About two years ago, Mark Wells from the then "Crime Prevention" office told us they would no longer support our Foot Patrol (now numbering 46 dedicated volunteers with six walks a week). He was in the dark and had no explanation as to why. We scrambled and created our own training, our own rules, and a waiver for everyone to sign. Without city support and encouragement, we would never have been able to establish the group. We fortunately had great leadership that allowed us to carry on and even grow further after being abandoned. I don't think all neighborhoods could do that without city support.

Foot Patrol (and neighborhood watch) is a community building effort that exemplifies how neighborhoods work for everyone, regardless of any other affinity.

-----Original Message-----
From: board@pearldistrict.org <board@pearldistrict.org> On Behalf Of Barry Newman
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 9:03 AM
To: directors@nwnwboard.org; board@pearldistrict.org; PDNA Livability <livabilitymembers@pearldistrict.org>
Cc: Mark Sieber <mark@nwnw.org>; Anastasia Zurcher <Anastasia@nwnw.org>; Kayla Solsbak <kayla@nwnw.org>
Subject: Re: Neighborhood Watches Have Gone Out of Fashion. Portland City Hall Aims to Remodel Them. - Willamette Week

As head of our HOA's Neighborhood Watch (I actually installed the signs personally) I read the article with interest and disgust. Eudaly is in the process of dismantling essentially all of the neighborhood related institutions in the city in the name of (what? Fill in the blanks here) because her personal philosophy thinks that everything that existed BE (Before Eudaly) was racist, white supremacist, and not politically acceptable. Sadly, neighborhood security is one of the underpinnings of civic function, and a necessity for civil society. As she works to remove police from the streets, and bind their hands, but lets groups like ANTIFA run through the streets smashing windows and cars, and beating reporters that they don't like, etc. And now gets rid of homegrown groups that work to keep an eye on their own communities, I fear for the city that she thinks she is trying to create. I for one will work to continue our own Neighborhood Watch which is really little more than  neighbors looking out for neighbors, and having a system in place to let my neighbors know if something untoward is occurring. (Pipe bombs and booby traps have been found in the woods on paths near our neighborhoods for example- a good outcome if we saved someone from walking their dog there and getting injured). Again, I fear for our city.
Thanks so much for sending this. I had no idea.
Barry

——
Barry M. Newman
President
NW  Heights Neighborhood Association
Portland, OR 97229

barrynewman@earthlink.net
nwheights.net.pdx@gmail.com

Cell:	503-467-8157
Pager:	503-301-3185

On 9/25/19, 8:46 AM, "Stanley Penkin" <directors@nwnwboard.org on behalf of stanleypenkin@gmail.com> wrote:

    Hi All -

    I thought this article might be of interest.

    Stan

    https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2019/09/25/neighborhood-watches-have-gone-out-of-fashion-portland-city-hall-aims-to-remodel-them/
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