City Hall: Mayor Issues Draft Plan on Joint Terrorism Task Force

By BETH SLOVIC

Pioneer Courthouse Square

Two weeks after federal law enforcement officials said they foiled a terrorist attack in downtown Portland, Mayor Sam Adams has responded to calls for re-evaluating Portland’s relationship with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. In 2005, the City of Portland withdrew from the task force, and Adams, then a city commissioner, supported that move.

His 2010 plan, released this afternoon, is mostly a list of questions plus a time-line for responding to those questions, which sound like they belong on a “Coffee Talk” spin-off for policy wonks. Among them: “From 2005-present, have there been both failures and accomplishments in Oregon’s efforts to address criminal acts of terrorism? Describe.” Also: “How have other state and local governments interacted with a JTTF and what have been their experiences? Have any changed their membership status since 2005?”

In the wake of the failed bomb plot at Pioneer Courthouse Square on Nov. 26, Commissioner Dan Saltzman, the only city commissioner in 2005 to vote against withdrawing, had pushed his colleagues on the council to vote Dec. 8 to return to the JTTF. Adams preferred a longer process. According to his plan, council won’t hold a public hearing on the topic until Feb. 24. Meantime, the mayor is accepting public comment on the initial draft until Dec. 17.

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