Proposal to make Portland Street Response its own standalone unit moves forward
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The Portland City Council's just passed a resolution to make its own standalone unit.
It now sets the stage for a bigger debate on the future of crisis response across the Rose City.
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Care, not cuffs — that's the mission of Portland Street Response.
Formed in 2021, Kaia Sand helped launch the initial pilot program as a compassionate alternative for non-violent emergency calls, including mental and behavioral issues.
'These are the street crises that need, you know, an immediate calming, skilled person to come out and deescalate the situation,' Sand said.
Sand is now pushing the community and public safety committee to make PSR its own 24/7 first responder branch, alongside police and fire.
The changes also include a new committee for community oversight, plus full staffing and multilingual support.
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Not all committee members were supportive of the idea, with District 1 Councilor Loretta Smith citing a city budget that is stretched thin.
'We are right now in deficit so I am trying to figure out how do we manage that?' Smith said.
The City of Portland currently faces a $93 million shortfall.
Since June 2023, a Portland State University study shows the street team handled more than 7,000 calls, with no injuries, only 1 arrest with Portland police and over 40% of people helped on-site with no hospital needed.
'You send two responders and a van it's more cost effective, so it's a great thing to be doing in a budget crisis,' Sand said.
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As this heads for a full city council vote, the debate rages on over funding, function and whether it'll hold up.
'It is very normal for us to change things when they're not working,' said District 3 Councilor Angelita Morillo, who is also on the Community and Public Safety Committee.
A petition that has gained 10,000 signatures shows significant public support for expanding Portland Street Response.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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