Multnomah County Sheriff: ‘We won’t book campers who violate camping ban’

Mayor Ted Wheeler is expressing disappointment over what the city describes as the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office’s refusal to charge a person arrested for violating Portland’s street camping ban.

Portland announced it would begin enforcing a homeless camping ban on July 1. Under this ordinance, those camping in public spaces and walkways could be arrested and charged if they refused offers of alternative shelter by outreach workers. Consequences included a $100 fine or jail time.

“Now when they don’t comply, at least we have a set of teeth,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler at the time.

The mayor said the ordinance will focus on camps that present the greatest health and safety risks to the Portland Public.

However, a month later, reports show that only one person was arrested for violating the ban – and that the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office refused to book or charge the offender.

This was first reported by Willamette Week.

A representative with the mayor’s office says that although enforcement of the ordinance began on July 1, a hot weather emergency "paused removals and enforcement of the ordinance for 7+ days."

The mayor’s office adds that since July 1, the city’s Impact Reduction Program has done 3,620 site assessments.

A specialty team, the Street Services Coordination Center, then meets to review camps that scored in the top 10% of sites impacting the work of city employees. The SSCC then decides whether the camp needs further action – whether that’s enhanced outreach efforts or referral to police.
The mayor’s office states that most of the homeless campers in the sites needing further action accepted shelter offers and/or complied with camping restrictions.

However, the City did refer a campsite to the Portland Police Bureau’s Neighborhood Response Team last week after numerous outreach attempts. A person refusing service was arrested by the Portland Police Bureau.

The City of Portland states the sheriff’s office then refused to book this individual.

https://katu.com/news/local/multco-sheriffs-office-refused-to-book-man-arrested-for-violating-camping-ban-city-says

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Author: KATU News
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News post in at: August 1, 2024, 3:04 am.

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