Multnomah Co. deflection center opens

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Multnomah County’s deflection center opened Monday morning, giving people arrested for drug possession the option to choose treatment over jail.

The facility will act as a drop-off point for police and doesn’t accept walk-ins. When officers arrest a person for drug possession, that person may be given a choice.

If they qualify, they can choose to participate in deflection or go to jail.

For those who choose deflection, they will be dropped off at the center.

The center faced community pushback but opened on Monday. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.

Businesses across SE Sandy Boulevard near the newly operating Coordinated Care Pathway Center say they were surprised to learn of Multnomah County’s intent to open the center so close to home. Now, some are apprehensive about the attention the intersection will receive, while others are grateful for the increased police presence.

“As much as I care, it makes it more difficult when things like this happen,” said Patrick von Pegert, a lifelong Oregonian and Portlander. He’s managed Contract Furnishings Mart’s flagship location for years but fears things are about to change.

“It’s great that we’re trying to help people get better and I feel like if you’re going to put together a program to help the community get better this is a great step, but they really need to follow through with making people accountable,” von Pegert said.

He’s worried that because services are voluntary, those brought to the deflection center for treatment will walk out before getting the help they need.

“Then you’ve got an area that’s going to become even more high in crime and drug issues,” he said. “We’re already facing an epidemic in problems with this area and trying to keep it open for businesses like us.”

A block down from Sandy, Doug Blizzard of Blizzard Motors is feeling more optimistic.

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“I was thinking it’s just going to be horrible, we’ve got people coming in and out that are of questionable intent, it’s just going to be terrible,” he said of his initial reaction to learning about the center. “Then when you think about it, when you really put some thought process to it, where else are we going to have an area that has a lot of police presence, security coming in and out, people that are trying to do the right thing.”

He’s been in the central eastside for nearly 20 years and said he’s already noticed the homeless population dwindling. He predicts that will only continue as the county says 24/7 security will patrol the surrounding neighborhood.

“The only way to be safer is to have a donut shop on the other side of my building,” Blizzard said. “Things like this, where we actually have presence and we have people that are actually moving around and actually being seen, I think we’re a visual population. I think it’s actually going to pay dividends.”

Both businesses said they were not contacted by the county prior to the center’s opening. Von Pegert said he is still trying to have a conversation with county officials, but that he feels it is too late for a meaningful change.

While intake does not operate outside of those hours, 24/7 security will be on site.

The county will collect data to track the center’s impact.