Aftermath

This weekend's rash of shooting sprees on Portland streets, including the murder of an 18-year-old woman in a mass shooting downtown, is as depressing as all get-out. Somebody in City Hall needs to do something, and fast.

We did get a quick reaction from one member of the City Council, Jo Ann "With the Bullhorn" Hardesty. According to her, more police is not the answer.

She is very big on telling us what the answer isn't, but she rarely if ever gives us many specifics about what the answer is. What is the soution to the gun violence, Commissioner Hardesty? Abolish the police force? That seems to be what you want. And replace it with what? I hear "community-based solutions." What exactly is that?

So far you've given us 24 park rangers. They weren't there Saturday night. Are you suggesting that an army of social workers is going to fix this? Are you serious? It seems like you want to dismantle the criminal justice system and let the violence play out until all of society's problems are solved by bureaucrats in city and county government. Good luck with that.

Yes, the Portland police are bad news, but punishing them with budget cuts seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face. How many more people, including teenagers and innocent bystanders, have to be killed on Portland streets while you preach on about how bad the police force is?

Portland needs more cops. Cops of color who live within the city limits. Cops who get better training and take it seriously. Cops who are not Proud Boys and Nazi worshippers. Cops who are held accountable to civilians.

I don't think the majority of Portland residents want to continue the grand experiment of not having enough police to provide basic public safety. Hardesty should either come up with a comprehensive public safety reform and put it up for a vote, or get off the soap box. Otherwise, that red stuff on her hands is blood.