Police Chief Mike Reese talks to the media after announcing policy changes aimed at increasing safety in the LGBTQ community at a June 15 press conference at Q Center.

In response to the recent spate of gay bashings, Mayor Sam Adams, Police Chief Mike Reese and Q Center Executive Director Kendall Clawson announced today a series of initiatives aimed at increasing the safety of the LGBTQ community.

“The most recent incident of gay bashing was an opportunity,” Adams said at the June 15 press conference at Q Center, “to reexamine our policies, procedures and practices as it relates to bias crimes.”

The Portland Police Bureau will begin by giving enhanced training to central precinct officers who work in the downtown entertainment district, Reese said, to “make sure they understand the seriousness of bias crimes.”

In addition to providing the precinct-wide training, the PPB will establish an officer to serve as a liaison to the LGBTQ community at central precinct, “someone the community will trust,” Reese said. While this officer will not necessarily be the first responder when a crime is reported, he or she will be available to victims as the case continues. The position does not currently exist, but Reese said he hopes to have someone in the position within the next few weeks.

As Portland seeks to be known not only for sustainability but also equal opportunity, Adams said, “we can only do that if people feel safe and have a sense of trust” in the city and in police.

In an effort to make victims more comfortable reporting a crime and to support them through the process to follow, the PPB is working with Q Center to develop an advocate program for victims of bias crimes.

“We are working with Q Center to identify victim advocates,” Reese said, adding that the role will require significant time, training and commitment.

The PPB is also working with the Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI), Q Center and community members to create a citizen foot patrol.

“Foot patrols have been a key component whenever we have had hot spots,” Reese said. “Their mere presence can have a calming effect.”

Clawson said the foot patrols would likely consist of 4 to 5 individuals patrolling between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., Thursday through Saturday nights. She added that the community has not yet decided which model to follow, but that they were considering both the ONI model and the Pink Panthers model.

While none of the stated initiatives will be in place in time for this weekend’s Pride celebrations, Reese said the city will be increasing police presence in the downtown area during the festivities.

Both Reese and Adams reiterated the importance of reporting crimes and expressed hope that the proposed initiatives would make people more comfortable with that process.

“We as a community have a responsibility to report anything that concerns us,” either by calling police or filing a report with the Oregon Department of Justice, Adams said. “When we know [about bias crimes] we’re going to do our level best to have an adequate response.”

Clawson acknowledges that LGBTQ people are often hesitant to report crimes when they have to “fight on a daily basis for our right to exist” and encouraged straight allies to join in the fight by joining the foot patrols and speaking out against bias crimes when they witness them.

“This is not a gay problem, this is a community problem, Clawson said. “We have a right to be safe on our streets without harassment.”