PORTLAND, Ore. — Starting on Black Friday, some Portland Police officers will patrol on foot. It’s part of the bureau’s holiday walking patrols, an effort to engage with community members in a positive and non-confrontational way.
Every day from noon until 8 p.m. during this holiday season, there will be at least two officers out walking hitting major city spots, including the zoo and shopping malls. On Friday, Chief Bob Day was with them as they walked through Pioneer Courthouse Square ahead of the tree lighting.
“This type of patrol and outreach removes all barriers; it just lets us be together in our humanity in our presence,” Day said.
However, these types of patrols are more difficult than they appear, given the bureau’s budget and staffing constraints, with many of the officers patrolling on foot going to work overtime to do so.
“From an efficiency standpoint, you could look at this and say 'hey' at a time when resources are thin. This is maybe not the best use of our time and our money, but I feel very strongly in the relationship piece… It has become clear to me over the last year that Portlanders want a relationship with their police department,” said Day.
As the bureau hires more officers, Day says he wants to add more walking patrols.
Portlanders had mixed reviews about seeing more officers on foot Friday.
“Having them around, I don’t know if it’s necessarily the best idea,” said Amy, who lives downtown.
“Just by seeing them out there, I think it’s going to deter people from wanting to do some of the vandalism and some of the just opportunity crime that’s out there,” said Joel, who has lived in Portland for five years.
“I think that it could be a temporary fix to a much larger problem,” said Kayla, who has worked on Northwest 23rd Avenue for 10 years.
“I feel like a lot of people feel a lot safer when there’s cops around, and some people don’t feel safer when there’s cops around,” said Scott, who came to Portland from Vancouver to shop.
“Generally, I don’t I haven’t had the best experiences with PPB. I don’t think seeing them around generally makes me feel safer,” said Elias, who was shopping in Portland.
“Until we can bridge that gap for the most vulnerable feeling threatened and afraid of the cops, I don’t think much is going to change,” said Litty, who identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community and was selling jewelry from a small table she set up on Northwest 23rd Avenue.
Litty’s perception of the bureau is a common one that’s not lost on Day and part of what he says is driving these patrols.
“By being present and by being engaged, we can begin to offer a different experience,” Day said.
The walking patrols will continue throughout the holiday season ending at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31.
