Chief Day's Letter Regarding Need for Sobering Center

News Article

Chief Bob Day's letter to Chair Vega Pederson regarding the need for a 24/7 first responder drop-off center

July 29, 2024

Dear County Chair Vega Pederson,

Portland Police, Gresham Police and Multnomah County Sheriff deputies and officers respond to thousands of calls each year involving individuals in crisis, often diverting them to jails or overcrowded hospitals. These individuals are not criminals but victims of addiction and mental health disorders. The absence of a 24/7 first responder drop-off center is a critical public safety crisis, resulting in a staggering burden on law enforcement and millions of lost taxpayer's dollars.

In our one-on-one meeting July 17th, we discussed the importance of deflection and a first responder drop-off sobering center. During this call, I appreciated your candor and willingness to listen and share ideas. I also appreciate you asking me to provide you with direct feedback regarding our members' primary needs.

Since our meeting, I've spoken with Mayor Wheeler, PPB team members, Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O'Donnell and Chief Travis Gullberg. We all agree that the greatest need is for a safe and secure location where the police can transport people who are displaying signs of intoxication and unable to care for themselves or are a danger to themselves or others.

Our officers routinely say, "We just need someplace to take people." They are referring to a 24/7 first responder drop-off/sobering center. As police, we interact daily with people in a crisis, who are often uncooperative, angry, unresponsive, violent, threatening, and/or medically fragile. Jail is not the appropriate placement. Complicating this further, substance abuse disorders and mental health breakdown are routinely co-occurring on our streets. It is clear we are in urgent need of a safe, secure facility that will hold people so they can be screened, assessed and provided with recovery options that can change the trajectory of their lives.

While we understand there may be challenges, we urge the Board of County Commissioners to prioritize the immediate implementation of the plan submitted in April 2024 for a 24/7 First Responder Drop Off/Sobering Center with in-house transportation. We can no longer accept the consequences of further delay. We also recommend either two locations or a primary facility in East County. Downtown and the Central Eastside already have multiple service organizations but more importantly our East County law enforcement spend an inordinate amount of time driving to downtown Portland. An East County location would be a middle ground for PPB/MCSO/Gresham and other users.

Hooper Detoxification Center provided some of these services until it closed in 2020. Hooper Detox was named after David E. Hooper, who died in a Multnomah County jail "drunk tank" on March 6, 1971. He was reported to have been picked up for public drunkenness 93 times prior to his death. The tragedy of Mr. Hooper's death resulted in opening a 24/7 first responder drop-off/sobering center which provided safe sobering and a gateway to recovery for countless people. Hooper Detox had to close in 2020 because they were unable to handle the high levels of acuity they were seeing largely because of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

While it is true the world has changed dramatically since 1971, especially in the areas of behavioral health and substance abuse, one constant theme is still the heavy reliance on law enforcement to address these issues. While we can partner in these efforts, we believe this is a core service to be provided by Multnomah County.

The Hooper Detox model is one that we are familiar with, and we know works. One reason Hooper worked is Oregon Revised Statue 430.399, which grants authority to an officer to take someone who is intoxicated or under the influence of controlled substances to a sobering center or treatment facility. This use of the involuntary civil hold process is a familiar and effective tool for police.

Additionally, the 2024 legislature expanded the allowable hold time for civil commitments to 72 hours. This increase will give providers a larger window to assess the individual and make a proper referral to appropriate treatment services.

We do not know or pretend to understand the demons that must have haunted Mr. Hooper or the many others on our streets today, who are interacting with law enforcement and suffering from addiction and/or mental health crisis, but I do know we are desperately in need of tools to help them find a path forward.

Let us not ignore those suffering the most. Let's remember David Hooper and know that we can do better.

Sincerely,

Robert Day
Chief of Police