How’s the city combating gang crime, street thugs, transit safety and prostitution? Learn more about the program the bureau’s Assistant Chief says is doing the job … or at least, part of it …

East Portland Involved Citizens (EPIC) Director Dave Smith introduces the cops who are tasked with putting the “HEAT” on crooks.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Many outer East Portland neighbors expressed concern, when they learned that the Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) had been dismantled.

Starting as the “Tired of Tweekers” initiative several years ago, CRU officers focused on detecting the criminal behavior, primarily, of drug-affected individuals – especially repeat offenders.

The CRU cops became very adept at keeping an eye on the crooks who were committing a large number of crimes; property crime reports dropped, and the drug trade was diminished.

Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Lynnae Berg tells why CRU was dismantled, and introduces the new policing policies.

Cop shortage forces changes
To find out why the CRU was dismantled – and how the Portland Police Bureau now deals with outer East Portland crime, especially along the eastern border of Portland – we attended the bi-monthly meeting of East Portland Involved Citizens (EPIC), a few days ago.

“In our bureau, we’ve been short on staffing,” explained Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Lynnae Berg. “We’re ‘running lean’, partly due to the time it takes to recruit and train new officers, and partly due to retirements. We’ve cut special units [such as CRU] in order to bolster staffing in the precincts.”

Additionally, Berg said, the bureau needed to better address gang activity throughout Portland. “From January through June 2008, there has been an increase in gang activity. Citywide, there were 32 gang shootings or incidents in which the gang unit was called out.”

Asked if this has become a crime trend, Berg responded, “It’s hard to tell, because of the cyclical nature of gang violence.”

These ‘high speed, low-drag’ officers make up the city’s new “Hotspot Enforcement Action Team” (HEAT), commissioned to reduce gang violence.

HEAT focused on gang activities
Berg told the group that a new citywide unit has been formed – called the “Hotspot Enforcement Action Team” (HEAT). “We believe that ‘high speed, low-drag’ officers – led by sergeants of the same ilk – could have an impact on crime. We sought out high-performance officers with good judgment, who work well in small teams.”

Berg said HEAT meets weekly to decide how to allocate resources. They focus on areas with gang activity, or where youths cause problems. Another purpose is to have officers show themselves in public spaces, to ease the fear of crime in parks, she added. “And HEAT has more than exceeded our expectations.”

With that, Berg introduced HEAT Sergeants Mendenhall and Passidore.

Difference between CRU and HEAT
Sgt. Anthony Passidore – one of the original CRU officers – spoke about the new program.

“In CRU,” Passidore began, “we took the time to ‘climb the ladder’ in several criminal organizations and dismantle them. In HEAT, we are ‘out in the public’; we’re not exclusively dealing with those who are involved in criminal behavior.”

While the team works citywide, Passidore explained that they focus on outer East Portland hot crime spots, such as the ones on the MAX light rail line along E. Burnside Street at 82nd, 122nd, and 162nd Avenues. “Most of the ‘hot spots’ we deal with haven’t changed; we look for areas that have a propensity for a high level of activity. It may be a high school, or some sort of social gathering place.”

Talks about gang violence
Berg said HEAT is helping the bureau with gang designations. “There is a growing segment of Hispanic gangs. Challenges we face dealing with them include cultural and language issues.”

Passidore said that during the 1980s, gangs wore their “colors” [a bandanna or other clothing of a certain color or pattern] when they hung out. “Starting in the 1990s, members hid their colors, for fear of being identified; older [gang members] coming out of jail don’t show colors. But, the younger members do.”

Little compassion for others
The difference between rude teenagers and gangsters, Passidore continued, is that gang members are driven by money and status. And, chillingly, they have little compassion for others.

“Gang conflict comes from disrespect, girlfriends, and territorial issues,” Passidore informed. “Especially with the younger ones, the silliest things can set them off. They go from calm to extreme violence — instantly.”

Asked if gang members set out to hurt uninvolved citizens, Berg answered, “They are intending to do violence against one another. But they show little concern a about ‘collateral damage’, when they spray automatic weapon fire in a dense neighborhood. Their threshold is very low for using violence.”

Passidore added, “It can be difficult to tell the difference between a band of disrespectful roving kids and gang members.”

Sgt. Anthony Passidore – one of outer East Portland’s original CRU members – now helps lead the citywide HEAT officers.

Violence on mass transit
Asked about mass-transit-related violence, Passidore put it this way: “If I’m talking to a family member abut riding MAX, I’d tell them, ‘You don’t have to live in fear. But if something doesn’t feel right, act with a little more caution. Good common sense and awareness is the rule. Call police, and let them address the issues’.”

Berg added, “TriMet policing has become more multi-jurisdictional. We have 18 TriMet officers and three sergeants in the system. We benefit from participating in TriMet policing; many crime problems are located in and around transit facilities throughout the city.”

No HEAT on street prostitution
Asked whether nor not the HEAT officers have worked to decrease outer East Portland’s exploding street prostitution problem, Berg said, “No, HEAT provides a uniformed police officer presence. Our strategy was not to get them involved in drug and vice issues.”

Responding to a question regarding Prostitution-free Zones, Berg added, “The zones were useful tool. The benefit was being able to trespass [prostitutes] out of an area and hold them accountable for their behavior. But, the zones are no longer in place; this is a fact of life. We’re working on other strategies to deal with prostitution. Until we have an effective strategy in place, we are working precinct-level missions to reduce it.”

The assistant chief added that it wasn’t possible to continuously run anti-prostitution missions because they are highly labor-intensive. “Hopefully, we will have more effective strategies in place in a couple of months.”

HEAT ends this fall
Berg said that they’ve recommended that HEAT continue operating until the start of school. “We’ll see if we need to send officers back to the precincts at that time.”

Learn more about EPIC
EPIC, formally known as the “East Precinct Block Captain Program”, is a group of concerned citizens who work toward being “part of the crime reduction solution”.

Their September 24 program will be a “field trip” to see the Portland Police Bureau’s Mounted Police Division stables.

To learn more, contact the EPIC Coordinator, Dave Smith, at dsmith@portlandpolice.org — or call (503) 823-4636.

© 2008 David F. Ashton  ~ East Portland News

See why this fire burned so hot, quickly destroying the roof and putting the building’s structure in jeopardy …

This fire at VeloTech burned fast and hot, officials say.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Early Sunday morning, August 3, the alarm bells rang at one, then two – and finally three – Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) stations in outer NE Portland, as firefighters scrambled into their gear and headed to a commercial fire at VeloTech, located at 6150 NE 92nd Drive.

About 12:45 a.m., crews rolled through the industrial park, near the Columbia Slough, and found thick black smoke, and plenty of it.

“There was heavy smoke showing from the south end of the structure,” reported PF&R spokesperson, Kim Kosmas. “Firefighters were unable to locate the fire initially, due to the heavy black smoke. The fire quickly burned through the roof, due to the heavy fire load inside the building.”

Battalion Chief Mark Gift (in the white helmet and shirt) makes a plan for overhauling – taking out burned debris from – the burnt-out business.

We learned that clothing, bicycle tires, and CO2 cylinders were involved in the fire. “Crews were forced to go to a defensive attack, and quickly gained control of the fire,” noted Kosmas. “In total, 10 Engines, two trucks, one squad, two investigators, and three chiefs fought the fire, which they got under control at 1:43 am.”

Firefighters stayed on watch throughout the night, and into the next day.

From the building’s rear, the fire damage – including the missing room – is clearly evident.

At the fire scene later in the day, we saw crews preparing to shore up the sides of the building. Firefighters were standing by, but not yet entering the structure.

We asked Battalion Chief Mark Gift, then in charge of the scene, to describe the firefighting effort. “Our firefighters did a good job fighting a very intense blaze. This was a substantial fire.”

Gift noted that most of the roof was destroyed. “In this kind of building, the roof helps provide structural integrity to the building. We’re taking a close look at the structure – and making sure the outer walls are shored up – before we attempt to finish the overhaul along the edge of the roof.”

A welder prepares steel beams that will be used to shore up the walls, and keep the “tilt-up” structure from collapsing, while firefighters, investigators, and a clean-up crew work in the building.

Pointing to the northern portion of the building, Guest added, “These units have a one-hour firewall. It saved the other businesses.”

At the time of publication, no amount of loss had been determined for the building or contents. The fire was still under investigation.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

See why hundreds of everyday citizens converged on the police station, on this lovely summer Saturday afternoon …

Portland Police Bureau East Commander Precinct Michael Crebs welcomes citizens to the annual open house.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
One of the favorite summertime events we cover is the East Precinct Open House and Barbeque.

When we arrived at the police station on SE 106th Avenue, we were greeted by Portland Police Bureau East Commander Precinct Michael Crebs.

“Welcome to our open house,” Crebs said with a smile.

Joelle, Naomi, Rebekah and Hannah and Amanda Whitlock try out an ATV at the East Precinct Open House.

Jordyn Wolford tries his hand at the remote-control police robot, while his dad, Clay, looks on. “It’s just like a video game, but real,” Jordyn exclaims.

“We’re inviting people to come check out what were doing here at the Police Bureau. We want people to get to know us, and let us have the chance to get to know them,” Crebs explained.

Oftentimes, the commander noted, the only time citizens interact with police is when they’re stopped for a traffic violation, or have a home visit due to a “difficult situation. But, we like people to meet and talk with us when things are going good, so that we’ve established a relationship before something bad happens. That makes for a lot less tension.”

East Precinct and SERT Officer Larry Wingfield shows some of the tactical equipment he uses, to the East Precinct Involved Citizens chair, Dave Smith.

Checking out the police motorcycle is Emma, Melanie, and Leah Zallee, with Sgt. Erin Smith from the Portland Police Traffic Division.

All bureau departments present
At this, the precinct’s third annual open house, Crebs said all of the bureau’s major departments brought displays, including the Mounted Police, Traffic Division, SERT, Bomb Squad, and Robotics.

“Citizens pay the taxes that fund the police bureau – here, they can come and see how their money is being spent firsthand. We also have our crime prevention specialists here, helping people learn how to reduce crime and the fear of crime in their neighborhoods.”

Renee Fischer-Green holds Kylie as they meet Officer Craig Mack’s trusty mount, Merlin “the magnificent“.

Cadet James Trendell and Cadet Greg Buduy man the grills, as they help feed 500 hungry lunchtime visitors.

Police car trunk supply volunteer (a/k/a “a trunk lady”) Mary Walker pauses for a moment with Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer, while awaiting lunch.

Bernie Bretz-Erdmann watches, as her grandchild Cole Frascone is fitted with a bike helmet by Officer Kristin Watt.

About 500 people took the precinct up on the offer to meet, and have lunch with, their police; no one was arrested.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Smoke from the blaze at Buckaroo Thermoseal Roofing and Insulation could be seen all over the greater Portland area. See why firefighters had their work cut out for them, at this industrial fire …

As we approach from NE Sandy Boulevard at NE 112th Avenue, Portland Fire & Rescue firefighters on this aerial ladder truck were often obscured by thick, dark smoke produced by the furiously burning roofing material.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
As Parkrose Neighborhood Association chair Mary Walker was leaving work on Sunnyside Road and coming home, on the morning of July 23, she noticeed a column of thick, dark smoke rising up in the north.

“As I drove north and got closer to home,” Walker told us as we watched the blaze from her front yard, “I thought it was coming from the airport or from Vancouver. But when I arrived in Parkrose, I could clearly see the fire and smoke coming up from the industrial area, a block north of NE Sandy Boulevard.”

Firefighters pour two streams of water on the fire from the same ladder rig.

Smoke seen for miles
Walker wasn’t the only one who noticed the smoke from the fire that broke out at Buckaroo Thermoseal, a 40-year-old roofing and insulation installation company on NE 109th Avenue near NE Marx Street about 10 a.m. that morning.

The conflagration grew so quickly that, as the smoke boiled into the cool, overcast sky, it formed a partial mushroom cloud, darkening the area. Freeway traffic on I-205 slowed to look at the growing commercial fire.

Heavy damage was sustained by the roofing firm, but Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) crew members worked diligently to keep an affiliated company, A and B Sheet Metal, from also going up in flames. On either side of the lot were stories-high piles of wood chips, also spared from burning.

From the air, on the roof and on the ground, firefighters battle this industrial blaze.

Goes to three alarms
“The smoke everyone saw was generated by a free-burning fire in several different types of roofing materials,” explained PF&R spokesman, Lt. Allen Oswalt.

The first Battalion Chief on scene immediately called a second alarm to bring in more firefighting equipment and personnel. Shortly thereafter, a third alarm was called.

By 10:30 a.m., 13 engines, five trucks, six Chief Officers, and 80 firefighters from PF&R as well as the Gresham Fire Department were on scene, battling the inferno.

So many units were called to the scene; “reserve rigs” were called to provide service from stations vacated by this three-alarm fire.

“No evacuations were ordered, except for the areas immediately surrounding the fire,” Oswalt said. “Neighboring businesses were temporarily shut down, to allow firefighters access to the burning structure.”

“There were semi-trucks parked at the loading dock, and a 5,000 gallon diesel tank near the burning building,” Oswalt reported. “Another concern was keeping the fire from spreading, due to embers falling from the smoke column.”

Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish (in the white helmet) looks on as Fire Bureau Chief John Klum confers with the Battalion Chief managing the fire-fighting effort.

City Commissioner marvels at command structure
Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish, now in charge of overseeing PF&R, donned a turnout and helmet to get a first-hand look at how his bureau tackles a major conflagration.

As Fish walked into the fire scene with Chief John Klum, he said it seemed like being on the set of a Hollywood movie.

“All of the firefighters were moving into position, calmly and rapidly,” the newly-elected City Councilman recalled. “Observing the command structure in action is a marvel. The Chief and Deputy Chief were there as a resources, but the Battalion Chief was organizing and coordinating the effort.”

With piles of shredded wood three stories high on either side of the warehouse, firefighters have their hands full to keep this “kindling” from catching fire.

Fish also said he gained an appreciation of how well city bureaus and utilities work together. “The police provided traffic control, the Portland Water Bureau rerouted water to make sure firefighters had enough pressure, and Pacific Power promptly arrived to cut power to the site.”

The Commissioner said he met the company’s owner at the site. “Naturally, he was distressed by the fire, but said he, too, was impressed firefighting effort. We tend to take our fire bureau for granted – but this is another example of why Portland Fire & Rescue is best in the country.”

So is the fire, this steel warehouse is melting like plastic.

Smoke fills the air as firefighters use all available water, piped in through miles of hoses, to douse the flames and keep the fire from spreading.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

We’re not sure of the cause of this smash-up – but the result was a startling accident. No one walked away from this one …

Portland Fire & Rescue’s Station 11 firefighters rush to cut open a car and remove the injured patient. As bad as it looks, authorities say the driver apparently wasn’t badly injured.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Imagine driving north on SE 82nd Ave. of Roses on a bright, sunny summer afternoon – then seeing the car in front of you cross over the lanes and collide, head-on, with oncoming traffic.

This experience occurred to motorist and witness Xavi Cortal on June 15 just after 1:30 p.m. Cortal told us the story began as he passed SE Flavel Street.

“We were in the car immediately behind him,” Cortal tells us, referring to a crumpled purple Dodge automobile, now blocking 82nd Avenue. “We were going northbound on SE 82nd Avenue, about 100 feet behind him. It looked like he was dozing off.”

SE 82nd Ave. of Roses was shut down while Portland Fire & Rescue crews pried victims out of their vehicles, mangled by the offset-head-on crash.

Cortal says he became concerned about the driver’s behavior. “He veered a little bit into the center lane, and then came back into his own lane.”

Between SE Knapp Street and SE Ogden Street, the unthinkable happened. “He did it again, but this time, veered all the way over into the other lane. There was a white car coming south; the [Dodge] car hit him head on.”

The accident wasn’t the fault of the driver being loaded into the ambulance – but officials discovered he was driving without a license or insurance.

Stays to help
While others called 9-1-1 on their cell phones, witnesses said Cortal – seeing that he couldn’t help the occupants of the cars, because the vehicles were so badly damaged – started directing traffic to keep others from running into now-mangled cars. “It was the best I could do,” he commented.

Firefighters had a big job on their hands prying the doors open and preparing to remove the driver who was said by officials to have caused the pile-up.

Reasons for crash remain unknown
Hoping to get a better idea of why the crash occurred, we contacted Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz to ask what was in the accident report.

“The collision occurred at 1:39 pm, when 86-year-old Ed Niemeyer, who was driving a Dodge northbound on S.E. 82nd Avenue, drifted into the oncoming lane, and collided with a Toyota driven by 31-year-old Labis Kragaris,” reported Schmautz.

“Niemeyer was transported but was not seriously injured. Niemeyer was cited for failing to maintain a lane of travel, and Kragaris was cited for driving without an operator’s license and driving without proof of insurance,” Schmautz added.

As bad as this wreck looks, officials say neither driver was seriously injured.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

If your vehicle is still in your driveway tomorrow morning, it could be because these two hard-working officers put away the crooks that were stealing cars in your area last year …

Flanking Portland Police Bureau Chief Rosie Sizer are East Precinct Achievement Medal winners Officer Phillip Ken and Officer Scott McCollister.

Story and photo by David F. Ashton
In early 2007, auto theft was at an all time high in outer East Portland.

Portland Police East Precinct Officers Scott McCollister and Phillip Kent decided to put a stop to the thieving. And, just a few days ago, in a ceremony at the David Douglas High School Horner Performing Arts Center – they were awarded for doing just that.

Catching car crooks – part time
Between their calls for service, McCollister and Kent started working on vehicle theft cases. They ran down leads and talked to victims and witnesses.

Attempting follow-up and surveillance in their “downtime” proved to be a difficult task, so the officers developed a plan to work a “mini-auto-theft detail” within the precinct.

Detail puts breaks on thefts
In May 2007, the two began working the East Precinct Auto Theft Detail full time. Their work to combat auto theft made a significant impact. At the time, auto theft in East Precinct was 41% higher than the corresponding period in the previous year. By December of 2007, the auto theft rate for East Precinct had dropped by 8%.

During their time in the detail, Officers McCollister and Kent recovered 153 stolen vehicles, and made 41 arrests for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle/Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle. They also arrested 51 other people on warrants or other charges, and recovered two guns.

In recognition of their leadership, and commitment to reducing auto theft crimes, Officer Scott McCollister and Officer Phillip Kent were awarded the Portland Police Bureau Achievement Medal at the ceremony.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Portland residents are safer because of Chief Dave Sprando’s efforts; go with us, here, to his farewell event held at the Portland Fire & Rescue training station in Parkrose …

After 31 years of service, outgoing Portland Fire & Rescue Chief Dave Sprando is given a hearty sendoff by former firefighter – and Portland City Commissioner – Randy Leonard at the retirement event.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
It’s no secret that we’re fans of the men and women who serve our city every day at Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R). Ask anyone whose home or life has been saved – they’ll agree that our firefighters are the best.

Chief Sprando’s contributions
We know what firefighters do – they rescue folks, and put out fires. We asked Lt. Allen Oswalt, PF&R spokesman, to tell us about how retiring Chief Dave Sprando contributed to the bureau at his retirement reception held at the Portland Fire & Rescue training station in Parkrose not long ago.

“Among other assignments, Dave Sprando was an officer here in outer East Portland, at Station 2, in Parkrose, where we do our training,” Oswalt began.

“He had a direct hand in improving our bureau when he was the Training Officer. Sprando was absolutely convinced that a better-trained firefighter is a safer firefighter. And, a safer firefighter is a better asset to the residents of the City of Portland.

“In addition to good training, we provide recruits a full 10 months of training – longer than any other department in the Pacific Northwest.”

Sprando also had a big role in acquiring new equipment, Oswalt added. “Our job is inherently dangerous. He made the case for better equipment – like new air tanks – to the Portland City Council, and gained their approval.”

Instead of handing over the “keys to the firehouse” – we catch outgoing Fire Chief Dave Sprando handing the official pager and cell phone to incoming Chief John Klum.

Welcoming Fire Chief John Klum
At the reception, we also met the incoming PF&R Chief, John Klum – a 30-year veteran of the force.

Klum was the captain at the HazMat Unit stationed at Station 7 SE 122nd Avenue for nine years, Oswalt told us.

“Back then, Portland Police and Multnomah County Sheriffs were taking down a lot of meth labs – cleaning up seven or eight of them a week.”

More recently, Klum has served as Fire Marshal for the City of Portland.

“Every firefighter, down the line, has the greatest confidence that Klum will continue the tradition of support for the men and women in the bureau – and excellence in fire and rescue services for the citizens of Portland,” Oswalt confided.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

See why the number of prostitutes working 82nd Avenue has skyrocketed. And, the tragic news is that even more of these “sex workers” aren’t even old enough to drive …

In outer East Portland, the prostitution trade isn’t plied in the dead of night. Working without fear, most prostitutes – like this woman, later arrested, and charged with soliciting prostitution – openly troll for customers in the light of day.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
A couple of weeks ago, we told you how – even though it’s vastly understaffed – the Portland Police Bureau Drug & Vice Division (DVD) goes after the fifty or so local sex-for-sale pushers, commonly known as pimps.

We learned from Sgt. Doug Justice, the man who currently heads DVD, how their three-person “division” targets pimps who are promoting prostitution using underage girls.

“Even though we see it on the rise, we don’t have the manpower to go after street-level prostitution,” Justice added. “We leave that to the precincts.

Although a little blurry because this photo was taken at a great distance and through glass, the john looks jolly to be making a deal for a street-side sex act, just off SE 82nd Avenue of Roses. He didn’t look happy for long.

Local action heats up
On any afternoon or evening these days, along 82nd Avenue of Roses, it seems like we’re seeing more and more “girls on the stroll” – prostitutes, slowly walking along, or hanging out at bus stops as bus after bus rolls by.

“It’s not your imagination,” says Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Officer Rich Steinbronn who, along with Officer Michael Gallagher and a team of cops, is working a prostitution mission. “Prostitution has been steadily increasing – and with nice weather, it’s really taken off. Typically they really don’t like working in the rain. But if they’re forced to, they’ll work in any kind of weather.”

It isn’t necessarily the way these prostitutes wear their hair, dress, or are made up that makes them stand out as being different from female pedestrians – as we learn from Gallagher, as we watch the action on 82nd Avenue, while hidden in an undercover police vehicle. “Normally, women who walk along a street don’t keep looking around trying to make eye contact with passing cars,” he says.

After the undercover officer gives the signal, she walks away and the “custody team” of uniformed officers rush the man about to be charged with soliciting prostitution.

Prostitution reduces ‘quality of life’
As we wait for officers and decoys to get into position, the officers candidly admit they’ll never put an end to street prostitution. “Street prostitution ‘imports crime’ – it brings individuals into a neighborhood for the purpose of committing an illegal act,” Gallagher says.

“Unlike a ‘john’ (customer) who sets up a ‘date’ (sex-for-money meeting) from a CraigsList ad in a motel room or apartment,” Steinbronn adds, “these johns will drive the prostitute around the corner and into the neighborhoods alongside 82nd Avenue. They’ll do it in a church parking lot, in front of a school, just along a side street. They leave behind used condoms.”

Beyond negative impacts on neighborhoods, the officers say they’ve seen an alarming rise in the number young girls – as young as 14 years of age – being pressured into prostitution.

Instead of having the illicit sexual thrills he’d expected, this alleged john is getting another kind of excitement – being arrested, booked, and taken to jail. If his wife or girl friend is on the car title, she will have to be present when the car is released from seizure, and that might be a little exciting too.

Taking johns to jail
With all of the team in place, we watch as this “female decoy mission” or “john mission” swings back into action.

We watch a female Portland Police Officer, dressed in very ordinary, casual clothing – not a flashy, attention-getting costume – slowly walk up and down 82nd Avenue. Unlike some street prostitutes we’ve observed, these female undercover officers don’t shout, wave, or point at passing cars.

Within minutes, though, we see the driver of a car on 82nd Avenue slow down and make eye contact with the undercover officer. The driver turns in a side street and slowly drives past the undercover vehicle, and then turns into a restaurant parking lot. He motions for the officer to walk over to him.

It doesn’t take long for the john to propose a sex act for a specific amount of money. The undercover officer makes an innocuous gesture that signals the “Custody Team” of uniformed officers to swoop in and make the arrest.

Although another john tried to speed away after being busted by an undercover cop, the custody team closed in on him before he could escape the long arm of the law.

As fast as they can book them
“It’s amazing how many guys go cruising 82nd Avenue looking for a prostitute,” Steinbronn says. “We would arrest many more johns during each mission, except for the time it takes for our custody team to process and transport each of these alleged prostitution customers to the Justice Center, and book them into jail.”

Eager prostitutes don’t heed cops
We noticed two females, dressed in inappropriately short skirts and low-cut blouses, wearing a great deal of makeup, and strolling along in shoes with heels so high that most women would consider wearing them “cruel and unusual punishment”. A man, dressed in prototypical zoot suit attire, walks with them.

The group seems oblivious to the police cars roaring by with emergency lights flashing as another john gets busted.

Officer Gallagher says he recognizes the trio from past prostitution missions. He radios to a marked patrol car and asks officers to move them down the avenue so they can continue working their mission.

In all, their team arrested seven johns in one day, and eleven the next.

Asked why half of their missions are focused on arresting johns, Steinbronn explains, “Without the demand created by the johns, there wouldn’t be the supply of prostitutes working the street.”

The prostitution mission custody team swoops in to take another alleged prostitute into custody.

Picking up prostitutes
After two days of working ‘female decoy’ missions, the team switches to a ‘male decoy’ operation.

Here’s how it works: A male Portland Police Officer, driving an ordinary looking car, cruises along 82nd Avenue of Roses, and slows down for women who make eye contact or motion to them. “If the gal gets into the car, they usually make the deal for a sex act in exchange for money while they drive back into the neighborhood,” Gallagher tells us.

“The girls working along here know that we’re doing missions,” Steinbronn says. “Still, they’ll open a stranger’s car door and hop in. Sometimes they will ask the officer to expose himself, or ask him to touch them, to prove he’s not a cop, before they’re willing to make or accept the proposition. We don’t do that; if they insist, we have no choice but to let them go.”

But from our observation, there is no shortage of street-level prostitutes willing to gamble about being busted along the avenue. 13 prostitutes are arrested one day, another 12 the next – again, as rapidly as the custody team can book and transport them to jail.

From far north along 82nd Avenue, down to the Clackamas County line where this alleged prostitute is arrested, cops find no shortage of sex for sale on the street.

Crime of little consequence
Their missions are focused on curbing prostitution along 82nd Avenue this time, Steinbronn comments. “We found very few prostitutes working NE Sandy Boulevard, in the Parkrose area. They’ve really congregated along the length of 82nd Avenue, from Sandy south to Clackamas County.”

We ask the officers why they think prostitution along 82nd Avenue of Roses is flourishing.

Choosing their words carefully, the officers say that since certain Portland City ordinances were allowed to end, the number of prostitutes working has increased, because there is little consequence if they’re arrested.

“Let me illustrate it like this,” Steinbronn explains. “We arrested a gal yesterday. She was taken into custody and to jail. And, we arrested the same gal again today, still wearing the exact same clothes she had on yesterday.”

When a custody team officer asked why she was back out on the street again, hopping – unknowingly – into another undercover police car, Steinbronn says the cop reported she said, “I need to turn two tricks [sex acts] today. I don’t worry about you guys. I’ll be out [of jail] in a couple of hours.”

Prostitution-free Zones said to be successful
While reinstating Prostitution-free Zones won’t “cure” street-level prostitution, everyone with whom we’ve spoken in law enforcement says they were a good “tool” to reduce the prevalence of street-sex sales activity.

We’re told that since cities in the Seattle region have stepped up anti-prostitution enforcement and instituted ordinances, their rates of prostitution have dropped – and prostitutes themselves report that they’ve traveled south to work the Portland street, because the demand is high and the penalties are low.

Perhaps when the makeup of Portland’s city government changes in the new year, city leaders will once again revisit the Prostitution-free Zone ordinance. If they want to hear it, Portland’s own police officers will tell them that the zones really do help reduce the sex – openly for sale – on outer East Portland streets.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

The stove burner didn’t work, they said – but find how much damage this kitchen fire caused, when kitchen grease ignited …

Firefighters pull equipment off their truck. Because it occurred during the day – when the residents were awake, and in the house – tragedy was averted when a stove burner, thought to be out-of-commission, set this home’s kitchen on fire.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The alarm sounded at 1:04 p.m. on June 15 – and Portland Fire & Rescue’s Station 25 crew answered the call, and headed for a house in the 7800 block of SE 68th Avenue; they arrived in four minutes.

Even though we arrived on scene just minutes after the emergency dispatch hit the airwaves, firefighters had already extinguished the blaze, and were removing burnt debris from the house.

“When we arrived, we found a kitchen fire,” said Lt. Phil Loving, who was riding with Engine 25. “It got a bit out of control and into the cabinets. We had it extinguished quickly, but there was a lot of smoke damage.”

Said stove burners didn’t work
Lt. Allen Oswalt, fire department spokesman, reported the exact cause of the brief blaze that did $45,000 worth of damage to the home.

“The homeowner said that only two of the four burners on the electric stove worked – and he stored pots, with grease in them, on the non-working burners,” Oswalt reported. “The fire started in a pan left on the left rear burner that supposedly didn’t work. The stove was unattended.”

Although damage was limited to the kitchen area, smoke made the Inner Southeast home uninhabitable, and the destruction was estimated at $45,000.

Basic fire safety rules ignored
Oswalt said that, fortunately, no one was injured, and the fire damage was limited.

“Two of the most important rules of preventing a house fire were ignored in this incident: Never leave anything unattended on the stove, and always make sure you have a working smoke detector,” warned Oswalt.

Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires across the country, he added. “And, we’ve all heard of the tragedies that happen every year – people dying needlessly in house fires. In this instance, what if the fire had occurred while the occupant was sleeping? With no working smoke alarm, the outcome could have been deadly!”

It’s a wrap! Firefighters pick up their hoses after putting out the kitchen fire.

Cheap and easy protection
Smoke alarms are cheap and easy to test, the bureau spokesman went on. “If you don’t have one, there is a smoke detector hotline (503) 823-3752: If you qualify, PF&R will provide one and install it. How easy is that?”

He added that for renters, the landlord is required by law to provide a working smoke alarm at the time of lease signing. It is the renter’s task to test it and make sure it works, however.

“Fire safety is your responsibility,” Oswalt concluded. “Don’t let you or your loved ones become a statistic!”

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

A couple of weeks ago, you heard about the suspected crook that cops chased away from the 82nd Ave. MAX station – now learn the REST of the story …

Police closed off this street along which the suspected MAX station drug dealer ran, after he dodged through the Elmer’s Restaurant parking lot. He gave the cops the slip not once, but twice!

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
While their efforts often don’t make headlines or the evening news, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers – from the precincts, and those specifically assigned to TriMet – wage a daily battle against crime along the steel-railed highway called MAX Light Rail.

It’s so easy for thugs and drug pushers to hop on and off the MAX trains. But many of the stations, like the MAX stop at NE 82nd Avenue of Roses, are difficult to police. It is set down, away from street, accessible only by stairs and an elevator.

About 6:30 p.m. on May 14, PPB Transit Division officers spotted a familiar-looking character, and kept an eye on him.

“Officers developed probable cause to arrest an individual,” police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz told us that evening. “It looked to them like he was engaging in drug trafficking activity.”

When officers started closing in on him, the suspect dashed off, and a foot pursuit began. “They try to catch the guy as he ran into the through Elmer’s Restaurant parking lot; then into the [nearby neighborhood] blocks west of 82nd Ave.,” confirmed Schmautz.

Searching the blocks west of NE 82nd Avenue of Roses near NE Multnomah Street, the police came close to nabbing the suspected drug-dealing runner; but he slipped away.

Tries to hide in the neighborhood

A search by officers – and a K-9 unit – couldn’t locate the suspect in the area where they thought he might be hiding.

“Then, a citizen in one of the homes within the perimeter realized there was a stranger in his house, and confronted the suspect,” Schmautz told us as the situation was unfolding that evening. “It startled the suspect as much as the neighbor – and the suspect took off again, heading westbound.”

Police dogs were soon hot on the suspect’s trail; the chase led to a home on NE 78th Avenue.

With the potential for a hostage situation on their hands, the SERT unit is activated, and takes a position near the home where they think the suspect may be holed up.

SERT unit activated
“We had information from neighbors that there was someone home,” Schmautz said. “We didn’t want to take any chances, in case this turned into a potential hostage situation; the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) was activated.”

After a couple of tense hours of waiting, police learned that the suspect had again fled; the SERT officers disbanded.

Police get their man
“Officers knew the man they were chasing as 35-year-old Detrick Griggs,” Schmautz said. “Our bureau’s Drug & Vice Division (DVD) officers helped track him down.”

Police say this man, Detrick Griggs, was the suspect who ran – but, from our cops, he couldn’t hide for long.

Two days later, on May 16, they located Griggs. “Again, he ran from officers and there was a little foot pursuit with him. A K-9 police dog persuaded him to give up,” added Schmautz. “He was taken into custody on the 4800 block of N. Williams Avenue.”

Griggs probably won’t be riding the rails soon; records show he was arrested for Trespass, Escape, Failure to Appear, Resisting Arrest – and he also had an outstanding warrant. In addition, he had failed to register as a sex offender.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Vehicle drivers are responsible for avoiding pedestrians. But sometimes – like in this case – pedestrians can’t be avoided; the results are tragic …

SE Powell Blvd., just west of SE 136th Ave., was shut down for hours while investigators process the scene where a pedestrian was struck and fatally injured by a car.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
What happened at 8:21 p.m. on May 15 was clear: a Cadillac, traveling east on SE Powell Blvd. near SE 136th Ave., struck a pedestrian with such force, it threw the victim about 60 feet.

“I don’t know why he just ran out into the street,” said Megan Davis who claimed to have witnessed the accident. “I don’t think the driver had time to do anything. I think he (the victim) just came out of the Double Dribble [Tavern].”

The victim was thrown about 60 feet after being struck by an oncoming car. On the left hand side of the photo, you can make out the victim’s hat; his shoes ended up next to the stopped white Cadillac.

Officers at the scene told us that the victim was still alive when medical attention arrived, but confided, “He didn’t look good.”

To get official information about this incident, we turned to Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz who said, “An intoxicated 49-year-old man ran into the path of the Cadillac. The pedestrian was transported to OHSU and died while receiving medical attention.”

No citations have been issued, Schmautz added.

An investigation by the Portland Police Bureau’s Fatal Accident Team concluded the victim ran into traffic, the driver that struck him was not ticketed or arrested.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

We don’t know why the FBI asked Portland’s cops to serve a search and arrest warrant on the Powellhurst-Gilbert man. For whatever reason, this wanted man would not be taken alive …

For the third time this week, the Portland Police Bureau’s Mobile Precinct was out on a mission – this time parked a block from Gilbert Heights Elementary School at 12839 SE Holgate Blvd. – as police investigate a FBI warrant service that ended in the death of the wanted man.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Perhaps we’ll never know why the Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) Gang Unit was out serving a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) search and arrest warrant in Powellhurst-Gilbert, just a block away from Gilbert Heights Elementary School.

“Due to the nature of the investigation, a federal judge has sealed much of the information in this case,” said FBI spokesperson Beth Anne Steele.

What we do know, is that just before 6:00 a.m., the Gang Unit rolled up to a fenced yard at 12612 SE Holgate Blvd.

Police say they were trying to serve a FBI warrant on this man, 43-year-old Derek J. Coady, when the confrontation turned deadly.

“While clearing (searching) an outbuilding on the property, officers encountered the suspect, wanted in connection with the warrant, 43-year-old Derek J. Coady,” PPB spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz reported. “Coady was armed with a handgun.”

For hours, outer SE Holgate Blvd. was closed and Gilbert Heights Elementary School was in lockdown while the SERT team moved in and detectives processed the scene.

Wanted man refuses to surrender
Officers attempted to talk to Coady, Schmautz continued, and told him to put down his gun.

Instead of complying, Coady began playing hide-and-seek, ducking behind a vehicle parked on the property.

“This which would have provided him with a vantage point to possibly shoot at officers” said Schmautz. “An police officer discharged at least one round from his firearm. A short time later, officers heard a gunshot from the area where Coady was hiding.”

Not taking any chances, the bureau’s Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) was activated. They cautiously moved up to the wanted man’s last known position, and discovered Coady, deceased, Schmautz went on.

Because a federal judge “sealed” information in this case – we may never know what prompted this arrest.

Wound self-inflicted
While some media outlets speculated that police officers shot Coady, the Multnomah County Medical Examiner concluded that Coady died of a single gunshot wound to the head.

“The death has been ruled a suicide,” confirmed Schmautz. “Coady was not hit by the officer’s bullet(s).

This investigation is continuing.

Detectives and SERT members looked weary due to the many call-outs this week.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News