In an open letter published on Friday, Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese warned that “without action, we can expect worse to come” as he said, “the data reflects... record-high levels of gun violence, traffic fatalities, and overdose deaths.”
The Liberal Pacific Northwest city, which sliced its police budget in the wake of protests over George Floyd’s murder, set a record last year with 92 homicides - the highest since the 70 homicides documented in 1987.
WATCH: BILL MAHER GUEST: MAGA IS "ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM"
Still, the state capital is on track to tie or surpass the record in 2022, with 25 homicides reported in January, February, and March this year - the same figure for 2021.
WATCH: RFK JR. TALKS ABOUT ELON RELEASING TWITTER FILES REVEALING COLLUSION
It comes despite the Portland City Council’s decision in November to refund the police service, adding back $5.2 million to the force’s budget following a cut of more than $15 million in 2020.
Reese works in Multnomah County, a police district encompassing much of Portland city and rural communities up to the state border with Washington.
POLITICAL CORRUPTION TRIAL TAKES BIZARRE TURN: MENENDEZ ENLISTS EXPERT LINKED TO CHILD MURDER CASE
Reese wrote that at the beginning of the month, 102 people were being held in Multnomah Country jails on murder-related charges - the highest number since the mid-1990s.
CALIFORNIA'S NEW 'GENEALOGY OFFICE' TO HAND OUT CHECKS BASED ON DNA RESULTS
“This is not the only serious threat to public safety, however,” he wrote. “Record-high levels of traffic fatalities and overdose deaths are jeopardizing personal safety and devastating families and social support networks.”
Robberies have risen 56 percent year-on-year, rising from 234 in January to March 2021 to 366 for the same period in 2022.
POLITICAL GENIUS OR DESPERATE MOVE? EX-REP. SANTOS REVEALS MASTER PLAN
Similar rises took place in drug crime numbers which rose 30 percent this year, up 146 in 2022 to 108 in 2021, and assault cases which were up six percent year-on-year.
Reese called for “urgent action” and pointed to the rise in the number of people held in County jails on serious charges, up to roughly 370 in 2021 from less than 330 in 2020.
FUNERAL HOME HORRORS: COLORADO FUNERAL HOME OWNERS FACING JAIL TIME FOR BLOWING RELIEF FUNDS
He asserted a response should be “collective” and “include a wide umbrella of programs and services from across the community,” and listed five possible solutions.
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE: SAUDI ARABIA STEPS UP TO DEFEND ISRAEL AGAINST IRAN
“Increase gun dispossession efforts and remove firearms from individuals prohibited by law from possessing them.
“Engage in focused traffic enforcement in high-crash corridors to reduce reckless and impaired driving. Base the deployment strategy on time-of-day and day-of-the-week when traffic fatalities and gun violence are most likely to occur and overlap.”
Discover alternative ideas that will make you think
Engage in mind bending debate
Earn points, rise in rank, have fun
