According to a survey commissioned by The Oregonian/OregonLive, concerns about crime and drug use in the Portland area have dropped over the past year. In April 2024, 20% of respondents considered public safety the top issue, while 19% said drugs were the main concern. By this month, only 12% of voters identified these problems as the most pressing. The drop in concern was especially significant among Republican voters, with a decrease from 38% to 20% for crime and 36% to 18% for drugs since October.
Portland Police Bureau data also showed a decline in reported offenses from October to January, with all crimes falling by 10% and downtown crimes decreasing by 14%. Drug offenses saw an even larger drop from 98 to 70 reported cases during that time period.
The decrease in concern about crime and drug use may be attributed to the repeal of Measure 110, which decriminalized drug possession in 2021 but was rolled back last year. This change, along with political influences like the 2024 presidential election, may have influenced public perceptions on these issues.
Despite the improvements, some residents still feel unsafe in the city due to drug addiction and homelessness. People like Brock Kelland and Jessica Sweeney believe there is still work to be done to improve Portland’s reputation and address these ongoing challenges. Others, like Malcolm Hook, blame left-wing policies for exacerbating these problems.
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