West
Jail refuses to book first person arrested under Portland's new homeless camping rules
Police in Portland, Oregon, made their first arrest under a new ordinance restricting camping on public property, but the county jail refused to book the suspect.
It’s the latest blow to city officials’ attempts to crack down on pervasive homeless camps.
“I am disappointed by the Sheriff’s decision to refuse to book individuals arrested for violating the law,” Mayor Ted Wheeler told Fox News Digital in a statement. “I am deeply concerned by this disconnect and what it may mean for future efforts to improve public safety.”
Portland’s new camping restrictions took effect July 1. People who refuse offers of shelter could face up to seven days in jail under the ordinance, but the county jail refused to book a man accused of breaking the law last week. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
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Last Friday, officers arrested a man accused of repeatedly refusing offers of shelter, including a tiny home, a spokesperson for the Portland Police Bureau told Fox News Digital. They took the man to the downtown jail, but staff declined to book him, so he was released.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) operates the two jails in Portland. Deputy John Plock, a spokesperson for the office, told Willamette Week that jail staff do not book people arrested for violating city rules, only those accused of committing misdemeanor or felony offenses under state law.
The policy stems from an August 2023 directive from Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell, Plock said.
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That came as a surprise to city officials, including the mayor, who said his office met with Morrisey O’Donnell and her team “several times over the last year and a half to receive input on the City’s public camping laws.”
The sheriff’s representatives “explicitly stated publicly that booking restrictions had been lifted,” Wheeler said in his statement. “That is clearly not the case.”
“I urge the Sheriff to reconsider her position,” Wheeler’s statement reads.
MCSO did not respond to emailed questions from Fox News Digital, but Morrisey O’Donnell released a statement Tuesday denying that her office had ever agreed to book people arrested for city ordinance violations.
“As the elected official charged with managing the jail, I believe we need to utilize the corrections system as a place for people who pose a genuine danger to the public, and that does not include individuals whose only offense is living unsheltered,” Morrisey O’Donnell said in the statement.
Tents cover an open space near the Steel Bridge in Portland, Oregon on July 7, 2023. Portland’s new rules ban people from camping on public property if they have “access to reasonable alternative shelter.” The ordinance also bans campers from lighting fires or using gas heaters at campsites, causing environmental damage, or putting up structures. And it requires people to keep all their belongings within two feet of their tent. (Hannah Ray Lambert/Fox News Digital)
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Oregon’s homeless population has skyrocketed in recent years. The crisis is most apparent in the state’s largest city, where tents, RVs and campsites often sprawl across sidewalks, parks and other open areas.
The Portland City Council approved a daytime camping ban last year, but a lawsuit stopped it from being enforced on the grounds it violated state law.
Then this May, commissioners unanimously approved new time, place and manner restrictions that prohibit people from camping on public property if they have access to “reasonable alternative shelter.” People who turn down an offer of shelter could face a $100 fine, seven days in jail, or both under the ordinance.
Even if shelter is not available, the ordinance prohibits camping sidewalks or anywhere that blocks access to businesses or other private property.
The city has performed more than 3,600 site assessments since the ordinance took effect on July 1. Most campers approached by the city have accepted shelter offers or otherwise complied with the restrictions, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office told Fox News Digital.
Friday’s arrest was the first since the ordinance took effect, according to Willamette Week. The mayor’s office stressed that outreach workers had contacted the man at the campsite numerous times before the city referred the matter to police.
Portland officials, including Wheeler, have long expressed frustration with state laws and other legal barriers that have hindered the city’s ability to address issues like homeless camping and public drug use.
Oregon is set to recriminalize drug possession starting Sept. 1. Individuals caught with drugs are supposed to have a choice between jail or locally-operated deflection programs, but now Wheeler said now he’s worried about what the sheriff’s policy means for those who decline deflection.
The sheriff’s office has budgeted 1,130 beds between its two jails and has previously warned that overcrowding could trigger the release of incarcerated individuals. The average daily inmate population has been around 80% of capacity or less since the sheriff’s August 2023 directive, according to MCSO data.
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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A Silver Alert was activated Thursday by the California Highway Patrol after an 85-year-old man was reported missing from South San Francisco.
Zosimo Carmen is described by authorities as 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 155 pounds. He has gray hair and brown eyes.
Carmen was last seen around 2 a.m. on Thursday in the area of James Court and Livingston Place in South San Francisco. He was wearing a brown flannel shirt and blue sweatpants.
The Silver Alert was activated for San Mateo and San Francisco counties.
Anyone who sees Carmen is asked to call 911.
Welcome to the NFL, rookies.
The Denver Broncos are set to hold a rookie minicamp from May 8-10, with players expected to report to the team’s facility today (May 7). One of the key players to watch will be running back Jonah Coleman, the club’s fourth-round pick in last month’s NFL draft.
“Ultimately, to be a Bronco is the best thing in the world,” Coleman told the Big Ten Network during a sideline interview at Washington’s spring game last week.
Coleman figures to begin his pro career as a third-string running back behind J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, but he could quickly win playing time as a capable blocker and receiver.
Broncos offseason schedule
- Offseason program started: May 4
- Rookie minicamp: May 8-10
- OTAs: June 2-4; June 9-11
- Mandatory minicamp: June 16-18
With rookies reporting to the facility, we should get jersey number news soon. Denver’s draft class, undrafted free agent signings and several expected tryout players will participate in the rookie minicamp this weekend.
Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
GRAHAM, Wash. – As Washington faces a spring with severely low snowpack, fire districts across the state are ramping up preparations for Wildfire Awareness Month. At Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, some of the most effective team members are focusing on prevention, through meal time.
Station 96, now affectionately nicknamed “The Goat House,” deployed a herd of goats to serve as official “fuel mitigation specialists.” These four-legged lawnmowers are tasked with clearing thick vegetation and maintaining the retention pond area around the station to ensure dry brush doesn’t become fuel for a potential fire.
The ‘G.O.A.T.’ of mitigation
While they may not look like your typical firefighters—and they certainly lack a sense of professional decorum—officials say the herd is setting a regional standard for wildfire prevention.
“They are the GOAT of […] fuel mitigation,” joked Wildfire Coordinator Jake Weigley.
The strategy is as practical as it is adorable. By having the goats graze the land, the department avoids spending crew downtime on weed whackers. This keeps firefighters ready for what they do best: responding to emergencies.
“It does save the taxpayers money, because our crews are able to focus on training and responding to calls,” Weigley said.
The “GoatFundMe’ account
Despite their official titles, these specialists aren’t on the public payroll. Their snacks, veterinary care, and general upkeep are funded internally through a “GoatFundMe” account, which is supported entirely by voluntary contributions from fire department and county employees.
The department hopes these stubborn workers will inspire residents to take notes on their own “defensible space” at home. Much like the goats clearing the field, fire officials recommend homeowners hardscape and remove any fuels that could carry a fire toward buildings.
A heightened season of awareness
The timing is critical. Following a winter with low precipitation, officials are on high alert for the upcoming fire season, though the full severity remains a question mark until the summer heat truly hits.
“We’re in a heightened level of awareness based on our snowpack and precipitation over the winter,” Weigley said. “But until fire season really gets started, we won’t know how severe it will be.”
Residents interested in meeting the herd can monitor the Central Pierce Fire and Rescue Facebook page for upcoming station events and community open houses. They ask to protect the goat’s health, you do not feed them.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting from FOX 13 Seattle reporter Taylor Winkel.
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