Here’s why neighbors from all over outer East Portland came to the Portland Police Bureau East Precinct facility to ‘celebrate’ their law enforcement officers, recently …
In front of the boarded up, and once battered, Portland Police Bureau East Precinct building, neighbors from Lents, Mill Park, Powellhurst-Gilbert, Hazelwood, and Woodstock, gather to show officers their support.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Many people from the community arrived to show their support for the Portland Police Bureau at their East Precinct location, on SE 106th Avenue across from Floyd Light Middle School, on Saturday afternoon, April 17.
Those at this demonstration of support agreed that this gathering was been planned for weeks before the shooting incident in Lents Park on the previous morning.
About a dozen neighbors held signs, placards, and flags, smiling and waving to officers as they came back from their day patrol, or coming to work the evening shift in outer East Portland.
“It’s important to let our officers, as well as those passing by today, know that many of us do support our cops,” Neola Larsen says.
“I lived here in the Mill Park neighborhood – walking distance from where we’re standing – for 42 years,” said Craig Rogers. “This is been a wonderful, safe neighborhood for many, many years; but then, over the last ten years, things have gradually gone downhill.
“My priority four our community is public safety,” Rogers told East Portland News. “In pursuing public safety, quite frankly, I’ve learned a lot – mostly, that City of Portland elected officials aren’t ‘walking away’ from improving public safety – they’re running away from the issue!”
Heading out on evening shift patrol, this East Precinct officer waves back to supporters.
“Hopefully what comes from our being out here today will stimulate some kind of positive public response, and perhaps [create some] leverage with elected officials,” Rogers commented. “If people see you when you come out and exercise your freedom of speech, you can make a difference in your community.”
© 2021 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™