Dem-led Portland declares state of emergency over fentanyl crisis: Oregon Governor wades into turmoil three years after woke city decriminalized drugs that has caused ‘economic and reputational harm’

Oregon leaders have declared a 90-day state of emergency in Portland to combat the city’s debilitating fentanyl crisis, three years after decriminalizing possession of all drugs.

Governor Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chairwoman Jessica Vega Pederson made the statement and are directing their agencies to work with first responders to connect people addicted to the synthetic opioid with resources, including drug treatment programs, and to crack down on drug sales.

Fentanyl addicts who interact with first responders in downtown Portland over the next 90 days will be triggered by this new command center. Staff can connect people with a variety of resources, from a bed at a drug treatment center to meeting with a behavioral health counselor to help register for food stamps.

“Our country and our state have never seen such a fatally addictive drug, and they are all struggling with how to respond,” Kotek said.

The declaration is a recommendation from a task force created by the governor that met for several months last year to determine ways to rejuvenate downtown Portland.

Fentanyl addicts who interact with first responders in downtown Portland over the next 90 days will be connected to resources including drug treatment programs. Pictured: Two people sat on the streets of Portland on August 11, openly using drugs

“We cannot underestimate the tremendous value of bringing together leaders from different disciplines in a room every day, each driving a different part of the solution,” said Wheeler.

Mike Myers, the director of Portland’s Community Safety Division, will lead the city’s command team. Nathan Reynolds, deputy chief policy officer in the state’s Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, will serve as the state’s incident commander.

The effort also expands the Portland Police Bureau’s partnership with the Oregon State Police to jointly patrol downtown streets looking for fentanyl sales. In addition, it kicks off information campaigns focused on drug abuse prevention and recovery programs across the region. The province will expand outreach and training on how to administer Narcan, an overdose-reversing drug.

The program does not set goals to measure success. Kotek said the next 90 days will provide a roadmap for next steps.

The synthetic opioid addiction and overdose crisis that has gripped the U.S. for more than two decades has led governments at the federal, state, and local levels to seek solutions.

Oregon in 2020 became the first state in the country to decriminalize possession of all drugs, including heroin and cocaine.

But residents have since demanded politicians take action against the open-air drug markets that have surfaced and fueled a homelessness crisis.

Opioid deaths in Oregon have more than tripled, from 280 before drug decriminalization was passed to 955 in 2022.

Oregon in 2020 became the first state in the country to decriminalize possession of all drugs, including heroin and cocaine. Pictured is a man smoking crack in downtown Portland

According to the City of Portland, overall homelessness increased by 65 percent between 2015 and 2023. Pictured: A homeless encampment under the Morrison Bridge in Portland

Downtown Portland has seen a mass exodus of big-name employers, carried out by owners who have objected to rising crime rates and homelessness

According to the Oregon Healthy Authority, there were 21 non-pharmaceutical fentanyl deaths in Multnomah County in 2019, before decriminalization was passed. The data has not been updated since then.

Oregon lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would undo a key portion of the state’s drug decriminalization law. Public opinion has soured on this, as public drug use has become more visible due to rising homelessness.

Portland Democrats were criticized for enforcing strict rules on where people can and cannot smoke.

Despite passing major ordinances in the past year to address drug use and homelessness, the city faces barriers to dealing with addiction and unapproved camps.

The Portland City Council unanimously approved an ordinance banning drug use in public in September, but implementation depends on state lawmakers approving supportive measures.

In response to the ordinance, the Oregon Law Center filed a lawsuit, claiming the restrictions violated the state Constitution and existing laws — resulting in a state court judge blocking the city from enforcing the rule.

Downtown Portland has seen a mass exodus of big-name employers, carried out by owners concerned about rising crime and homelessness.

According to the City of Portland, overall homelessness increased 65 percent from 2015 to 2023, with the latest Point in Time Count counting 6,297 homeless people.

In March, Walmart announced it would permanently close all of its Portland locations, months after CEO Doug McMillon warned of a historic rise in thefts at its stores.

Officials in Portland cut millions from police budgets in June 2020 following the Black Lives Matter protests and the growing “defund the police” movement.

But after a rise in crime, homelessness and drugs in the city, Portland officials changed course and increased the city’s $230 million police budget by $5.2 million a year later.

However, according to a poll commissioned by the Portland Police Union, more than half of Portland voters would still consider leaving the city if they could afford to.

It found that almost two-thirds of people believe the city is ‘on the wrong track’ and 68 per cent say it is ‘losing what made it special’.

While 74 percent worry that they or their family members will become victims of crime in the city, 87 percent are dissatisfied with the state of public safety.

About 70 percent said the city needs more police officers and nearly 80 percent said crime has increased in Portland.