what is community safety?

We have a lot of work to do when it comes to rebuilding our sense of safety in Portland. It starts with improving trust between Portlanders and our First Responders.

To save lives, we must work urgently to reduce 911 wait times. The average wait time to talk to a 911 dispatcher was 50 seconds in November 2023 as opposed to only 10 seconds in 2018. The national average is only 20 seconds. Ambulance wait times are also well above the national average. The situation was so dire on December 31, 2023, Portland Firefighters had to transport a patient to the hospital on a TriMet bus. On May 5, 2024, a stabbing victim was taken to the hospital by Portland Fire and Rescue in a police car.

There are 25 vacant positions in Portland’s Bureau of Emergency Communications. These need to be filled immediately to keep our community safe and provide much-needed support to our call-takers and dispatchers. Marnie will put great pressure on Multnomah County to solve the ambulance wait times (ultimately under their purview).

Portland Street Response should be funded to operate 24/7 + 365 days a year, and become a co-equal part of Portland’s first responder network. Currently, it operates within Portland Fire & Rescue. Portland Street Response should respond to more 911 call types, use life-saving supplies (like naloxone, water bottles, and clothing), and be excluded from law enforcement activities. 

Marnie will always remain independent from the police union and their associations by choosing not to seek or accept any donations or independent expenditure campaigns. 

We need electeds who prioritize a community-driven vision of deep reform to policing. We have not achieved, but must, a culture shift in policing that can center BIPOC Portlanders. The new community police oversight board represents a monumental victory but the work is not yet completed. We will need skillful, attuned elected officials to ensure its evolution is towards justice-oriented and done with the highest level of transparency.

Gun violence affects everyone in Portland. Our city has the power to protect Portlanders from gun violence and support effective violence prevention programs but in 2023, there were 1,023 shooting incidents. No one law can prevent all tragedies, but there are apolicy decisions we can make to save lives and keep Portland families safe. Marnie supports common sense laws that encourage gun safety and responsible gun ownership. Marnie received the Gun Sense Candidate Distinction from Moms Demand Action.

We have a road fatality crisis. Marnie supports the goal of Portland's Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths - but it's not working. Traffic deaths are increasing & we must make progress on this plan. Those who die in road traffic die violently and needlessly.

Marnie supports Portland’s official goal of achieving 25% of trips by bike by 2030. We need more diverters on Neighborhood Greenways and more physically protected bike lanes. She will also make sure we prioritize pedestrian and cycling safety when the City rebuilds important streets like Sandy Boulevard. Marnie is working with District 2 residents and older Portlanders to develop a Safer Sidewalks campaign.

As a person with a disability, Marnie knows firsthand how hard it can be to navigate sidewalks that are broken up by tree roots and neglect. This is an important issue for people with disabilities and aging Portlanders alike.