‘Untenable’: Parents call for swift action as drug use problem grows outside Portland preschool, daycare

PORTLAND, Ore. — Parents and police are expressing concern that Portland's latest drug hub is near a school and a daycare.

Tuesday morning is time for coloring inside the preschool and daycare at Saint James Lutheran Church. Outside, power washing tools are used to erase the stains from the surrounding block of Southwest Jefferson and 10th Avenue, the latest spot for public drug use in downtown Portland.

“Usually, I do mostly meth,” said Violet, who often smokes outside the school’s front doors. "For some odd reason, this block happened to become the popular area for right now... I believe they shouldn’t have put a preschool right f— there.”

“I mean, that sucks, but this sucks too. They can move if they want, or they can help us get rid of the problem,” added Christian, who is also homeless and addicted to fentanyl.

“It’s untenable,” said Kelly Forsyth, who has two kids at Saint James school. “We often will walk over needles with our kids, and within ten feet, you’ll see people shooting up, passed out,” she said.

Before every recess, the teachers have to sweep the park block across the street, pick up needles, and make sure it’s safe for the children. If it’s not, the kids don’t get to go outside that day. 

"It feels like my kids aren’t being set up well for their future,” Forsyth said.

Violet agrees with her: “We don’t want them to be exposed to that because it’s their innocence that we’re defiling,” she said while eating a bag of red and green gushers on the sidewalk.

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The Portland Police Central Precinct Bike Squad — along with state troopers as part of the Governor’s task force for Portland — have been targeting the area near the preschool for the past two weeks. 

“It’s really concerning for me. I’ve been here a long time; nothing really seems to bother me anymore, but as a parent to a 2-year-old, I was like, 'This is awful,'” said Officer David Baer.

On Monday, the bike team handed out several citations to people using drugs there and connected at least two people with addiction treatment services as part of a new program where they partner with peer support specialists to connect drug users directly with services. 

However, the homeless people KGW talked with Tuesday morning described a different scene: "I haven’t seen anybody getting help. I’ve just seen them getting arrested," said Christian. 

It’s a short-term stop to a problem on the move. 

“Probably the next block is going to be over, and then, two blocks over are going to be next soon,” said Violet of where she and others will go to use drugs next. 

“We want to be downtown. We want to spend time here. We want our kids to remain safe and do the things that they like to do. I want the city the city to listen to us, and I want them to take action,” said Ryen Salo, whose son attends Saint James.

The mayor’s office sent KGW the following statement:

The Mayor’s office is aware of the concerns regarding the Park Blocks near the St. James Child Development Center, and Mayor Wheeler empathizes with the frustrations shared—especially from concerned parents. We are continuing to move forward immediate solutions both at the local level and through legislative action at the state level. Through our engagement with parents at the school, St. James staff, and engaging with those loitering near the site, the Mayor’s office and our public safety partners have taken the following recent actions to address the problem: 

• The Street Services Coordination Center removed numerous tents along the Daycare entrance and on Park this week and posted additional sites.
• This morning, staff from the Mayor’s office visited St. James during drop off hours and met with the daycare director and parents in-person after walking around the church and attached apartments.
• The Mayor’s staff have repeatedly engaged directly with people loitering near the entrance.
• The Portland Police Bureau and the Oregon State Police have made numerous points of contact with the folks near the site.
• The Mayor’s intent is that the 90-day Fentanyl Emergency (in-tandem with Multnomah County and the State of Oregon) will result in stronger, more responsive coordination with our public safety and behavioral health partners and ultimately durable solutions to sites like this one.

It has to be noted that state laws do not prohibit public use and do not permit cities enacting laws to the contrary. Police are unable to make arrests without a crime. Mayor Wheeler will continue advocating that the Oregon State Legislature take swift action in changing drug use laws so that law enforcement has the tools they need to engage. This remains a top priority for our team.