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Last Friday, 46-year-old Robert Douglas Delgado was shot and killed by Portland police. Delgado reportedly had a history of mental illness and was camping on the streets of Portland. The shooting occurred in the Lents neighborhood, where the city recently launched a program that dispatches social workers and paramedics, rather than police, for non-emergency calls. Just days before Delgado’s death, WW reported that the crisis team, Portland Street Response, was responding to an average of only two calls per day, partly because it wasn’t being sent many by dispatchers (“Two by Two,” April 14, 2021). Here’s what our readers had to say:
@AidenKoll, via Twitter: “Wow, maybe if they were being better supported by dispatchers and calls were being routed to them A MAN WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN SHOT IN LENTS PARK THIS MORNING.”
Rick Baumann, via Facebook: “Sounds like the system designed to help those with mental health issues failed this poor man…”
Casey, via wweek.com: “I realize these are just first steps, but if they’re only going to operate Monday-Friday, 10 am-6 pm, it’s hard to figure this program will be all that useful. It’s basically the exact opposite of the hours they should be keeping.”
Christopher L Neville via wweek.com: “While I think this team is a good idea, the implementation shows a disconnect typical in governmental thinking. Instead of starting up the team with initial funding and then shifting Portland Police Bureau money to it once it is running, the money is cut from PPB and then the team is started up. This creates a response ‘hole’ which the public absorbs.”
D00fus, via wweek.com: “CAHOOTS Team: ‘We’re starting slowly on purpose.’ Hardesty: ‘We’re starting slowly on purpose.’ Dispatchers: ‘There are strict criteria in place to make sure the program starts slowly.’ WWeek: ‘The police union is strangling this program!!!’”
Iris Hockett, via Facebook: “We WANT this to work!!! Can the public contact without going to that switchboard? Does 211 exist yet?”
Jessica Evert, via Facebook: “Let’s make this clear. Don’t send armed or unarmed park rangers or law enforcement to the park without a mental health specialist to help talk to someone who appears mentally ill.”
Charli Peabody, via Facebook: “He was having a mental crisis. As someone who also has been in and out of the system, these people need help. There are a lot of resources in Portland, but they are not accessible enough. He did not have to be murdered! It was murder.”
Michelle Loberg, via Facebook: “Again. Why aren’t they using the crisis team!? Why why why why!?”
LEtters to the editor must include the author’s street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words. Submit to: 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210. Email: mzusman@wweek.com