City and County will Design a System of Public Safety
Jane Ames
CITY, COUNTY, And CITIZENS CRIME COMMISSIONER LAUNCH PUBLIC JOINT BUDGETING SAFETY PARTNERSHIP
Introduced by Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams, City Council approved "a resolution that puts in motion a process to jointly design and budget for our public safety system according to citizenry's priorities. People do not care about whether or not something is a County or a City service. People want to feel and be safe in their homes and community."
Mayor Potter may have said it best: “I have seen our public safety as a collection of parts; we must collaborate and coordinate. This is an excellent first step in creating a public safety system.” He, and County Chair Linn, applauded Commissioner Sam Adams for, what several speakers described as, relentless leadership on tackling the tough issue of getting the City and County to join forces to provide a balanced, effective and efficient system of public safety for the citizens of Portland and Multnomah County.
Mayor Potter, City Commissioner Adams, County Chair Linn, County Commissioner Serena Cruz may be leading the effort to forge a Public Safety Partnership between Multnomah County and the City of Portland, but on Wednesday, September 14, City Council Chambers witnessed a strong chorus of supporters who vowed to support and be hard working participants in the project. County Chair Linn led off the testimony with the overarching theme that we can accomplish this challenging project by working together. Linn referred to the example of the impressive collaborative efforts of City, County, non-profit agencies, private citizens and businesses working to prepare for Hurricane Katrina survivors. The Public Safety Partnership will invite and hope for the participation of other cities in the county. And as Erin Hubert, Vice Chair of the Citizens Crime Commission (CCC) pointed out, the projects goals “… marry with the concerns and priorities of the CCC in getting the best public safety results for each taxpayer dollar.” North East Coalition Director John Canada reminded participants not to wait for a crisis to pull together, and as an extension of that theme, to be sure “prevention and intervention programs are at the table.”
Designing and funding an integrated system of public safety “…makes abundant good sense,” according to Multnomah County DA Michael Schrunk; the City and the County “…can’t be out of synch.” Citizens Crime Commission Chair Jim Jeddeloh pointed out that the CCC’s Public Safety 2000 study identified many assets an effective public safety system would include, but that previous efforts to produce change have been derailed by turf issues. Jeddeloh remarked that he “…is supportive that this effort is about implementation, not further studies.”
Sheriff Guisto emphasized the need “not to let turf or politics deter us in accomplishing this effort.” He pledged that he is a full partner in the process and outcome of this partnership. Different leaders spoke from different perspectives of what encompasses public safety. The Sheriff, and Chair Linn, reminded the audience of the problems the region faces with an inadequate number of available jail-beds. County Commissioner Lisa Naito pointed out that to be most effective, public safety must reach a broad base and should include a range from early childhood education, beyond enforcement to effective treatment. She also pointed out this planning and budgeting process will provide an excellent opportunity to “…implement what works.”
Judy Shiprack, Director of Local Public Safety Coordination Council (LPSCC) offered the support of LPSCC and a willingness for the group, made up of public safety leaders from a variety of agencies and jurisdictions, to provide assistance in the effort. Shiprack emphasized the need for leadership to “put the budget where the policy is.” The budgetary benefits came up often. Willy Brown, North East Coalition Chair, summed it succinctly: “This great alternative provides the ability to get more bang for the public safety buck.” Multnomah County Budget Director Dave Boyer spoke of the increasing demands on government and the need for measurable indicators of success. He sees this partnership providing community members the opportunity to identify and rank their public safety priorities; Boyer knows it will be hard work but sees the effort as well worthwhile. Tim Grewe, who is the Portland Budget Director, remarked that “We remain challenged in finding resources for our basic services. This is an example of the opportunity to align an entire system of public safety.” Grew recognizes the process will be demanding but believes the benefits gained by addressing the challenges will outweigh the difficulties.
Jimmy Brown, ONI Director, summarized; he has been working on public safety issues in Multnomah County for a long time, and has heard countless discussions about coordinating the efforts and budgets of the City of Portland and Multnomah County. “After 31 years, we have a resolution for collaboration and I applaud you.”
The City Commissioners and Mayor then joined the chorus of support. Commissioner Leonard sees this as “…more than just a public safety issue; it’s a livability issue. Commissioner Saltzman has long desired public safety services to operate as a more functional system and hopes this process will produce that change. Commissioner Sten commended Sam Adams for tackling big issues that take a lot of work. “He has been relentless in moving this forward.” By that time, there was nothing more for Sam to say, but take a sip of tea and vote “aye”.
On September 22, Sam testified at the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners when they passed their version of the Public Safety Partnership Resolution:
We are going to become true Public Safety Partners. Finally.
I want to thank you, Chair Linn, for your early interest and unwavering support bringing this project forward.
Commissioner Cruz, In the spirit of transparent government I will state this simply: Your leadership and support has been essential.
Commissioners Naito, Rojo de Steffy, and Roberts: Thank you for your encouragement and work on this project.
Mary Carroll, Karyne Dargan, Dave Boyers, Tom Simpson: Thank you for your endless hard work on this project. I realize that your efforts ramp up now; I have great respect for your dedication to a demanding but essential partnership.
Sheriff Guisto, District Attorney Schrunk, I realize that you understand the hard work that will come with this partnership, and I thank you for your leadership up to now and as we move forward.
While it feels like a victory to be here, we are actually just passing the starting line, nonetheless it is a very important starting line. The celebration will be a quick hurrah. The hard work lies ahead.
Skepticism has filled many minds; I have heard repeatedly:
“There’s too many turf issues: this is a great idea that just won’t ever get done.”
You have all told me to my face of your enthusiasm for joint public safety budgeting. And I will help hold us to our collective word.
Thanks in large part to your leadership, and your hard work on priority based budgeting last year; we are here in united support to put effective public safety ahead of skepticism or turf.
This project is about meeting our citizen’s needs for public safety, and spending their resources wisely.
It’s also about designing and budgeting for a balanced system of public safety that is effective and efficient.
The County is facing severe budget reductions next year as the I-tax goes away. At the City, we’re expecting reductions as well, smaller than the $34 million you are predicting, but difficult regardless.
Instead of continually cutting away at our services, we will now identify and select the services that will get the job done. As always the final decisions rest with us, and many of those decisions will be difficult.
That is the responsibility we choose when we run for office, and the public chooses when we are elected.
I am honored to be here with you today, accepting my portion of the responsibility for this demanding project. Thank you.
Posted by Jane Ames on September 28, 2005
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Filed Under Events, Front Page, Good Government, LPSCC, Our Initiatives, Public Safety
Comments by site visitors
Lars, thank you for your interest in our community.
We aren't holding our breath. We are working very hard to make the best use of the resources we have. Our very determined and active intention is to align our most effective public safety services with our citizens' public safety priorities.
I can tell from your cynical remarks that you suspect we will not have success. You might even question our motives or sincerity. I hope our efforts and achievements surprise you. It is obvious this will not be easy; if it were, someone would have done a public safety partnership and worked on balancing the system already.
I hope you will at least wish us well. We think setting important goals and working hard to reach them is our job; and we are taking it very seriously.
Thank you again for your input,
Jane Ames
Posted by: Jane Ames | Oct 6, 2005 11:56:18 AM
Jane: you suggest "We are working very hard to make the best use of the resources we have." Would that it were true.
Rather than devoting additional resources to public art (up to 2%, per Commissioner Adams' directive), would you agree to a moratorium on public art spending, with all proceeds devoted to public safety expenditures instead. That would demonstrate (to Lars and many others) that Sam Adams agrees that public safety is more important than public art.
Until you make public safety your number one budget priority, all the retreats, conferences, press releases, and blogaganda are empty words, full of sound and fury; signifying nothing.
Posted by: W. Bruce Anderholt II | Dec 16, 2005 7:46:26 PM
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so...we're supposed to expect that a county that
-refuses to fund a brand new jail
-approves of illegal marriages
and a city whose
-mayor rides with law breakers like critical mass
is going to get with the program on public safety?
don't hold your breath
Posted by: lars | Oct 6, 2005 7:36:44 AM