Policy Agenda

Public Safety and Parks

Make Portland safe for everyone

The Chamber urges the city and county to invest in building Portland’s police force and district attorney’s staff to meet the national average for communities of our size, along with investments in 311 and Portland Street Response.

We reject the false trade-off between having a larger police force and a better, more equitable police culture. Portlanders want and should have both.

Public Safety and Parks Policy Priorities

Prioritize access to public spaces for all residents and visitors

Prioritize maintenance, safety, and cleanliness of Portland Parks & Recreation assets until a more sustainable funding model is developed.
Increase funding and coordination with the City of Portland for park rangers to promote and enhance safety in all Portland parks.
Adopt and enforce positive activation in public spaces, specifically food-cart pods and permitted events in parks.
Advocate for Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Parks & Recreation to accelerate construction, demolition, and other efforts to reopen O’Bryant Square in Downtown Portland.

Ensure safety improvements are done in a timely manner

Support Unreinforced Masonry retrofit investment with technical and financial assistance. Seismic policy should be forwardlooking when implemented and not trigger upgrades retroactively.
Prioritize seismic upgrades along Oregon Department of Transportation thruways and bridges.
Support seismic upgrades for fuel terminals and the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub.

Maintain and create healthy and safe spaces that allow people to thrive

Restore past cuts and increase funding to the Multnomah County District Attorney office and community corrections.
Increase funding for Portland Police Bureau staffing, including increased walking-beat assignments in Downtown Portland.
Support investments in technology for the most efficient use and deployment of Portland police officers and resources to maintain public safety.
Oppose arbitrary bans on technology, especially those offering benefit to public safety and accountability. Ensure technology is used for the good of the community. Avoid duplication and misalignment with potential changes to state law when looking at technology regulations.
Advocate for partnerships between the public and private sectors to establish best practices for the collection and sharing of data by public agencies, specifically balancing public interest with public benefit.

Download Priorities (PDF)