A June 11 neighborhood meeting in Lents turned tense when the head of Portland’s police union warned that Mayor Keith Wilson’s proposed budget cuts could widen what he called a growing safety gap in outer East Portland. Sgt. Aaron Schmautz told residents that fewer patrols and shrinking civilian support programs are already changing daily life for families and small businesses, and he urged neighbors to pay attention before the cuts officially take hold.
Union Leader Sounds Alarm At Local Meeting
Speaking at the Lents Neighborhood Livability Association meeting, Schmautz, who serves as president of the Portland Police Association, described how thinning police staffing has reduced visible patrols and stretched response times. In an interview with East PDX News, he linked the drop in police presence to store closures and rising thefts in neighborhoods including Centennial, Hazelwood and Lents.
Budget Documents Show PS3 Cuts And Other Reductions
City budget records spell out the cuts that have the union on edge. The mayor’s budget decision package would reduce the Public Safety Support Specialist (PS3) program by 34 full‑time positions and cut roughly $4.5 million from PS3 funding. It also calls for multi‑million‑dollar reductions to training, external materials and services, and fleet and technology. According to the City of Portland budget decision package, those changes would shift low‑acuity work back onto sworn officers and trim the bureau’s capacity for proactive patrols…