*Technically, Illegal Drug Impact Areas
For anyone who missed it this morning, OPB’s Think Out Loud‘s excellent discussion on Mayor Sam Adams’ plan to reanimate a tweaked version of the old Drug-Free Zones will be re-broadcast at 9 tonight. It’s also available as a podcast here. You’ll remember the old zones were cast aside in 2007 amid racial-profiling and constitutional concerns.
The issue flared anew after Old Town/Chinatown residents and businesses begged the mayor for help this winter tackling what they said was a crack scourge settling over their neighborhood. And Adams last week answered by announcing—along the lines of what his office hinted to me several weeks ago—that he would bring back something like the old drug-free zones (along with other proposals), except that they would be based on convictions and largely under the sway of the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
OPB’s panelists included a business owner in Old Town, public defender Chris O’Connor, Police Chief Mike Reese, Central City Concern’s Ed Blackburn, and Sisters of the Road’s Chani Geigle-Teller. O’Connor had the line of the day, and it got host Emily Harris to ask Reese whether the city was seeking a policy solution to cover up a budget challenge. Here’s O’Connor’s abridged point:
“They’re not a good public policy. The problem is that when people in the neighborhood—whether they’re business owners or residents—call the police, there’s no response. … If you see someone selling drugs in front of your business, they should arrest them for that, not for some unspecified crime in the future.”
Tune in to see what Reese had to say in response.
None of the speakers on that show were willing to say what this actually is: a smooth and cynical political play by the mayor. Allow me. Here is how it works:
Step 1: Neglect the neighborhood. When people call the cops to report on overt drug dealing in their business or doorway have 911 ask if anyone is bleeding or if there are guns visible and if not, put the call on the non-priority list.
Step 2: Wait for neighborhood members to get mad. Blame the DA’s budget. Blame the county. Shrug a lot and complain about how you have no more tools left since those nasty criminals and ACLU types took away your ability to do basic police work by getting the last mayor to drop the DFZ. Blame anyone but the cops who aren’t showing up because they are at Starbucks.
Step 3: Get the Portland hating Tribune or other media on the case to talk about how dangerous the neighborhood is and how crack dealing is up. Organize local citizens to get mad and write letters.
Step 4: Save the day by coming in with a cool sounding and firm policy that utterly fails to address why you have been failing to do basic police work for so long.
Step 5: Now you are a hero! Collect your check from the PBA and your endorsement from the neighborhood leaders for your reelection campaign.
Step 6: Repeat as needed.