The streets of Portland witnessed the resolve of the Portland Police Bureau's Central Bike Squad as it conducted a drug mission downtown, conforming with the recent instituting of sterner penalties for possession of narcotics. The operation, occurring on September 1, led to a series of arrests and some individuals being steered towards services rather than jail cells, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
During the mission, the officers made contact with numerous individuals, which resulted in four arrests for drug possession. Those arrested include Jeffrey A. Adams, 52, Jason Armstrong, 46, Samuel S. Hass, 37, and Patrick J. Leever, 43, all now residents of the Multnomah County Detention Center. A fifth individual, Morgan D. Jennings, 42, received a citation, a lighter response amidst the fresh crackdown.
Reflecting a shift in approach, two individuals were offered an alternative to incarceration. They qualified for what is termed 'deflection' and accepted services, a nod to the growing recognition that treatment can be more fruitful than punishment for those entangled in the web of addiction.
