In response to a tight labor market and officers worn out by the pandemic and 2020 protests who are quitting or retiring faster than the department can replace them, Portland recently added unarmed “public support specialists” to take reports on things like vehicle break-ins and bike thefts, reports the Associated Press. The decision mirrors departments in other states that are also rethinking what services they can provide and what role police should play in their communities.
Many have shifted veteran officers to patrol, breaking up specialized teams built over decades to keep up with 911 calls. Portland logged 89 homicides last year — roughly three times its historical average — and is on pace to rise this year after already tallying more than 50. A report completed for the city last month by the California Partnership for Safe Communities found it had the largest homicide rate increase among similarly sized cities, and 75 percent of homicides in 2020 were by gun. The city has seen nearly 800 shootings this year.