We waited to publish this until all the information was in. See exclusive photos, and see what the investigating officer had to say about this fatal wreck – which also sent three folks to the hospital …

Officers from Portland Police Bureau’s Traffic Division Major Crash Team use a special GPS surveying device while investigating an accident that claimed the life of the driver of the Honda, behind them, on NE Marine Drive.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
It wasn’t raining or foggy on February 27, when a Honda Accord crossed the center line of NE Marine Drive, across from the PDX Airport viewpoint, a little after 10 p.m.

A cold wind blew along the Columbia River embankment, as we watched Portland Police Bureau’s Traffic Division Major Crash Team officers investigate a wreck that shut down Marine Drive from NE 33rd Avenue all the way to NE 122nd Avenue.

Although they had to pry the doors off this Ford Expedition, its three occupants suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

“About 10:15 p.m., officers were called to the 9500 block of NE Marine Drive regarding a two-car crash,” Acting Lieutenant Todd Davis, Traffic Division, told us. “When we arrived, we found there was one fatality at the scene.”

Davis said it looked as if a Ford Expedition, carrying three occupants, was traveling westbound on Marine Drive. “A Honda Accord was traveling eastbound on Marine Drive with one occupant. For reasons unknown at this time, the Honda Accord crossed the center line and hit the Ford Expedition head on.”

A semi-truck detours onto NE 122nd Avenue to avoid the closure. About ninety blocks of Marine Drive were blocked throughout the night, as the Major Crash Team investigated this fatal accident.

The three occupants of the Ford Expedition were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. “We have officers at the hospital interviewing them right now,” reported Davis.

The driver of the Honda, later identified as 44-year-old Jennifer Turcol by police spokesperson Detective Mary Wheat, died at the scene. “There were no citations issued, and the traffic investigators stated that the deceased crossed the center line of traffic.”

We may never know why this accident really occurred. But, Marine Drive does claim a life every six months or so – be careful!

All it takes is a moment of inattention, Traffic Division officers say, to cause a fatal car wreck like this one.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

What does the plan to collapse Portland’s five police
districts down to three mean to neighbors in East Portland?
Read on …

Regardless of where officers are headquartered, Chief Rosie Sizer insists, most officers will still patrol the districts they know.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
As the City of Portland struggles to balance its budget by requiring all Bureaus to make cuts of up to 5%, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) hasn’t been spared from the need for cost-cutting.

Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, who is in charge of the Police Bureau, as well as Chief Rosie Sizer and Assistant Chief Brian Martinek, have been out pitching a “Precinct Restructuring Proposal” they say would cut $3,609,469 from their budget without taking cops off the street.

Their plan is to return to the pre-1994 three-precinct structure – by eliminating Southeast and North Precincts. All Portland police officers would then be headquartered at Central, East, or North Precinct offices.

Commissioner Dan Saltzman tells neighbors why the redistricting program is important to meeting cost-reduction goals.

Saltzman tells of budget woes
“We need to balance the City’s budget by July 1st,” Saltzman told a group of East Portland neighbors at the East Precinct Citizen’s Advisory in early February. “The important thing is keeping cops on the street.”

Saltzman didn’t mince words when he talked about the City’s budget. “We’re facing tough times. The [Federal] Stimulus Package’s ‘COPS Program’, designed to put more cops on the street nationwide, won’t fund everything. We need to balance the City’s budget by July 1st. We’re looking citywide for cuts of from 2.5% and 5% in every bureau.”

Another real challenge to the public safety public safety system, Saltzman added, is on the county level. “Multnomah County is facing major cuts. They operate our jails, Parole and Probation offices, and fund the District Attorney’s offices. We’re in this together. As Chair of the Public Safely Coordinating Council, I can say that all of the right people are at the table. We’re seeking ways to continue public safety services in a more efficient manner.”

During his presentation Saltzman, the Police Bureau Commissioner, said he’d gone on patrol with officers several times. We asked him what impressed him the most.

“What impresses me most is how respectful officers are when they are dealing with the public,” Saltzman replied. “I’m also amazed at how many people drive around without driver’s licenses!”

This map is the clearest way to illustrate which districts – mostly falling along neighborhood boundary lines – will be moving to an expanded East Precinct.

The great 39th/60th Avenue divide
According to the proposal, there won’t be changes for any of the outer East Portland neighborhoods currently served by East Precinct.

All of the neighborhoods west of 82nd Avenue of Roses, currently in the Northeast and Southeast Precincts, will be headquartered at East Precinct, as will the more westerly neighborhoods of Woodstock, Brentwood-Darlington, and Foster-Powell – all of whose district patrol officers would move their lockers to East Portland’s Gateway district.

There will be a big change for some of the neighborhoods we cover in the Sellwood, Reed, Eastmoreland, Westmoreland, Brooklyn, and Creston-Kenilworth neighborhoods – their cops would headquarter at Central Precinct in downtown Portland.

Sizer says she expects most police officers to stay in their current patrol districts.

Chief expects no reduction in service
Speaking directly with Chief Sizer at a Southeast Portland meeting on February 11, we asked her if it will take officers covering neighborhoods now located farther from their precinct longer to respond to service calls, since they’d be stationed over the bridges at the downtown Justice Center location.

“It’s a common misconception the police officers operate like firefighters,” Sizer responded. “With firefighters, the closer you are to the fire station, the faster the response is more likely to be. Police officers operate very differently.”

But for cops, Sizer said, precincts are chiefly headquarters. “District patrol officers go to their precinct to change clothes and attend roll call. The overwhelming majority of their time is spent in their cars responding to community concerns, calls for service, and crime problems in the districts to which they are assigned.”

A patrol district is the area of the city that usually conforms to the boundaries of one or more neighborhoods.

The police chief said, under the new plan, district officers will likely stay in the same areas they’ve patrolled in the past.

“Officers have a lot of choice about the area in which they work,” Sizer explained. “My expectation is that most officers will want to patrol in their current districts. Our officers had developed partnerships with members of their community. They enjoy the appreciation their community shows for their work. That’s part of how you maintain consistency within a district – a good relationship with citizens and officers.”

Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Brian Martinek says they plan to keep an “active police presence” at the closed precincts.

Precinct buildings to be repurposed
According to Assistant Chief Brian Martinek, if the plan now under consideration is adopted, the Bureau’s Traffic and the Tactical Operations Divisions would move into the current Southeast Precinct building on E. Burnside. However, plans are afoot to keep a Neighborhood Contact Office open at that location as well.

“Community members will be able to talk to a police desk clerk, and access forms and information, during the same hours now available,” Martinek said. “We intend to have neighborhood and community meetings – such as the Bureau Advisory Group meetings – as we have in the past, in the same building.”

Should the restructuring plan be accepted, Precinct Commanders plan to visit individual neighborhoods affected by the change to answer any questions.

“If the Bureau chooses to keep me as East Precinct Commander,” assured Michael Crebs, “I promise to visit every neighborhood or group to introduce myself, and answer any questions they may have. The other commanders will do the same.”

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Find out how Portland Fire & Rescue pre-fire
planning actions may save your life some day …

Firefighters, crewing their brand new engine from Portland Fire & Rescue’s Station 25, pull hundreds of feet of lines [hoses] off their rig on the way in to fight the apartment fire at the back of a SE Portland complex.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
When an apartment at 7890 SE 72nd Avenue, just south of SE Flavel St., caught fire about 2:30 p.m. on February 13, it didn’t catch the attention of anyone in the area except for the neighbors in the complex who reported it to 9-1-1 dispatchers.

On our way to cover another story at that time, we drove within a block of the burning building, and didn’t notice the blaze – the apartment complex is set well off the street.

Nevertheless, the first PF&R rigs arrived on scene within two minutes being dispatched to the blaze.

A firefighter from PF&R Truck 25 carries a ladder to the unit on fire, located far corner of an apartment complex.

Minutes later, crews from Stations 11, 25 and 29 were fighting the fire. We walked west on the complex’s a long, winding driveway, following Engine 25 as slowly rolled along. Two parallel snakes of bright yellow lines [hoses] unfolded from the truck’s back bins as it moved into position, several hundred feet from the street.

“We have a single unit on fire,” Battalion Chief District 4 Todd Keathley told us at the scene. “There are three other units in this building, total of four. Two rooms of the one unit are involved in fire. We got it knocked down quickly; made a search. No one was in the structure.”

Although the fire was well involved when firefighters arrived, crews knocked it down in minutes, saving the other units in the building.

Keathley said the fire broke out on the first floor of these two-story townhouses. “The units are designed with an open area to the second level. The fire would’ve extended up through the building pretty quickly, but they got a fast knockdown on it.”

“No one was injured in this fire,” PF&R spokesman Lt. Damon Simmons confirmed. “This positive outcome resulted from quick action by neighbors; they called 9-1-1 right away and knocked on doors to ensure that occupants in nearby apartments were out.”

Firefighters drag a charred, smoldering mattress or large cushion from the burning apartment.

Inside and out, fire crews check to make sure the fire has been completely extinguished.

Pre fire plan prevents tragedy
The four-plex that caught fire was at the very back of a long, oddly-configured – but nicely maintained –complex of buildings just south of Whitman Elementary School and just west of Flavel Park.

We asked Battalion Chief Keathley why firefighters so easily located the out-of-the way unit.

“A firefighter from Station 11 (on SE 92nd Ave. near SE Foster Rd.) had recently ‘pre-fired’ the building. Engine 11 directed some crews to respond by coming in on SE Lambert St. that dead-ends just east of the complex.”

The firefighter about whom Keathley referred, Kirk Stubblefield, nodded as he held a clipboard of drawings in his hand.

Thanks to their pre fire planning visit, PF&R Engine 11’s Kirk Stubblefield was able to help crews reach the blazing unit quickly.

“A pre fire planning visit helps us make sure we have an accurate drawing of the buildings and the complexes we serve,” Stubblefield explained. “We note any unusual configurations. Part of what we do, when we’re not responding to fire or medical emergencies, is go out and we document primary and secondary entrances.”

Firefighters poked and pulled down walls, inspected the roof, and made sure the fire was out before they started draining and refolding their lines. We noticed crews pulling out what looked to be a burned mattress.

“Red Cross has been called to assist the adult occupant of the apartment with finding shelter,” Simmons later reported. “The other apartment units in the building are still habitable. The cause of this fire is currently under investigation.”

The crew of brand new PF&R Engine 25 repack their lines; making sure their rig is ready to respond quickly to the next fire.

© 2009 David F Ashton ~ East Portland News

Learn how a specialized group of cops, and their
canines, locate and arrest dope-dealing
crooks in our community …

Portland Police Bureau Drug & Vice Division Officer Scott Groshrong, and K-9 Nikko, get ready to show how they sniff out the drug peddlers.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
As cool and collected as drug runners and dope peddlers try to appear, in an effort to evade detection, specialized officers of Portland Police Bureau Drug & Vice Division (DVD) are trained to sniff them out – literally.

At a recent community meeting, DVD Officers Chris Devlin and Scott Groshong were on hand to talk about their work, and to demonstrate how effectively their drug-detecting dogs can locate illicit and illegal substances.

PPB drug-sniffing K-9 Nikko relaxes, before he’s put through his paces.

His nose, knows
First up, Officer Groshong introduces his partner, a Belgian Malinois named Nikko. “We were certified as a team in June, 2008 – so we’ve been working together for a while now.”

Although the dog will live to be 11 or 12 years old, Groshong said, Nikko’s active service life will be about six years. “The dog cost about $8,000, but so far, he’s helped us find about $250,000 worth of drugs.”

Unlike other police dogs, Nikko’s duty isn’t to find and apprehend people, explained Groshong. “He’s great at finding drugs – finding hidden compartments in cars. We sometimes work at the train and bus stations; we’ve also helped with package interdiction [finding drugs that are being shipped] with the U.S. Post Office and United Parcel Service.”

So sensitive is Nikko’s sense of smell, the dog’s handler noted, “In training, a drug sample was hidden in a vehicle several cars away. The wind shifted and he immediately picked up on it. He worked the scent back to the source.”

As East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs watches, Nikko sniffs and scratches at a closed door, indicating he’s found something that smells like narcotics is on the other side.

Moving the drug sample to the flagpole base on a table doesn’t fool Nikko; he’s immediately got the scent.

Groshong said that while he didn’t have actual sample narcotics, Nikko picked up the scent from an adhesive label used to mark an evidence bag that once DID contain drugs.

During two demonstrations, Nikko sniffed the air, walked over to the hiding place and scratched at it, indicating that he smelled dope. “He’s trained to smell marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs.”

Says drugs lead to other crimes
DVD Officer Chris Devlin read their the mission of their unit: “To investigate drug and vice crime, thereby reducing crime and the fear of crime, improving the quality of life in Portland’s neighborhoods, and improving the relationship between the community and police.”

He added that investigating illegal drug activity is important beyond the drugs and dealers they apprehend. “There is a strong correlation between drug abuse and other crime, including burglary, car prowls, and theft of all kinds, including identity theft,” Devlin said.

PPB DVD Officer Chris Devlin shows samples of drugs and associated paraphernalia.

Although they still train to deal with methamphetamine laboratories, “Meth lab activity is way down. We still do find old, inactive meth labs.”

About marijuana-growing operations, Devlin said that today’s lack of the zero-down home loans has reduced the number of outer East Portland homes being turned into indoor pot farms. “Executing a search warrant on a marijuana grow is still dangerous. Some growers set up deadly booby traps. If people live there, they usually keep guns on them or by their beds, because they get ripped off frequently. They live a dangerous life, and are dangerous to their neighbors.”

Fighting drugs, far and wide
Although TV shows and movies have glamorized undercover work, Devlin said it’s simply too dangerous for the benefit it provides. “Our best [drug] cases come from citizen information. We tend to use confidential informants who, for a variety of reasons, give us valuable information.”

Devlin noted that DVD team members also work with the Portland Interdiction Taskforce. “The goal of PIT is to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking in the tri-county area, whether it be at the airport, bus or train stations, guest lodging at hotels and motel – even on and freeways.”

Officer Devlin answers questions about the drug trade in East Portland.

Cops “follow the money” up the distribution chain
A neighbor asked why, although a lot of money changes hands in the illicit drug trade, many “dealers” tend to live in squalor.

“There is a lot of money involved,” Devlin concurred. “The money travels ‘up the chain’ of dealers, to distributors and importers. People at the top of the chain tend to live the ‘high life’.”

As an example, Devlin told of the case of a Reed College student who sold drugs from a modest apartment near the school. “We followed the money back to his distributor – that guy lived in Portland’s West Hills in a very nice place.”

Illegal drugs in the community, far from constituting “victimless crime”, in fact spawn a multitude of other crimes, touching almost everyone.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Take a quick look: If you know who this waddling
bandito is, turn him in and collect $1,000.

If you live in outer East Portland, this delightful fellow may have visited your home and made off with some of your treasures.

Story by David F. Ashton
After his parents were victims of a burglary, at their home in the Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood not long ago, their son – and next door neighbor – said he invested some $1,500 in a video security system.

That video surveillance system which Michael Neumann installed was up and running on January 12 – and captured stunningly-clear images of a man strolling up to the front door of his house in the 2300 block of SE 139th Ave. just before 10:00 a.m.

“The surveillance recording clearly shows a suspect walking up to the front door, ringing the doorbell, discarding a cigarette, and then walking around to the back of the house,” confirmed Portland Police Bureau spokesperson and Crime Stoppers Coordinator, Officer Catherine Kent.

“The suspect made entry into the home through the sliding door, setting off the alarm,” Kent stated. “The suspect was scared off, and left without taking any property.”

Investigators believe this suspect may be involved in several burglaries in the area, revealed Kent.

Stop, thief; get a Grand
Look at the photo, and read this description: This guy is a white male, late 20’s to early 30’s, stocky build, short brown hair with a receding hairline, and has a goatee. He was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt over a light-colored sweatshirt, dark shorts, and white tennis shoes. The suspect has a large distinctive tattoo on his left calf.

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information about him, reported to Crime Stoppers, that leads to an arrest in this case – or any unsolved felony – and you can remain anonymous.  Call Crime Stoppers at (503) 823-HELP (4357), or leave a tip online at this Internet website:  www.crimestoppersoforegon.com.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Be sure of this – someone knows who murdered this fused-glass artist on December 15. Your tip could help bring a killer to justice – and put $1,000 in your pocket …

In the cold grip of a winter storm, police detectives sifted through the home of Curtiss Olson, looking for clues to who killed him.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The funeral for 67-year-old Howard Curtiss Olson on January 3 was especially sad for those who marked his premature passing. Police say Olson died of “homicidal violence”, and was discovered on December 15.

Judy Taylor, Olson’s sister-in-law, said the victim – commonly called Curtiss – was a special, unique person.

Curtiss Olson’s life was cut too short, friends and family members say; he had many friends who will miss his bantering and good-natured companionship.

“Many people didn’t know he had chronic pain from injuries he suffered in a 1978 car accident, from which he never fully recovered,” Taylor told us. “I didn’t know him well, but since his death, I’ve met more and more people whose lives were touched by Curtiss. They told me they cared about him – and how he committed ‘random acts of kindness’, just to see people smile.”

Curtiss was a man who enjoyed lively conversation, and would sometimes make outlandish statements, because he’d “love to get a reaction. He enjoyed it even more when someone would come back with a witty comment.”

Olson became well known for the fused-glass artwork he made in his home studio. Photo used with permission of InSite Dynamics.

An unusual artist of note
Olson created fused glass art pieces at his Hazelwood neighborhood home studio, and sold them through dealers, and on the Internet through his firm – the Bad Attitude Art Glass Company. Especially popular were the kitty and star pins he sold through his website, www.kittypins.com. Note: While the website is still running, no one has stepped up to run Olson’s business; please do not order from it.

Tim Justice, a website developer, and partner at InSite Dynamics, told us, “The day he first called me, he said gruffly, ‘I want a website; and I want it now.’ We weren’t too sure about this wacky-sounding guy.” Other web developers didn’t take Olson seriously, he added, but after visiting Olson’s studio, Justice said they could see the potential for a great Internet business.

These are some of the Kitty Cat pins created and sold by Olson. Photo used with permission of InSite Dynamics.

“He’s one of the most caring persons I’ve ever met,” Justice continued. “The initial image he presents is wacky or out-of-his-mind, but he truly knew what he was doing. Life was always good for him. He’d call me just to make sure I was smiling that morning. He was very connected to politics, but would try to pretend he didn’t care.”

Police seek leads
Detectives are saying little about the ongoing investigation. Off the record, those who knew Olson admitted that he lived a somewhat bohemian lifestyle.

Speaking about murder investigations in general, Portland Police Bureau Homicide Division’s Sergeant Rich Austria told East Portland neighbors at a December meeting, that unless there is an eyewitness to a murder, detectives start by determining with whom victim was associated.

“In about 85% of homicides, victims know their suspects in some fashion,” Austria said. “It could be by association – people they know who are prone to violence. Or, it is lifestyle-related – hanging out with people who are involved in crime, drugs, and prostitution, or are involved in domestic violence.”

You can help
If you have information on this case, contact Detective Steve Ober at (503) 823-4033, or Detective Jim McCausland at (503) 823-0449.

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information, reported to Crime Stoppers, that leads to an arrest in this case, or any unsolved felony, and you remain anonymous.  Call Crime Stoppers at (503) 823-HELP (4357) or leave a tip online at www.crimestoppersoforegon.com.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

As flames licked out the East Portland house’s windows, brave Officer Gedemynas Jakubauskas did something that makes neighbors say, “this man is an honest-to-goodness hero” …

This photo – taken by the Portland Fire & Rescue’s Dick Harris, just after firefighters knocked down the blaze – shows how serious this situation truly was.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
It was bitter cold, at 6:20 a.m., when Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) was alerted to an East Portland house on fire on January 26.

Crews reported they could see the column of smoke from a half-mile away as they rushed to the blazing house at 11341 SE Division Street. Bright orange fire and thick, black smoke belched out of the white clapboard home’s front windows.

Victims of the fire were lying in the front yard as crews pulled hoses and started attacking the fire. It took more than ten tense minutes for firefighters to bring the roaring blaze under control.

It was dark, and smoke was down to the two-foot level, when an officer crawled through this garage to find and rescue a woman who had passed out in the burning house.

Heroic cop doesn’t wait
Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Officer Gedemynas Jakubauskas, 43, was the first on-scene and called for help. One by one, Jakubauskas saw people who lived in the burning building crawl out of the house.

“Most of the occupants had escaped; one told the officer that a woman was still in the basement,” reported PF&R spokesman Lt. Allen Oswalt. “The officer crawled through the garage, through the smoke, entered the house, and located the woman at the top of the basement stairs.”

The woman didn’t respond when Jakubauskas called to her and took her arm, Oswalt told us. “He had to drag her from the burning building to a safe area in the front yard. Once in the front yard he was met by firefighters who took over medical care of the patient.”

Everyone involved in this fire says this man, East Precinct Police Officer Gedemynas Jakubauskas, is a genuine hero.

Shows courage and valor
East Precinct Night Sergeant David Galladay arrived on scene as Jakubauskas was pulling the 44-year-old woman to safety. “He was covered in soot, especially on his hands and face,” Galladay told us later. “He’d taken quite a bit of smoke, and the fire crew gave him oxygen.”

About Jakubauskas’ actions, Galladay said, “He put aside his personal safety to save another life. This action shows his courage and valor.”

In all, eight people were taken to Portland Adventist Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation, including two adult males, three adult females, two children, and one brave cop – Officer Jakubauskas.

PF&R Firefighter Specialist Jim Weitzel, working with the Station 7 Truck crew, helps overhaul the fire.

This pile of rubble was all that was left of the contents of this home, which fire inspectors said burned because someone had carelessly disposed of ashes.

Live ashes blamed for fire
Later, Oswalt told us that fire investigators from the Bureau determined that this house fire was caused by “ashes from a fireplace, disposed of improperly. It appears that one of the occupants put ashes from the fireplace in a cardboard box, and left the box in the living room.”

Firefighters recommend that ashes from any source, whether it be a fireplace, a grill, or anything else, be placed in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Then stir in water and put the container at least 10 feet from anything that will burn, Oswalt urged.

Workers from Multnomah County Animal Services say they cared for three dogs from the residence while the occupants were getting medical attention.

Don’t make these mistakes
Handling ashes and coals improperly results in several tragic fires every year, the Fire Bureau spokesman said. He advised residents not to make any of these three common mistakes:

1. Assuming the ashes must now be cold. Coals can stay hot for a day or more!
2. Putting the ashes in a plastic bucket or cardboard box – always use a metal container with a lid.
3. Putting the ashes in the garage or on a deck – instead, put them outside, away from anything that will burn.

Firefighters recommend that ashes from any source, whether it be a fireplace or any other source, be placed in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid, and placed outside at least 10 feet from anything inflammable.

SE Division Street just east of SE 112th Avenue was closed during rush hour traffic on January 26, while firefighters fought the blaze and worked to save the occupants’ lives.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Some people wonder why the City of Portland is putting in ‘red-light cameras’. The photos in this Lents Neighborhood story tell the tale …

Three badly damaged cars and several shook up occupants sort out the details of this accident on SE Woodstock Blvd. at the I-205 northbound exit ramp.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
First the good news: no one was seriously injured, at least enough to be transported to the hospital for treatment or evaluation. Everyone walked or limped away from this three-car pileup in Lents neighborhood, just east of the I-205 overpass on SE Woodstock Blvd. Some people call it SE Foster Road – but here where the lanes are split, Foster Road heads westbound only.

About 8:20 p.m., on January 26, one car didn’t observe the traffic signal – and plowed into two others. Officials didn’t say whether or not a citation was issued; because it wasn’t a “trauma injury” accident, this smash-up wasn’t investigated.

Although everyone walked away from this one – no one drove away. The cars looked pretty much totaled.

Officials say the two intersections just east of the I-205 overpass at SE Woodstock Blvd. (eastbound) and SE Foster Rd. (westbound) have the highest number of red-light violation crashes recorded in Outer East Portland.

Another ‘red light camera’ to come
Outer East Portland’s #1 crash spot – SE Foster Road/Woodstock Blvd at 96th Avenue – racked up 53 red light crashes in four years. PDOT officials said the project was in the “beginning the design phase” last spring.

“It’s true,” said a police officer on scene at this crash. “This intersection is well marked and well lit. There are good site lines. I really don’t know why people run the red lights here so often.”

Although we don’t know “the why” a driver went through a red light – but “the what” is obvious when one looks at the debris from this accident’s wreckage strewn around the intersection.

“No matter how much of a hurry you’re in,” the officer advised, “obey the traffic signals and maybe you’ll save your life.”

No matter whose fault it was, the result is the same – bruised up, angry people and wrecked cars.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Find out why about 20 police folks – including the commander – are sporting a very short hairstyle now, in the dead of winter …

His son Tanner, Deputy District Attorney J.R. Ujifusa, his daughter Grace, and freshly “cropped” Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs watch, as other officers participate in “Gracie’s Crop-A-Cop” fundraiser for Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Community Room took on the appearance of an Army recruit processing center barbershop on the afternoon of January 26. East Portland cops, and officers from other jurisdictions, walked in with a full head of hair – and walked out with a close-cropped buzz-cut.

“We’re calling it ‘Gracie’s Crop-A-Cop’,” explained the Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney stationed at East Precinct, J.R. Ujifusa. “My daughter, Gracie, was diagnosed with leukemia in August. The chemotherapy caused her to lose her hair.”

Fortunately, the treatment was successful, Ujifusa said, holding his daughter – who sported an almost-too-large for her cap. “Thanks to her treatment at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, now she’s doing great.”

This “Crop-a-Cop” event, put together by East Precinct Sergeant Deb Steigleder, gives friends, family members, and officers the opportunity to support Gracie’s recovery by shedding their locks, the organizer said. “And, it’s a fundraiser for Doernbecher.”

Becky Martin from Salon Ambience prepares SPI Detective Teresa Uttke for her new hairstyle.

Detective gets clipped, again
We missed Commander Michael Crebs’ and Lt. Anderson’s haircuts, but we were there to witness Special Property Investigations Detective Teresa Uttke – yes, a female – join the men in getting a new, low-maintenance hairstyle.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve done this,” Uttke told us as she moved to the shearing chair. “I did this back in 1997 and 1998. I think this is for a very good cause.”

The room suddenly feels a bit cooler to her, as Detective Uttke loses her locks.

In addition to her own $10 donation, we learned that Uttke was submitting to the tortuous tonsorial treatment to fulfill $846 in pledges.

“You look at that little girl, and your heart melts,” Uttke said softly, as Becky Martin from Salon Ambience got ready to buzz-cut her next customer.

In all, Sergeant Steigleder reported that the event raised $5,000 for the children’s hospital.

Detective Uttke proudly shows off her new ‘do – actually, the lack thereof – and joins the ranks of some 20 others who also wanted to support Gracie’s campaign for Doernbecher.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Firefighters said the blaze started in the circuit breaker box. But what the fire investigator found on-site landed two of the home’s occupants in real hot water …

SE Woodstock Blvd. was blocked off for several hours, as firefighters put out a small house fire they say resulted from an electrical overload, and then police investigated a marijuana grow operation found in the basement.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
By all measures, the house fire at 6830 S.E. Woodstock Boulevard wasn’t much of a blaze.

Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) Station 25 Truck and Engine Company, based on S.E. 52nd, arrived with sirens wailing at 9:23 a.m. on January 16.

A half hour after the blaze was quenched, smoke is still coming from the house.

“We were originally were sent on the report of a power line down,” PF&R Battalion Chief 4 Scott Beyers said, while firefighters, their work quickly done, were wrapping up their hoses.

“A short time after our arrival, it was determined that we had a fire involving the house down in the basement area,” Beyers continued.

The battalion chief said firefighters reported that fire was in the area where the electrical service went into the house. “It appears that’s where it started, but investigators are in there now taking a look. Both of the home’s occupants are out, and there were no injuries.”

Firefighters pack up their gear after extinguishing the small fire.

While firefighters tote their gear out of the the house, a police officer talks this person, who appears to be the woman officials later identified as Tabitha French.

Electrical overload leads to investigation
As the firefighters were stowing their gear, we noticed a Portland Police Bureau officer talking with an individual said to be an occupant of the house. When we drove by later that afternoon, officers from the bureau’s Drug & Vice Division were also visiting the modest Woodstock neighborhood home.

The official PF&R report made law enforcement’s interest clear: “Found … a fire in the basement of the house. A grow operation was found in the basement.”

The report continued, “A Marijuana grow operation was being conducted in two rooms. A third room was in the process of having grow lights and ventilation system wired in. Fire patterns and damage seen indicated the fire originated at the main breaker branch panel. Overload and arcing noted.”

Police say these two women, Tabitha Rose French (left) and Rachael Marie Belknap (right) face charges stemming from the marijuana grow operation found in the house.

Two charged in pot growing operation
Although investigators estimate the building and content loss were only about $25,000, the impact of the fire on two of the home’s occupants may be more far-reaching.

Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz checked the records, and told us that two 27-year-old women, Tabitha Rose French and Rachael Marie Belknap, were taken into custody. “They are both charged with Manufacturing, Possession and Distribution of Marijuana.”

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Discover why Portland’s Police Chief selected these two officers and eight citizens to receive the bureau’s Commendation Medal …

Standing in front: Portland Police Bureau Chief Rosie Sizer and Sgt. John Anderson; behind them are Jack Menashe, Officer Greg Baldwin, Joe and Nick Rossi (accepting on behalf of their mother, Irene), Rex Hollingsworth, Bryan Ackerman, LeeAnn Bruner, Jeff Brooke, and Bud Bartunek, as they receive the Portland Police Bureau’s Commendation Medal.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
In a December, 200, article, we took you to the Spirit of Portland Awards, at which Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct Sgt. John Anderson and Officer Greg Baldwin were honored for helping to create a police substation in Parkrose. (CLICK HERE to read that article.)

These outer East Portland cops, along with nine citizens and the companies they represent, were given another accolade at the Police Bureau’s biannual award ceremony, held in the Horner Auditorium of the David Douglas Performing Arts Center on January 14.

Police Chief Rosie Sizer congratulated the recipients on stage, as retiring Public Information Officer Cathe Kent explained why the honorees were given this award.

“From August 2007 to January 2008, Portland Police Sergeant John Anderson and Officer Greg Baldwin spent countless hours after work and on their days off working to develop a community contact office in the Parkrose area of Portland.  In September 2007, a location directly off Sandy Boulevard was donated by Mrs. Irene Rossi of Rossi Family Farms for $1 per year,” Kent announced.

With awards in hand, proud Parkrose awardees return to their seats to enjoy the remainder of the ceremony.

Kent continued, “Due to the fact that there was no money to build the office, Sgt. Anderson and Officer Baldwin reached out to the Parkrose community who gladly rallied their resources, donated materials, and volunteered their time to assist with the completion of the project.”

Without the generosity of the following community businesses, Kent added, the project would not have become a reality:

• Parkrose Hardware,
• Rex Heating and Air Conditioning,
• Western Pacific Building Materials,
• Surface Flooring,
• LA Signs, and
• The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Union Local #10.

For their dedication, generosity, commitment, and support to community policing, each of the honorees was awarded the Portland Police Bureau’s Commendation Medal.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Officials don’t know why this suspected gang member allegedly whipped out his pistol and started shooting at the AM/PM Mini-Mart on SE Holgate Boulevard. But, find out what police did about it – and what steps they’re taking to halt gang violence …

After unsuccessfully negotiating the purchase of a cigar at this ARCO AM/PM Mini-market, witnesses say the shooter headed north [toward the camera] and opened fire at a vehicle parked in an auto repair shop’s driveway.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Even the sound of a truck backfiring makes folks throughout outer East Portland duck for cover, as gang member gunplay increases.

On January 14 – this time, in the Lents area – gunfire broke out, as a suspected gang member opened fire at the intersection of SE Holgate Boulevard and SE 92nd Avenue.

“The suspect had gone into the market,” Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz told us. “When he came out of the market, it appears as if shots were fired. Because of the close proximity to the store, there is surveillance video of the crime occurring.”

Shooting shatters innocent’s window
According to the office manager at R-Boes Automotive repair shop across Holgate from the AM/PM market, a car pulled into their lot around 2:15 p.m. “The car just sat there. Then we heard gunshots, and saw a man running toward us (north) shooting at the car; maybe a half-dozen shots.”

Apparently the gunman’s aim wasn’t good; his target vehicle escaped without damage, she said.

However, a Lexus SUV driven by Maria Swearingen – she was heading westbound on SE Holgate Boulevard, approaching the 92nd Avenue intersection – was hit by at least two bullets that shattered the vehicle’s rear window. “She wasn’t involved in any way with the suspect or his intended target,” Schmautz noted. “She was caught in the cross-fire.”

Traffic along SE 92nd Ave, along Lents Park, was shut down for the afternoon and most of the evening until police convinced the suspect to surrender.

Vigilant citizens finger suspect
“Our mechanics saw the shooting and took off after the guy,” R-Boes’ office manager told us. One hopped into his car to follow [the shooter], and the other ran after him on foot as he ran [east on Holgate then south] on the trail along the freeway. [The mechanics] told police which house he went into.”

The description the mechanics gave the police, and surveillance video footage from the AM/PM market, helped police quickly identify the subject who witnesses said ran into a residence on SE Pardee Street, just a block east of from Lents Park.

Police block off SE Pardee St., just east of SE 92nd Avenue across from Lents Park, where they believe the suspected gangster gunman who shot up an innocent driver’s car is holed up.

Subject unwilling to give up
We asked Schmautz why the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) was called out to the scene.

“At first, the suspect was being loud-hailed by officers,” replied Schmautz. “He didn’t respond to any of the loud-hails. We think the presence of additional equipment and the SERT officers coming into the area got him to change his mind, after he understand that the police were not leaving until he surrendered.”

Finally the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Anthony Dwaine Bell, gave up and came out without further incident.

Finally, the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Anthony Dwaine Bell, gave up without further incident.

SE 92nd Avenue remained closed into the evening hours, as detectives and members of the Gang Enforcement Unit obtained a search warrant.

The following day, we learned that Bell was charged with one count of Attempted Aggravated Murder, two counts of Attempted Aggravated Murder, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. “Investigators believe that there is a direct connection between this incident and recent shootings in both Portland [during a funeral service] and [New Year’s Eve shootings in] Gresham,” Schmautz added.

Commissioner of Police, Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman announces “Operation Cool Down” – his plan to crack down on gang violence.

Commissioner calls for a ‘Gang Cool-down’
In response to the upswing of gang violence, Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, now in charge of the Police Bureau, announced a mission called “Operation Cool Down” to “focus resources and enforcement on individuals and neighborhoods affected by gang violence”.

At a press conference at Portland City Hall on January 16, Saltzman presented plans to coordinate efforts of the Portland Police Bureau, Gresham Police Department, Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, and the United State Attorney’s Office.

Increasing the contact among gang members and police officers will help reduce gang violence, says Portland Police Bureau chief Rosie Sizer. She’s flanked by City of Gresham Mayor Shane T. Bemis and Commissioner Saltzman.

The Portland Police Bureau’s Chief Rosie Sizer said that police efforts in recent years have reduced gang activity. “As it was reduced, there was less of a day-to-day contact between patrol officers and gang members.  That is no longer going to be the case.”

Each police precinct, including East Precinct, she added, will put on officers who can identify gang activity initially. “Then, through in-service training over the next few months, gang unit officers and members of the HotSpot Action Team will teach street officers how to identify gang members, where they’re active, and whether that they may be carrying guns. The overall organizational capacity is going to be enhanced.”

Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs listens to the presentation at City Hall before explaining how the two-officer patrol plan has already resulted in arrests.

Two-officer cars target gangsters
After the press conference, we asked Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs to strip away the political rhetoric, and explain how this plan will be executed.

“I’ve told all of my lieutenants on all three shifts to send out as many two-person cars out as possible,” Crebs told us in the Portland City Hall chambers. “The job of these two-person cars is to be looking for potential gang activity and known gang members.”

When officers double up, Crebs explained, they can stop and approach individuals immediately without having to call – and wait – for a backup officer to arrive on scene.

“Officers are looking for specific behaviors, not individuals,” Crebs said. “We want officers to start engaging people and talking to them.”

Plan pays off immediately
“Last night, officers in a two-person patrol car saw a vehicle commit a traffic violation and pulled them over,” the commander said. “In the course of the stop, they ended up recovering two guns and arresting three gang-associated gang individuals. This is just the first step, but it’s an important one.”

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News