traditional lack of coordination between both of those systems."

And finally, what about the actual list that has been going aroound that was prepared by city employees? Do you denounce any such programs that put people on a list an single them out for special treatment in the criminal justice system?

The data I referred to is the drop in the recidivism rate (71$) since we began offering drug treatment and housing to offenders.

Matt, your accusations towards me border on libel. You have written slanderous and false articles and posts that I have to believe you know are untrue.

I have never been told of a list, I have never seen a list, I have never been told by the police bureau there is such a list, I have never emailed an officer or anyone else about a list, I do not direct the program, I do not sit on meetings about he program, no one has ever invited me to be in a meeting about the program. I have not emailed or received any emails about the program.

I think that should cover it.

Mayor Potter and Chief Sizer oversee the program. They have made that crystal clear to me and the officers in the program. If any such list exists, they have it...not me.

I got the council to give money for the program because of my belief that good people go bad when drugs and alcohol take control of their lives. I do not believe in simply sending people to jail as an answer to addictions. The program gets people into treatment who otherwise are strung out for their entire lives and must commit crimes to survive. Getting people into treatment with the threat of going to jail if they don't saves peoples lives and provides their families hope that their loved ones will come back to them sane and drug free.

And for that you continually harass me and my staff, Matt? For that you write false things about me in order to draw attention to yourself?

You are way over the line and I hope your better senses take over and you quit the slanderous titles and accusations you have been making towards me.

You have been told in emails and phone calls by my chief of staff and by me unequivocally that we neither know of nor have we ever seen any such list. If there is one, with the risk of being repetitive, call Mayor Potter and Chief Sizer.

And by the way, your attempts to drag one of my children into this drama you are self creating is beneath contempt.

You know that little about the program, yet you "got the council to give money for the program"? That's a hell of a way to legislate and advocate.

That really is unfair, Amy.

I pass legislation all the time at the council and when I was in the legilature that I do not personally administer.

Yeah, when I give away a million bucks in police overtime and to no-bid contractors I like to know what the money is for...

Sorry for the last post- let me try this with less sarcasm.

Go to the search engine on the city site at:

http://www.portlandonline.com/leonard/index.cfm?search_action=SearchResults&mode=search

to see what information is available to the commissioner [since he is apparently hosting it on the city website].

Type in a search term such as " list " and the fourth result is an excellent street roots article on this very issue.

Type in a search term such as "NLCEP" and you get a nice Mercury article on the lack of a written policy.

And so on.

Randy Leonard is clearly aware of the list and the issues around the list so his statement above that "I have never been told of a list" is false.

However, I suppose it is possible that he lacks the curiousity to see exactly what programs he is personally supporting. But let's not pretend he doesn't read or get briefed on the news articles that his office reproduces on the web or the issues that he is getting subpoened into court to discuss.

His previous comments even here on blogtown suggest that he has at least heard of the list. If subpoenaed to court to discuss a governemnt program that you funded you think you'd look at the issue for a few minutes. But maybe not. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that the secret list and policy is being doen without council authority or support. The lack of intellectual curiousity by the council then becomes the real issue. Why give money to unclear and unwritten programs? Maybe that is the real story rather than Randy's personal (and personality) issues?

Randy:

Let's assume you're as naive as you say you are. If you knew there was such a list in existence, would you support the continuance of the program?

And for god's sake, try to answer the question I asked.

Matt

I don't believe any Portland cop would retaliate against me for my coverage. City Commissioners, on the other hand, don't have to go through the psych eval. before serving.