Crime Pays in Portland

A KATU/ABC article titled “Portland organization expands efforts to combat gun violence as shootings surge” discusses the increase in gun violence – but avoids mentioning blacks, who are responsible for most of it, until the 12th paragraph:

KATU Investigates spoke with the executive director of Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center about recent city investments and what he and his organization are doing to stop the violence…

Joe Mcferrin II’s days running POIC are busy. The North Portland organization targets at-risk youth and their families and provides them services. For much of the last year, that’s meant a lot of people who were impacted by the escalating gun violence.

“We’re looking at making an impact today, but more importantly, we’re looking at making an impact long-term,” McFerrin said. “We want to make sure, and be a part of the effort, that we never forget this.”

Mcferrin and POIC are expanding their services in a few ways thanks to a recent $500,000 grant from the city of Portland…

With the money, McFerrin said he can hire more responders and provide better coverage to hospitals in Portland.

Second, McFerrin plans to hire more life mentors. These are people who have made mistakes but turned their lives around and want to help others do the same.

“We want to make sure that we can assign someone with lived experience who has been able to pull themselves out of that lifestyle and make a change and also heal the community,” McFerrin said.

Finally, POIC recently launched a figurative Public Safety Village, made up of nearly a dozen Black-led organizations in Portland that are each working to address gun violence specifically within their community. The organizations will provide services like behavioral therapy, conflict resolution, recreation opportunities, youth grief and loss support groups, and decision-making skill-building.

McFerrin hopes it makes an immediate and long-term difference.

“This is our target population, and so I felt a sense of responsibility to give back and to support those organizations because I know that it works,” McFerrin said. “Those that are closest to the problem are closest to the solution.”

The investments in POIC are part of a broader city response to scenes like this. So far, the city has sent out just over $3 million to community-based organizations, with the largest chunk going to four organizations in the form of a $500,000 grant to each…

Over $1 million dollars are still available in grants for other community-based groups, and many have been critical of how long it’s taken the city to get the money out. However, the big question now is: will this money be a one-time thing or become part of the city’s public safety response?

A spokesperson for Myers said Myers wants city leaders to make it permanent. McFerrin and others in his shoes say one-time funding is not enough.

“When the bullets stop, the money should not stop. Support should not stop,” McFerrin said…

To summarize: Blacks are responsible for most of the gun violence in Portland. Therefore, the City of Portland must shell out millions of dollars to black organizations, which hire black criminals who have “turned their lives around” – and, not surprisingly, the leaders of these organizations want this gravy train to continue forever. After all, McFerrin must maintain his fancy wardrobe.