What are officials doing to reduce prostitution and gang crime problems? See what we found out, by reading this article now …

Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs says the new approach to reducing prostitution in outer East Portland is working.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
If you’re fed up with crime in outer East Portland, and are ready to do something about it, there’s a place you can go: East Precinct Involved Citizens, also known by its acronym, as EPIC. Formerly known as the East Portland Block Captains, these neighbors are involved in all kinds of crime-reduction programs.

And, at their bi-monthly meeting, those who attend learn what the police, the district attorney, and the jail system are doing to reduce crime in East Portland.

Update on fighting street prostitution

In the past years, we’ve covered the continuing effort to reduce the prevalence of street-level prostitution that sullies 82nd Avenue of Roses and NE Sandy Boulevard.

Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs led off the March 23 EPIC meeting by recapping how the City now deals with street-sold sex.

“When the Prostitution-free Zone ordinances went away, we were concerned that there wouldn’t be anything to replace it,” Crebs began.

“In fact, we have replaced it. Now, when we arrest people for prostitution, whether they be male or female, we send them to the court downtown. If you’ve been convicted once already for a prostitution offence, you have to appear in regular court, not ‘community court’.”

The choices for the accused is to plead guilty, have a trial the judge, or have a trial with a jury. Just getting a hand-slap is no longer an option.

Says judges are getting involved
“We were concerned whether or not the judges would simply place the prostitutes and johns [customers] on probation,” Crebs noted. “But so far, the judges have taken these charges seriously. They have put sanctions on the people who have been found guilty.”

The Commander explained that post-conviction sanctions allow judges to impose conditions on guilty individuals. “The judge can tell the person not to be within a given distance from 82nd Avenue or Sandy Boulevard, and not to associate with known prostitutes, pimps, or johns.”

When the Prostitution Free-zone ordinances were in effect, a suspect – not found guilty in court – was “excluded” from certain areas. However, if they were found to be pandering, they’d typically just get another exclusion notice.

“But, because a sanction is post-conviction,” Crebs continued, “eight of our police officers who are also directed to be ‘officers of the court’ can arrest – and take to jail – anyone found to be in violation of their probation sanctions.”

Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney J.R. Ujifusa says the new program isn’t displacing prostitution, it’s reducing it – by imposing jail sentences and providing treatment.

Violators go to jail
“This new program began on February 17,” pointed out Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney J.R. Ujifusa.

“One of the most prolific female street prostates was convicted and put on probation, with [the location exclusion] conditions. Officers saw her on the street and picked her up – not for violating an exclusion, but for violating her probation. She served 14 days in jail. Then, she was picked up yesterday, and is now serving another 40 days in jail. She will still be in probation, and the conditions will be continued.”

Asked if the new program is effective, Ujifusa commented, “Yes. Police officers are doing their part. The district attorneys are doing their part, to get the prostitutes and johns in front of judges, and to get probation restrictions upon conviction. So far, it’s working.”

Treatment reduces displacement
“Isn’t this just moving prostitution to different neighborhood?” asked an EPIC member.

“No, I think not,” replied Ujifusa. “Along with targeting the worst problems areas and ensuring jail time for violators, there is now a treatment element involved as well.”

The concept is, Ujifusa noted, to help repeat offenders by getting them safe housing, mental health care, drug counseling, rehabilitation, and training – so they can eventually become productive citizens, “instead of being prostitutes in a different area. And if prostitution does move to different area, this program will move to that different area with them.”

Commander Crebs says probation sanctions follow a convict throughout the state.

Can’t run and hide
“If a prostitute moves up 122nd Avenue,” Crebs chimed in, “We go back and tell the judge that she’s moved locations, and ask for additional restrictions. We can respond to prolific prostitutes as they move around. Probation is actually statewide, so if they were to associate with a known prostitute [anywhere in the state], technically it’s a violation of their probation. We can ‘violate’ them if we find them breaking the law, or associating with other prostitutes, pimps, or johns, anywhere.”

Crebs concluded by saying that he’s very pleased with how the program is working, and with the support they’re getting from the court and the District Attorney’s office.

“And, we have a meeting, once a week, with the District Attorney, police, and treatment program. We talk about how each convicted individual is doing, and try to prevent the displacement of prostitution.”

Gang Enforcement Team
targets gang behavior

Portland Police Bureau’s Lt. Mike Leloff, who is with the Tactical Operations Division and Gang Enforcement Team, talks about their efforts to reduce gang violence.

Also at this meeting, Mike Leloff, with the Portland Police Bureau’s Tactical Operations Division and Gang Enforcement Team, talked to the group about recent gang activity in outer East Portland.

Leloff’s presentation included how to recognize the signs and symbols used by gangsters, the origin of gangs, and how the Police Bureau is dealing with the problems.

We had the opportunity to ask Leloff if he has seen an increase in gang activity.

“Yes, it is increasing,” he replied, “but we’re getting on top of it. Recently, during ‘Operation Cool Down’, we got political leaders from both Portland and Gresham involved to make it easier for officers to follow gangsters. We’re opening up our boundaries, like the gangsters have.”

Although Operation Cool Down has ended, Leloff continued, gang enforcement operations haven’t. “We started a new afternoon shift in March, with one sergeant and five officers. They quickly move to areas of gang activity, partnered with ‘HEAT’, the Hotspot Enforcement Action Team, and a similar team in Gresham.”

These teams look for specific sets of illegal gang behavior – instead of targeting individuals, he noted – in north, northeast, and east Portland, and Gresham

Leloff says there are many reasons for the recent increase in gang activity.

Asked why gang activity is on the upswing, Leloff pointed out that there are second and third generation gangsters now on the street. “The kids I was chasing around early in my career, are now getting out of prison, and getting back into the gangster life. Their kids, and sometimes their grandkids, see the gangster life as normal.”

While the economy does impact crime in general, Leloff said, “How much it may influence gaining activity – I’m not an expert there. We have been seeing increases in gang activity since December of 2007.”

Dave Smith, coordinator East Precinct Involved Citizens, welcomes attendees to another EPIC meeting.

How to become an EPIC neighbor
Dave Smith, a volunteer, and the EPIC coordinator, said that their meetings and activities aren’t limited to people involved in the “Block Captain” program.

“‘EPIC’ is for people interested in public safety topics,” Smith said. “I try to find topics that are both interesting and are informative. We try to present information that people wouldn’t normally hear or see anywhere else.”

Smith cited the group’s “field trips” to the Bureau of Emergency Communication – the 911 Center – and more recently, to the Portland Police Bureau’s Mounted Patrol Division, in addition to the presentations.

The next meeting will be on May 27; that keynote address will be delivered by Sergeant Erin Smith, a motorcycle cop with the Traffic Division, Smith noted.

For questions contact Smith at dsmith@portlandpolice.org.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

How do you free a tree-trimmer – pinned by a branch 40′ above the ground? Very carefully! Read all about this rescue, which a trained expert called “scary” …

Before taking action, firefighters and members of PF&R’s Specialty Rescue team evaluate the condition of the arborist, and the overall situation.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
As one who used to live on Mt. Hood and routinely cut his own firewood, Brentwood-Darlington resident Brandon Smyton said the two arborists cutting down trees behind the house across the street from his home, in the 5800 block of SE Tenino Street, caught his interest, as he was on his way to the store about 11:30 a.m.

“The sound of the chainsaw stopped,” Smyton told us. “I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I gathered that their saw got pinched in the tree and it was no big deal. It sounded as if the man up in the tree was calmly talking to his partner on the ground, making a plan to get the stuck saw free.”

When he got returned from the shopping trip, Smyton said he found his street filled with Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) ladder trucks, and the PF&R Specialty Rescue van. “It was then that I realized the seriousness this of the situation.”

Technical Rescue Team members make sure the arborist is safely anchored to their fire truck’s extended ladder.

The rescue team rigs a come-along winch to lift the limb of the victim’s arm.

Large limb pins arborist
“When our firefighters arrived,” explained PF&R spokesman Lt. Damon Simmons, as we watched the rescue effort unfold, “they found that a large limb which the arborist was cutting fell, struck him in the shoulder, and pinned his harness and left arm to the tree.”

Noting that PF&R Engine 1 – a unit which typically only serves downtown Portland – was rolling up to the scene, Simmons commented, “This is our Specialty Rescue unit. These firefighters are trained for, and better equipped for, what we call a ‘high angle, technical rescue’, in which the victim is at least 30 feet in the air, and is hanging in the air unsupported.”

One of the firefighters instrumental in the rescue is Rich Chatman, a member of PF&R’s Technical Rescue Team, based at Station 1 in downtown Portland.

Crew carefully considers rescue options
Firefighter Rich Chatman, a Technical Rescue Team member, talked us through the rescue…

“We were concerned that if we did anything to move the top of the tree branch resting on his arm, it would shift the limb toward him, making the situation worse,” Chatman explained after the successful rescue. “We had to come up with a unique plan for securing the tree, securing victim, and then cutting his [safety harness] system that was holding him.”

After securing the victim with ropes, rescue team members used a small “come-along” winch between the trunk and the limb and free the arborist’s arm. “The tricky part was when we cut his restraint system, because that also was caught in the tree. I’d say it’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”

While some rescuers secure the treed arborist, others winch up the limb.

With his arm free, the arborist gets a footing on the fire department’s extension ladder.

While the team was making the plan and taking action to free him, the victim was conscious and lucid, Chatman commented. “He was a real trouper. He knew we were working as hard and as fast as we could, to free him.”

Victim descends ladder to safety
At about 1:00 p.m., many of those watching the rescue said they were surprised to see the arborist slowly climb down a tall ladder the firefighters secured to the tree. “We were going to lower him using a rope system,” Chatman said, “but he started climbing down as soon he could. But we had him supported all the way down.”

Freed from his predicament, the arborist makes his way down a ladder, with a firefighter at his side on a parallel ladder.

This view gives one a better idea of from high the victim was rescued.

-9 Firefighters and paramedics help the arborist at the ladder’s bottom.

Although the freed, unidentified arborist could walk on his own, AMR medics quickly got him to lie down on a gurney, and transported him to OHSU Hospital for evaluation and treatment.

As crewmembers started packing their equipment, and as Station Truck 25 was retracting its 100-foot ladder, we noticed the other arborist climbing back up the tree. “He’s going to retrieve the chain saw, isn’t he?” Smyton remarked.

With the victim safely on the way to the hospital, the arborist’s partner climbs back up the tree to retrieve his chainsaw.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

It’s one of the worst single-car wrecks we’ve seen. Find out what happened, as told by an eye-witness who saw the incident unfold …

The car hit this wooden pole with such force, it snapped like a twig at ground level.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
“SE 162 Avenue is like a speedway,” said Centennial Neighborhood resident Vera Andersen, as she watched police investigating a car wreck across the intersection at SE Taggert Street. “Because it’s smooth and wide between SE Powell Boulevard and SE Division Street, people drive way too fast along here all of the time.”

Andersen shook her head as she walked away from the scene on March 22, after taking a final look at the destroyed car, clipped utility pole, and torn-up yard.

Although injured, both the driver and passenger of this car survived the smash-up.

Eyewitness to disaster
Scott Beach told us it was raining heavily, a little after 1:00 p.m., as he was driving north on SE 162nd Avenue from SE Powell Boulevard, headed toward SE Division Street.

“I was driving in the inside, or ‘fast’ lane,” Beach began, “doing about 40 or 45 mph. A car passed me in the ‘slow lane’ doing, I’d estimate, between 60 and 80 mph. He passed me like I was standing still.

The driver swerved in front of Beach, “Then, it was like he was trying to turn right into a driveway or onto Taggert Street. He went sideways and into the telephone pole; then into yard over there. I though he’d hit the house.”

Gives good medical advice
Beach said he stopped in the left-hand turn lane on 162nd Avenue. “When I got out, family members or friends were hollering for me to help them pull them out of the car. I told them no, you need to leave them in the car. I’d noticed electrical wires hanging down into the water.”

Trying to help the situation, Beach said he directed traffic around the wreck until Portland Fire & Rescue and police officers arrived.

“It took them a while to get them out of the car; they both went to the hospital,” recalled Beach. “They look pretty banged up. The driver was conscious but the passenger was kind of twitching like he was of out of it.”

SE 162nd Ave. was closed for much of the day as the Portland Police Bureau’s Major Crash Team investigate the wreck.

Although Beach recalled the younger of the two men he saw in the car being the driver, Portland Police Bureau’s Public Information Officer Detective Mary Wheat told us, “The driver of the vehicle has been identified as 23-year old George Pitsul. The passenger in the vehicle is a 16-year old juvenile male; we’re not releasing his name due to his age.”

Police say this man, 23-year old George Pitsul, was arrested and charged with three separate counts, all stemming from this accident.

Both occupants of the vehicle were hospitalized for several days, Wheat said. “Investigators believe that speed was a factor in this incident and do not believe any alcohol was involved.”

On Friday, March 27th, Pitsul was arrested on one count of Assault in the Third Degree, one count of Reckless Driving, and one count of Recklessly Endangering Another Person.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Get a look at this “indoor farm” the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit unearthed in Lents …

In the basement of this Lents neighborhood home, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit deputies say they found this 170-plant pot farm. The special “grow lamps” cast a yellow light. MCSO Photo

By David F. Ashton
As we learned from talking with deputies working in the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations in the past – the problem with selling dope is “Buyers have to know you’re in the business for you to make sales.”

Someone, perhaps a competitor or unsatisfied customer, gave deputies an anonymous tip that an indoor pot farm had a blooming business going in the Lents Neighborhood, near the area of SE 100th Ave. and SE Holgate Blvd.

SIU agents set up a surveillance operation and investigated the home until they had enough evidence to get a search warrant for the illegal marijuana grow operation.

“On March 18, at 8:00 pm, SIU deputies made entry,” reported MCSO spokesman, Dep. Paul (Mac) McRedmond. “In the basement of the home, deputies found a huge marijuana grow operation with over 170 juvenile and mature, budding marijuana plants, some over 5′ tall.”

This marijuana has been harvested. Deputies say they hang it upside down to dry. MCSO Photo

Apparently, these books did little to help keep this indoor farmer from getting busted! MCSO Photo

Guns and money located
“They also found a pound of marijuana harvested and ready for sale, $3,000 in cash and four handguns and seven rifles, including a Belgian FN 308 assault rifle,” McRedmond told us. He estimated the pot’s value at $280,000.

In addition to what deputies characterized as “several thousand dollars worth of growing equipment” – McRedmond couldn’t help but break into a small smile as he added – “They also found a small library of book on how to avoid police detection.”

Officials say the homeowner, a white male in his 40’s was arrested and cited, but not lodged in jail because he agreed to cooperate with deputies in furthering their investigation.

MSCO deputies say this was a sophisticated marijuana-growing operation. MCSO Photo

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Find out why an alleged dope-peddler called ‘Lucky Luciano’ might want to start thinking of a new nickname – AND, what YOU can do to help keep drug dealers off the streets …

This sure ain’t baking soda! Here’s what of half pound if cocaine looks like. MCSO photo

Story by David F. Ashton
Based on the number of arrests we’ve seen lately, it looks like the flood of cocaine and heroin sneaking into Portland from Mexico isn’t slowing down.

“We have been busy,” admitted Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) spokesman Dep. Paul McRedmond, as he told us about two different arrests that took pounds – not ounces – of dope off our streets.

Pounds of coke found Wednesday night
On March 11, based on information gained from an ongoing probe, MSCO special investigators spotted a vehicle they’d been looking for, heading for Gresham.

They followed the newer black Ford Taurus out to the area of NE 182nd Place and E Burnside Street. Deputies stopped the car for a traffic violation, McRedmond said, and then started talking with the suspect, 40-year-old Francisco L. Leon. After he gave consent to search his car, deputies found a whopping 2½ POUNDS (not ounces) of “gunpowder cocaine”, with a street value of about $250,000.

Officials say this man, said Francisco Leon – a Mexican national, in this country illegally – lost his stash, his car and his freedom that night, he’s been placed on “immigration hold” at the County Jail.

Not so ‘Lucky Luciano’ gets busted
Then, based on information learned from confidential informants, undercover drug buys, and surveillance, sharp-eyed MSCO special investigators spotted yet another vehicle of interest the following night, March 12, McRedmond went on.

The officers spotted the vehicle – also a recent-model red Ford Taurus (apparently the drug dealer’s car of choice this week) – in the area of NE 191st & Glisan, and pulled it over to make a traffic stop.

Officials say that 32-year-old Alfredo Lugo-Velez (left) was driving; and riding shotgun was 37-year-old Javier ‘Lucky” Luciano-Ramirez (right), both Mexican nationals, reportedly in this country illegally.

“As special investigation officers pulled up, ‘Lucky’ Luciano-Ramirez got out of the car and immediately raised his hands over his head – and a half-pound of cocaine fell out of his shirt,” said McRedmond. “This would break down to about 2,000 individual ‘hits’, worth $100,000.”

“Lucky” Luciano, along with his partner, went to jail without incident. “In addition to the drug charges, they have been place on immigration holds,” stated McRedmond

Ooops! MCSO Deputies say a packet of drugs fell out of an alleged dope dealer’s shirt when he put his hands up! MCSO photo

Profiling criminal behavior
Because of the steady stream of Mexican nationals arrested – and allegedly caught with large quantities of high-quality narcotics – we asked McRedmond if MSCO special investigators could possibly have been engaging in “racial profiling”.

“Our investigators gather information, participate in undercover drug buys, and do surveillance on any individual, of any race or background – based on their behavior,” responded McRedmond. “Our deputies – and especially our special investigators – have learned to look for specific sets of behaviors common to people engaged in criminal activities.”

Editor’s note:
On Monday, March 16, the 2009 Multnomah County Budget Forum on Public Safety convenes.

How much more money should the County Commissioners be allowed to hack out the budget for the Sheriff’s Office, jails, and other public safety services?

Come give your testimony Monday night from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Multnomah Building, 1st Floor Commissioners’ Boardroom 100, 501 SE Hawthorne Street. Contact Board Clerk Deb Bogstad 503 988-3277 for further information.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

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