Police begin first night of patrol for Old Town safety initiative

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Just a few days ago Mayor Ted Wheeler and city leaders met in Old Town and announced the resurgence of a program to enhance safety.

It will bring six officers and a Sergeant to dangerous streets and occasionally close them off to thru traffic on weekends.

Torrey Lewis, who lives downtown, is familiar with just how dangerous they can be, “I’ve seen the violence that has happened in the past few years. I don’t feel safe in Portland.” 

Dee, a bartender who was afraid to work in the area for years, adds, “people are getting mugged, attacked and hurt in this area.”

Dee says she sees “everything” from behind the bar, but what she sees now isn’t the beautiful city she saw years ago.

“We’re moving away from that,” Dee said, “but we need to feel safe in our own home.” She says issues continue to escalate, “the homelessness, the drugs and the crime.”

Giovanni Sampson, who regularly walks around Old Town said that’s especially problematic for those who regularly walk the streets at night, “a bunch of drunk kids that you don’t want to get taken advantage of.”

It’s the first time since before the pandemic that police are expected to get involved and occasionally close the roads to foot traffic only.

“I guess it’s a step in the right direction,” Lewis said.

Sampson added, “I used to come out here and party when I was younger, and it was nice that the whole street was shut off.”

Dee said shutting down the streets to thru traffic will encourage more people to be friendly, “it gives people an opportunity to get out and socialize and maybe mingle more.” She hopes it will make people feel safe, and “allow us to enjoy ourselves in Portland.”

Something that Portlanders believe will take an effort from the whole neighborhood.

“I’ve been here since it was a better place and now it’s not so great,” Lewis said. “So, I just hope it gets back to the way it was.”

Dee said she hopes the police can help bring that to fruition, “to know that we’re safe, and to know that the police have our back. To know that there are people looking out for you. It takes a community.”

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