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The first step in addiction recovery is admitting you have a problem. It’s not clear which step is admitting that you haven’t clearly defined all the other steps, but that’s where Multnomah County stands at the moment. Last week, reporter Anthony Effinger asked county officials to explain what would happen to people arrested for drug possession after they were dropped off at a Southeast Portland “deflection center” (“Deflection,” WW, July 3). They conceded that the policy was “evolving.” Readers were not wholly satisfied with the evolution. Here’s what they had to say:
ratfishtim, via wweek.com: “County: ‘Our work is evolving, and we revised how this system will function and will continue to do so.’
“Translation: ‘We believe in plans du jour. We had a plan yesterday, another plan today, and will have another plan tomorrow.’”
Bob Weinstein, candidate for Portland City Council District 4, via Twitter: “If the county can’t explain consistently how deflection will work, does it have a chance of moving people towards treatment rather than jail?”
oregoner, via wweek.com: “My question is what happens when people leave these ‘deflection centers.’
“Like it all sounds great, police pick up a crazy homeless person that is freaking out on the street, then take them to the corner of 9th and Sandy, where they are connected to resources. Then what?
“Are we going to send them to a place where unstable and unmoored people can sleep, eat, and figure out their next steps? Or are we just going to proselytize AA meetings and shelters for an hour, then send them out the door for their next fix?”
notPabst404, via Reddit: “It’s kinda insane that the same people who opposed Measure 110 and got their way are ALSO pissed off about the new system. These assholes aren’t going to be happy unless poverty is responded to with a five-year prison sentence, and even then they would probably complain about the tax increases required to fund that…”
Temporary_Tank_508, via Reddit: “I want you to have resources and care if you’re homeless, I want treatment available for those who want it. I do care if you’re being an absolute menace on the streets and doing/dealing drugs openly in our city, while trashing it in the process. There’s a massive population who don’t want treatment and absolutely need harsher penalties/to be held accountable for the shit they’ve done to our city.”
THE GARAGE WE REMEMBERED
What a “journalistic assist” from Willamette Week, one it can definitely be proud of, that so helped to spotlight, if not to actually produce, the change now underway with the city of Portland’s garage services [”The Garage That Portland Forgot,” April 10].
Really.
City Council members, the mayor, and others amongst the city’s principal administrative staff ought to be sharing a slice of that celebration cake with more than simply the city garage’s mechanics themselves.
They ought to be publicly recognizing Sophie Peel and her editors for Willamette Week’s truly enlightening, revealing and, as it certainly appears to have turned out, significantly motivating assist in the matter.
And certainly, too, Tremayne Bell, for his obvious dedication to his work, his caring efforts for his fellow garage employees, and his quiet (but nonetheless achieving) loyalty to his employers: the citizens of Portland.
Sure seems to one interested person in it all anyways, albeit from out amongst the wheat and sagebrush.
Les Ruark
Arlington, Ore.
GUTLESS DELEGATION BACKS BIDEN
I have written to all three of my Congress Critters to get them to tell Joe Biden to step aside [”Top Oregon Democrats Stick With President Biden as Party Nominee,” wweek.com, July 8].
Here is part of what I got back from that worthless [Sen. Jeff] Merkley:
“I welcome your interest in the political future of our country, but Senate ethics rules prohibit me from using government resources to respond to your comments relating to political campaigns or political parties.”
Talk about gutless.
Jerry Baumchen
Beaverton
Letters to the editor must include the author’s street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words. Submit to: P.O. Box 10770, Portland, OR 97296 Email: mzusman@wweek.com