Testimony Item

Comments

Written Testimony by Lance Orton Executive Director, CityTeam Portland My name is Lance Orton, and I serve as the Executive Director of CityTeam Portland, a nonprofit homeless services provider and addiction recovery organization that has served the Portland community since 1998. I’m submitting this testimony in strong support of continued and expanded funding for Portland Street Response (PSR)—a vital and compassionate part of our city’s public safety and health system. However, I urge city leaders not to expand PSR at the expense of the Portland Police Bureau. Both are critical components of a holistic public safety continuum, and both must be adequately resourced. CityTeam works on the front lines every day with individuals experiencing homelessness, addiction, and mental health crises. Portland Street Response plays a uniquely important role in providing care and de-escalation in situations where a police response is not always appropriate or effective. Their presence has helped defuse tense situations and direct people toward the services they need. We see PSR’s value clearly. At the same time, I also believe strongly that Portland must increase—not decrease—the number of police officers on our streets. This is not a call for more arrests or punitive enforcement. Rather, it’s a call for visible, proactive policing that deters crime, improves community trust, and helps restore a sense of safety for all Portlanders, including our most vulnerable. There is a common misconception that funding one public safety service must come at the cost of another. But this is a false choice. Portland doesn’t have the luxury of trading one solution for another. We need both PSR and a well-resourced police bureau working in tandem to create a livable, compassionate, and safe city. The current moment demands investment—not retraction. In short, Portland Street Response should be expanded and elevated, but never at the cost of weakening the Portland Police Bureau. Now is the time to double down on strategies that make our city safer, more responsive, and more humane—not to pit them against each other. I urge this council to fund both systems accordingly and recognize the importance of a comprehensive, collaborative approach to public safety. Thank you for your leadership and your commitment to the future of Portland. Respectfully, Lance Orton Executive Director CityTeam Portland