BAGDAD THEATER UNDERGOES BIG PortlandTribune REMODEL See Life, B1 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013 • TWICE CHOSEN THE NATION’S BEST NONDAILY PAPER • WWW.PORTLANDTRIBUNE.COM • PUBLISHED THURSDAY Activists ■ Murders are down in Portland, but few can pinpoint the reason target Portland homicides Year Homicides Portland population Intel’s 1985 43 367,571 1986 46 368,439 1987 66 390,845 permit 1988 45 387,659 1989 38 425,788 Should the DEQ 1990 33 437,319 force the chip giant to 1991 53 449,671 shut down emissions? 1992 46 458,132 1993 58 454,889 By JIM REDDEN 1994 50 463,072 The Tribune 1995 43 458,623 1996 51 467,906 For months, regional gov- ernment leaders and busi- 1997 46 473,696 ness boosters have cheered 1998 26 488,813 construction of the two 1999 35 508,984 large manufacturing facili- ties at Intel’s Ronler Acres 2000 19 529,121 Campus in Hillsboro. 2001 21 537,081 Now, however, there’s a 2002 20 544,604 growing push to slow the 2003 27 545,271 “I would project and re- 2004 29 543,838 rather shut quire Oregon’s 2005 20 540,389 largest private 2006 20 542,174 them down employer to than allow install addi- 2007 22 538,133 tional emis- 2008 26 553,023 them to sion control 2009 19 560,908 operate as equipment, regardless of 2010 22 583,776 planned.” the cost. 2011 20 589,991 About three out of four homicides are the result of an argument between acquaintances that escalates. Police tactics to reduce — Dale Feik “I would 2012 20 598,037 rather shut homicides involves keeping apart people who might get into confl icts in the fi rst place. In Portland, that means patrolling inside and them down outside Jefferson High School during football games. Here, Portland Police Gang Enforcement Offi cers Jim DeFrain, Charlie Asheim 2013 10 than allow them to operate as and Sgt. Don Livingston watch for gang members in the milling crowd inside Jefferson’s stadium. Source: U.S. Census and FBI crime reports planned,” says Dale Feik, a re- tired teacher helping to lead a grassroots campaign to pre- gt. Rich Austria remembers the begin- vent the Oregon Department ning, and the end. of Environmental Quality from The happy drought of Portland ho- issuing the discharge permit Smicides began the day after Indepen- Intel needs to operate. dence Day, the day after 33-year-old Northeast Feik is chairman of the Portland resident Duane Bailey died of stab The Rose City’s Clean Air Committee of the wounds. It ended 94 days later when Donte Al- Washington County Citizen wakeel Young of North Portland, also 33, died Action Network, a nonprofit after being shot in the head. Previously, the coalition of environmental, so- longest period Portland had cial justice and economic ever gone without a murder equality advocacy organiza- Story by was 71 days. homicide drought tions. He has used that posi- Peter Korn Summer usually brings tion to help rally public opposi- homicide detectives such as tion to the permit being issued, Photos by Austria an increased work- cide rate on a per capita basis has been among arguing that Intel actually load as gang activity heats the nation’s lowest for years. And though aca- needs to obtain a much stricter Jaime Valdez up. Portland police respond- demic criminologists offer a host of data-driv- one from the U.S Environmen- ed to plenty of violent gang en theories that they say correlate a variety of tal Protection Agency. incidents this summer, but policies and demographics with murder rates, WCCAN is led by Linda Pe- after July 4, no homicides. none appear to fully explain why in Portland ters, a former Washington “We’re baffl ed at this,” Austria says. murder rarely occurs. County commissioner and for- It isn’t just the summer that is baffl ing to “Almost every major city in the U.S., you can mer chairwoman of the board those who track violent crime in Portland. locate the areas of the city that have high mur- of commissioners. Participat- With two months to go, Portland is on track der rates by fi nding the neighborhoods that ing groups include the Oregon for a record low annual number of homicides. are impoverished,” says criminologist Jack League of Conservation Vot- In 1987, a record high 66 Portlanders were ho- Levin, who teaches courses on the sociology of ers, 1000 Friends of Oregon, micide victims. Ten people have been homi- violence at Northeastern University in Boston. Fair Boosters, Fans of Fanno cide victims so far this year. In Chicago or De- Cities with high rates of poverty have high- TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO: L.E. BASKOW Creek and Neighbors for troit, 10 people may be murdered in a week. er murder rates, Levin says. A Portland police offi cer gather evidence after a 2002 homicide in Smart Growth in Cedar Mill. Homicide rates have plummeted nationally downtown. The city has seen a drop in the number of homicides in To press her case, on Oct. 22 since the mid-1990s. Even so, Portland’s homi- See MURDER / Page 2 the past few months, and is on a record pace for fewest homicides. Peters presented a letter de- tailing her concerns about In- tel to Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley. In her letter, Peters ex- plained that while serving on the Washington County board in the 1990s, she approved us- ing Oregon’s new Strategic In- Novick’s safety valve vestment Program to encour- age Intel’s expansion into the Sunset Corridor, believing In- tel’s “good neighbor” promise — something she no longer idea is a gas, gas, gas believes. “Industrial employers locat- an earthquake, as city Com- Novick says, and it could save ed near residential and public Preventing fi res after missioner Steve Novick and their home from catching fi re. spaces must keep their air his fi ancée did after purchas- In the devastating 1906 quake emissions suffi ciently free of quakes is the focus of ing their Multnomah Village in San Francisco, “there was toxins and hazardous pollut- proposed requirement home a year ago. more damage done by fi res after ants to protect humans, pets, But Novick got another idea the earthquake than from the nearby farms, wildlife, water while talking to his seismic ret- earthquake itself,” Novick says. quality, and — ironically By STEVE LAW rofi t contractor in August. Why A report issued on the centen- enough — the existing econo- The Tribune not get more homeowners to in- nial of the earthquake found my,” Peters wrote. “Who stall valves that automatically there were more than 30 fi res wants to live, work or shop TRIBUNE PHOTO: JONATHAN HOUSE Not every Portland family cut off the natural gas fl ow dur- caused by ruptured natural gas Nick Perez of Earthquake Tech holds a “California valve,” which can plunk down $4,000 to ing an earthquake? See INTEL / Page 5 automatically stops the fl ow of natural gas during earthquakes. make their home safer during “It’s about a $325 item,” See VALVE / Page 10
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HOURLY gift card prizes 449439.103013 A2 NEWS The Portland Tribune Thursday, October 31, 2013 Murder: More victims survive shootings ■ From page 1 Debate puts mandatory arrests Levin says 90 percent of the murders in Boston take place for domestic violence in spotlight in three low-income neighbor- Historically, about one large-scale studies in Milwau- hoods. He did a comparison in fi ve Portland homicides kee, Wis., and Kansas City, study between Boston and St. has resulted from domes- Mo., that showed when police Louis, two cities similar in size. tic violence. Last year, sev- jailed domestic violence of- Boston had a murder rate of 11 en Portlanders died from fenders — even for just a few per 100,000 residents, St. Louis’ domestic violence. In 2011 days — their victims were less rate was 46 per 100,000. Boston there were three domestic likely to become homicide vic- had 23 percent of its citizens violence deaths, in 2010 tims. living below the poverty level there were six, in 2009 But in recent years, Sher- while St. Louis had 30 percent. there were fi ve and in 2008 man has begun to revise some Another determining factor there were four. of his earlier fi ndings. Now, he in homicides, according to But exactly how police says, mandatory arrest laws Levin, is immigration — the should respond to domestic can lead to more homicides. In more foreign-born residents a violence calls is a controver- cases of minor assault, a bat- city has, the less likely it is to sial matter among tered woman might be safer if see murders. criminologists. the man is not arrested, he That theory worked in Nearly all domestic vio- says. If the man has a steady Levin’s Boston/St. Louis com- lence homicides occur after job, arresting him for serious parison. Boston had many few- previous police calls to the assault is a good idea. But if he er homicides and 26 percent of same home. Portland has is unemployed, the arrest its residents were foreign-born made a concerted effort to could double the chances of immigrants. St. Louis had more TRIBUNE PHOTO: JAIME VALDEZ stem domestic violence with a future domestic violence. homicides and only 7 percent of Portland Police Gang Enforcement Offi cers Jim DeFrain, Charlie Asheim and John Billard wait for the three-pronged program. The Also, national data shows its residents were immigrants. Benson-Jefferson high school football game to come to an end at Jefferson High School. After the game is city’s domestic violence re- that since mandatory arrest “It’s a self-selection issue,” when violence, including shootings, can break out. sponse advocate program al- laws have been implemented, says Charis Kubrin, a Univer- lows police to bring social a greater percentage of wom- sity of California, Irvine crimi- Policing, on the other hand, is workers to domestic violence en have been killed by their nologist who studies the immi- 2012 Portland murder statistics: something cities control. scenes to help survivors con- domestic partners, but domes- gration/homicide connection. Franklin Zimring, a University nect with resources, including tic homicides of men has de- “The people who come to this Experts say high levels of poverty correlate with more murders, and of California, Berkeley law pro- shelter options. The Gateway creased. Levin says that might country are highly motivated. high rates of immigrants correlate with fewer murders. But fessor and author of “The City Center for Domestic Violence be a result of some battered They’re here for one reason, Portland’s low homicide rate — with the city’s moderate poverty rate That Became Safe: New York’s Services in Northeast Port- women feeling they have usually to send money back to and low immigration rate — defi es explanation. Lessons for Urban Crime and land was opened in 2010 to more options than simply kill- their families.” Its Control,” says 20 years ago serve as an all-in-one resource ing their husbands or part- That means the last thing Murders Murders/ Poverty rate Immigrant rate he thought police exerted little where survivors of domestic ners. Sherman now says man- new immigrants want is to get 100,000 (percent) (percent) effect on homicide rates. Not violence can get help ranging datory arrest laws are a mis- mixed up with police, Kubrin Portland (20) 3.3 17.7 13.7 anymore. from counseling to legal assis- take. says, even though many are Seattle (23) 3.6 13.6 18.6 “What we have been learn- tance for restraining orders. Oregon law still allows po- poor. Kubrin says data shows ing over the last two decades is But a third piece of local do- lice discretion in cases where that disrupted households, or Austin (31) 3.7 20.3 18.1 that police can make a dent and mestic violence policy in- domestic violence isn’t severe, broken homes, correlate with Sacramento (34) 7.1 23.4 21.9 it can be relatively signifi cant,” volves state law, which re- says Sgt. Ron Mason, part of higher rates of crime and immi- San Francisco (69) 8.4 15.0 35.9 Zimring says. quires police to arrest a do- the Portland police Domestic grant families have lower than Minneapolis (39) 9.9 22.7 14.6 About seven in 10 murder mestic violent offender if they Violence Enhanced Response average rates of broken homes. victims nationally are killed by see reason to believe a serious Team. And the law serves a Oklahoma City (85) 14.2 19.7 12.0 an acquaintance. Most of those assault has occurred. Typi- critical purpose, he believes. Rose City is an ‘outlier’ Oakland (127) 21.2 22.0 27.1 murders were not pre-meditat- cally, in such cases the offend- “The good thing abut man- So if Levin and Kubrin are ed, but instead involved an er will spend at least a night datory arrest is it takes it out right, Portland’s low homicide escalating argument. Police or two in jail. of the hands of victims at the rate might be connected to a can’t anticipate an argument Nationally, much of the evi- time of crisis,” Mason says. low level of poverty and a high 2012 murders in other cities: to be there to stop the escala- dence that led to mandatory “It’s not making them the bad rate of foreign-born residents. Murders Murders/ tion, so for years, Zimring says, arrest statutes came from guy who is sending their boy- But a 2012 snapshot is less than 100,000 he believed police could only Lawrence Sherman, director friend or girlfriend to jail. It’s defi nitive (see chart at right). New York 419 5.0 react once a homicide was of the Institute of Criminology the police standing up for the Seattle has less poverty than committed. of the University of Cam- community, saying, ‘We’re Portland and a higher murder Denver 39 6.2 But studies show that those bridge in England. In the not going to accept this.’ ” rate. So does San Francisco. Indianapolis 97 11.5 escalating arguments are not 1980s, Sherman conducted — Peter Korn Five other cities chosen for Chicago 500 18.4 completely random. “It keeps comparison have higher mur- New Orleans 193 53.1 happening, the same night and der rates and higher poverty close to the liquor store, in hot Detroit 386 54.5 rates. spots or open-air drug markets,” Albina Avenue. When Portland Gangs play a big part Portland has a relatively low Source: U.S. Census and FBI crime reports Zimring says. “It has extremely police track homicides by quar- Nationally, about seven of 10 immigration rate — just 13.7 predictable geography.” ter-mile areas, they fi nd three homicides in large cities are percent of its residents are there have been six, and in 2010 Maybe Portland’s weirdness At outdoor drug markets like spots stand out with more than gang-related. Kubrin studied foreign born. Six of seven cit- there were seven. extends to its criminals. At Old Town’s Crack Alley, 13 each. Two were in the Old neighborhoods in St. Louis that ies used in the comparison The problem with studying the very least, with about 20 Zimring explains, drug dealers Town/Downtown area. The featured huge numbers of gang have more immigrants and homicides, Kubrin says, is that homicides a year, and only 10 might fi ght with one another third was right near Jefferson killings, and discovered “there more murders. Only Oklaho- so many factors can have an ef- this year, Portland defi es analy- for street corners. Simply High School, the Killingsworth was a complete breakdown in ma City has fewer immigrants fect, and the numbers are so sis, according to Kubrin. breaking up the hot spot and corner. police/community relations.” per capita than Portland, and low that small effects can ap- “When you’re studying things forcing dealers to sell at differ- In the past year, police and “You get this neverending it has about four times as pear outsized. For example, she nationally, you tend not to care ent places, even their own other city agencies have con- cycle of tit-for-tat among mem- many murders. says, there is data correlating about outliers like Portland,” apartments, reduces the centrated on making that area bers of these communities with Some Portland police believe more segregation in a city with she says. “Portland does not chance that two dealers will get less inviting to gang members police standing on the sideline, that many of Portland’s worst higher murder rates. Other represent what’s going on into an argument that esca- and dealers. Portland police helpless,” Kubrin says. criminals are being gentrifi ed studies have connected pro- nationally.” lates into homicide, Zimring are even visible at Jefferson That is precisely what Port- out of the city and moving to gressive programs re-integrat- says. High School football games — land police have battled in try- Gresham and east Multnomah ing felons back into society Problem-oriented policing Portland’s anti-hot spot another place where argu- ing to prevent gang murders. County. Is there data to prove with lower rates of violence. It Poverty and immigration strategy is called problem-ori- ments have turned into fi ghts During the last 12 years, gang that? It’s inconclusive. In 2012, is nearly impossible to parse rates may affect homicide num- ented policing, and its best ex- and in at least one case, a post- killings in Portland have Gresham had four homicides, out all the contributing factors bers, but short term there isn’t ample involves the corner of game shooting. in 2011 it had one. This year in each city. much a city can do about them. North Killingsworth Street and See CRIME / Page 3
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Lake Road [email protected] Portland, OR 97222 ©2013 Portland Tribune The Portland Tribune Thursday, October 31, 2013 NEWS A3 Crime: This warrants Gangs Gang shootings investigation are up this still play year in Portland, but gang killings obody mentioned lower-income people, however. are down. the elephant in the Here, room until city Com- Bridge hearings sooner a big role Enforcement Nmissioner Steve rather than later? Offi cers John Novick took the mic at last ■ From page 2 Chris Burley Friday’s weekly City Club The 24-member legislative and Sgt. Don lunch forum. committee recently appointed Livingston check The forum, about the future to study the revised Columbia remained remarkably consis- a suspicious of investigative reporting, River Crossing is stacked with tent — there were 25 in the six vehicle in was provocatively titled, “Is those who voted for the origi- years from 2001 to 2006 and the Northeast Less News Bad News for Ore- nal version last session, includ- same number in the six years gon?” One of the panel- ing all four co-chairs. No Portland. since. Which means gang-re- ists was Oregonian dates have been set lated killings are a smaller per- TRIBUNE PHOTO: columnist Steve for the hearings, but JAIME VALDEZ centage of overall homicides Duin. But no- Oregon Gov. when comparing Portland to “It’s the hospitals,” Nakamura put an assaulted member of nation. Traditionally, Handel body men- John Kitzhaber other major cities, but are be- says. their gang into a car and drive says, cocaine addicts had high tioned the says they coming an increasingly larger Nakamura says he and fel- straight to the nearest hospital. rates of gunshot injuries. newspaper’s re- should be held percentage year to year as the low offi cers are seeing gang- It could be making a differ- Portland has a thriving drug cent home deliv- before he calls homicide rate drops. sters who are shooting and ence, says Dr. Daniel Handel, scene, but opiates dominate ery cutbacks until the Legislature into But gang homicide data can stabbing victims, who a few director of clinical operations here. As detailed in a Tribune Novick asked if they special session to recon- easily be skewed, years ago would for the Emergency Department series last year, Oregon has were “a sign the nation is sider the project. says Sgt. Greg have died, being at Oregon Health & Science more youth painkiller abuse coming apart and going to Although Senate President Stewart of the “Portland does taken to hospitals University. OHSU and Legacy per capita than any other state hell in a handbasket?” Peter Courtney wants law- Portland Police and surviving. Emanuel Medical Center are and many of those painkiller Duin took offense at the makers to wait until the Bureau Crime not represent Homicide Sgt. both Level-1 trauma centers in addicts turn to heroin. Painkill- question, saying a bet- next regular session, Analysis Unit. what’s going on Austria says he the heart of the city. Treatment ers and heroin are sedatives. ter sign of the nation House Speaker Tina The more thor- sees ambulances at a Level-1 Center, according “If people are sleepy they’re coming apart was Kotek is still consid- oughly police in- nationally.” getting to trauma to one study, increases a seri- less likely to go out and stab the unwillingness of ered a strong sup- vestigate a homi- — Charis Kubrin, victims quicker. ously injured patient’s chance and shoot each other,” Handel council members to porter. And since cide, the more University of California, One reason, he of survival by 20 to 25 percent. says. answer questions the Oregon portion likely they are to Irvine says, might be that There are only about 200 Lev- Nakamura has two other ex- from reporters. The of the project is in discover it was street officers el-1 centers in the United planations for the low Portland other two panelists, her district, she may gang-related. might be arriving States and Portland has two. In homicide rate: “Divine inter- Willamette Week re- NOVICK carry more weight Some Portland gang activity at crime scenes sooner and addition, Handel says, Portland vention or pure luck.” Last porter Nigel Jaquiss than Courtney (who has moved to Gresham and calling for ambulances more is a compact city, which can cut year, through the third week of and Oregon Public lives in North Salem) east Multnomah County, says quickly. precious minutes off transport October, 13 people were shot in Broadcasting Director of News about the timing of the Legis- Portland Police Gang Enforce- Stewart says national data times. gang-related circumstances, he and Public Affairs Editor Eve lature’s decision. ment Team Lt. Art Nakamura. shows that 85 percent of hand- says. This year through the Epstein, politely demurred. But even in Portland, he points gun wounds are survivable, Pure luck? same period there have been 24 Real estate sales out, gang violence has steadily and the key to survival is get- Handel has another theory such shootings. Yet shooting Website could use don’t include tents increased. Nakamura offers a ting victims to Level-1 trauma that might help explain Port- deaths are down. some life support theory that is gaining traction centers as quickly as possible. land’s low homicide rate. The “A millimeter to the left, a Prominent real estate broker among police offi cers as a par- Nakamura says that in recent surge in national homicides millimeter to the right, it could Despite spending about $96 Clayton Hering is well known tial explanation for Portland’s years, even the gangsters have during the 1980 and 1990s is be the difference between a fa- million to build and advertise for criticizing City Hall on low homicide rate: superior caught on. Rather than waiting partially attributed to the co- tal shot and a non-fatal shot,” the Oregon health exchange downtown livability issues. He medical care. for an ambulance, many now caine epidemic that swept the Nakamura says. website, it is one of the worst did it against last Thursday performing in the country, ac- when speaking about the com- cording to a story in the Sun- mercial real estate market be- day, Oct. 27, issue of The New fore the Westside Economic Al- York Times. liance in Tigard. According to a chart ac- After praising Washington New effort muddies water ballot choices companying the story, the County elected and business Cover Oregon website is one leaders for encouraging job Organic farmer Robert Jo- litical experience and will rely reau of Environmental Servic- of only four state websites growth, Hering said: “It’s nice to Second initiative nah Majure fi led Monday a pro- on volunteers to gather the sig- es on the May 2014 ballot. If that have not enrolled a sin- be talking about revitalizing the could put city’s system spective initiative petition with natures to place the measure both measures are approved, gle person. The other three economy and not moving tents. the city auditor’s office that on the ballot. The auditor’s of- the new board would have to states are California, Hawaii Moving tents doesn’t revitalize in a ‘public trust’ would place the city’s water fi ce has until the beginning of operate under the stipulations and Massachusetts. And nei- the economy.” system in a People’s Water next week to determine the of the trust. If the original mea- ther have the Obamacare Hering, with Norris, Beggs & By JIM REDDEN Trust. It would amend the measure’s constitutionality. If sure fails but the trust measure websites operated by the fed- Simpson, was referring to the The Tribune city charter to require greater the measure passes muster, it passes, the stipulations would eral government in 36 states. ongoing controversy over relo- accountability in bureau will be referred to the city at- apply to the City Council. News reports indicate the cating the Right 2 Dream Too Portlanders may have a decisions. torney’s offi ce for a ballot title. The trust measure does not Cover Oregon website cost homeless camp. The other two chance to vote on two ballot Supporters must gather Meanwhile, paid petition cir- apply to the environmental ser- around $79 million to build panelists smiled but didn’t measures related to the Wa- nearly 30,000 valid Portland culators are still gathering sig- vices offi ce, which operates the and nearly $17 million to ad- comment on the remark. They ter Bureau next year — one voter signatures to place it on natures to place a measure cre- city sewer system and oversees vertise. The state has fast- were Scott Weigel of CBRE and in the primary and one in the November 2014 ballot. ating an elected board to man- its stormwater management tracked the old-fashioned Brad Fletcher of Newmark the general election. Majure has no previous po- age the Water Bureau and Bu- programs. paper applications of 62,000 Grubb Knight Frank. Spooky Savings At A-Boy!
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