“The biggest barrier between our folks and the police is trust. And it goes both ways. The police often don’t trust our folks either. Police are always on guard because they see people on their worst days. They really are in the thick of the hardest situations and have to make quick decisions.” - Caitlin, Maybelle Center Support Services Coordinator
Maybelle Center had a vision to bring the two communities together. Could a casual event playfully called “Cops and Donuts” create an avenue for trust-building between police and our members at Maybelle Center?
Last Friday, our members sat down for the first-ever meet-and-greet with police from Portland Police’s Behavioral Health Unit and social workers from Project Respond. For over an hour, members shared with police what their experience looked like, shared thoughts on neighborhood safety, and brainstormed about how police could be more mindful going into spaces where marginalized communities live.
These are bits of the overheard conversation:
(From our members)
“I think I remember you.”
“Let me tell you a true story.”
“I haven’t seen you since you responded to a call at my building. For me”
“I hate to criticize. But just put yourself in that position.”
“I appreciate all you do for us.”
“Have you been shot at?”
“I always feel safe going to and from my apartment at any time of the day. But lots of people don’t feel that way. Because people make judgments based on how people look.”
“They ended up calling the police, and I said they need to call the Behavioral Health Unit.”
“What is the hardest part of your job?”
(From the police)
“We’re just trying to do the right thing. It’s hard to know sometimes.”
“I hope, ask, that you give us the benefit of the doubt.”
“We have a job where we occasionally fear for our lives.”
“We do a lot to mitigate the risk. We do a lot of training. Some of the things are out of our control.”
“Portland’s mental health resources are so fragmented. It is so frustrating.”
“You only see the bad stuff in the media. You don’t see the day-to-day stuff. I read the news too. I get upset about things I read. Sometimes I don’t watch for a while.”
Why is this type of event needed?
1. The need for increased collaboration
Portland Police regularly hear complaints about neighborhood safety from the Old Town Merchants and Residents Association, a group that brings together businesses, residents, and police in Old Town. Caitlin regularly attends the meetings and hears business owners say things like, “I care. And I feel really bad for this houseless person. But they’re also yelling at me and leaving my doorstep covered in litter. The crime and the loitering are affecting my business.”
These are the stories that police are regularly hearing at the neighborhood association meetings. And without representation from low-income residents at the meetings, Caitlin reports it’s not uncommon for folks like our members, to get lumped together with those who are houseless or accused of “loitering.”
Without knowing, a lot of times business owners perceive someone who lives in a neighborhood SRO as loitering. Someone who is a member of Maybelle Center. Someone who is engaged in multiple ways. Someone who volunteers at Sisters of the Road. Someone who knows the neighborhood's history and looks out for each other.”
We all make assumptions based on appearance. And best way to challenge these assumptions is through communication and relationships across lines – things like Cops and Donuts. And as we get to know each other, we just might uncover that we care about many of the same things. But we’re approaching them with completely different lenses and lived experiences.
“If police leave the event with a greater awareness that our members are equally concerned about the safety of our central city, or take one quote back to their larger team or neighborhood association,” asserts Caitlin. “Then the event will have been a success.”
2. The hope for healing through relationship
We hope that members can start putting a face and a name to something that has been a scary, traumatic, or threatening presence to them. And through the power of relationship, we can begin to make lasting change.
“I think if you know who's patrolling your neighborhood, you're much more likely to call them when something wrong is happening or if you're in a hard situation,” Caitlin asserts. “If one member recognizes a police officer walking their neighborhood and is more comfortable saying ‘hi,’ then the event was worth it.
Thank you for partnering with us to take steps towards making meaningful change in the lives of our members - and in Portland’s greater Old Town/Downtown area.
There are no simple solutions to Portland’s housing crisis or inadequate mental health resources. But by bringing communities together and amplifying the voices of marginalized residents, we take one step towards finding a workable solution. That’s the work of Maybelle Community Center, and you.
