adopted resolution 2025-479

Appoint members to the Portland Street Response Committee

public safety
appointment

Introduced by: Councilor Sameer Kanal Councilor Steve Novick
Status: Adopted

Impact statement

Purpose & background

On June 25, 2025, Portland City Council passed Resolution 37709, "Support and expand Portland Street Response as a co-equal branch of the first responder system and establish the Portland Street Response Committee," which authorized a 15-member PSR Committee. This resolution appoints 14 community members to the committee and confirms the Mayor's appointment of 1 PSR staff member to the committee.

Financial impacts

Appointing members of the committee will also implement a portion of Resolution 37709 authorizing stipends for community members, which will total $7,000. This cost will need to be absorbed into the existing PSSA budget. Staffing for the Office of Civic Life or other parts of the administration providing support for the onboarding and mandatory training are expected to be minimal and part of the responsibilities of existing staff. This resolution will continue a process initiated by Resolution 37709 to expand Portland Street Response. Expanding Portland Street Response is intended to divert appropriate calls from traditional police response, reduce the likelihood of use-of-force incidents, decrease emergency room services, and strengthen connections to community-based resources. This model has demonstrated greater cost-effectiveness as a crisis response approach. Recent studies indicate that the direct costs associated with alternative response models are approximately one-fourth that of police-only responses.

Economic impacts

Not applicable.

Community impacts

PSR was designed and driven by community support, and the goal of the PSR Committee is to give community members an official voice in the future of PSR. Community groups, such as Friends of PSR, have been calling for the establishment of a PSR Committee for several years. Outreach for applications for committee membership was conducted in all districts. Council offices, the Mayor's office, PSR, and Friends of PSR all promoted the committee application process and encouraged people to apply. In applications, District 3 was overrepresented and District 1 underrepresented, the latter of which is in line with a broader Citywide trend. Better outreach to recruit District 1 applicants should be a primary focus of future City recruitments. Relative to applicant counts, District 1 had the highest level of representation and District 3 the lowest: District 1: 2 appointees of 7 applicants District 2: 4 appointees of 12 applicants District 3: 4 appointees of 31 applicants District 4: 3 appointees of 25 applicants Non-Portland residents: 1 appointee of 10 applicants The Resolution that established the PSR Committee stated that committee membership must be broadly representative of the population of the City of Portland and those most affected by PSR's operations. It noted that final committee membership must include representation from people with lived experience with behavioral or mental health issues. Based on what applicants were willing to voluntarily disclose, at least eight of the appointees have lived experience with behavioral and mental health issues.

▸ Full text (the legislation as adopted)

WHEREAS, on June 25, 2025, Portland City Council passed Resolution 37709, "Support and expand Portland Street Response as a co-equal branch of the first responder system and establish the Portland Street Response Committee" ; and WHEREAS, through Resolution 37709 the City Council authorized a 15-member PSR Committee, consisting of one Mayoral appointee from the PSR staff, and 14 Council-appointed community members; and WHEREAS, the PSR Committee was established to formally advise the City Council on issues related to Portland Street Response, advise on proposed changes to City Code related to PSR, and provide its first report and recommendations to Council within six months of appointment; and WHEREAS, staff in Council Offices worked with the Office of Civic Life to conduct an open recruitment for applicants to serve on the PSR Committee, with applications open for six weeks and closing on October 27, 2025; and WHEREAS, 85 individuals applied for the Committee, representing over 6 applications received for each Committee position available; and WHEREAS, a 5-member committee reviewed the written applications and recommended 29 finalists for interviews. This committee included: One representative from each of the Offices of the Co-Chairs for the Community and Public Safety Committee; One representative from the Office of the Council President; One PSR Staff member; One Community Reviewer; and WHEREAS, a 5-member committee conducted interviews of the selected finalists and recommended 14 candidates for appointment. This committee included: One representative each from three Council offices; One PSR Staff member; One Community Reviewer; and WHEREAS, the Mayor has named a PSR staff member to serve on the PSR Committee; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council appoints the 13 community members listed below to the PSR Committee; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council confirms the Mayor's appointment of the staff member listed below to the PSR Committee; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all fourteen members of the PSR Committee will serve for six months following their onboarding and completion of mandatory City trainings for volunteers, and then will continue their service through their required six-month report and follow-up, and if extended by Council; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council requests that the Mayor direct relevant parts of the administration to support the completion of onboarding and mandatory training for all members as soon as possible following the passage of this resolution. Full Membership Name Type (Staff / Community) Term Start Date Term End Date Akhila Bandlora Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Mia Edera Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Rodney S Hoole Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Jamie Kennel Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Estelle Love Lavespere Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Emily Leickly Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Beatrix Li Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Robyn Matsumoto Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Marcelo Pacheco Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Jill Ripes Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Kaia Sand Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Chris Thompson Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Sasha Vine Council Appointee – Community January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026 Caroline Pope Mayoral Appointee – PSR Staff January 1, 2026 June 30, 2026

Tally

12 yea 0 nay