Inside a Portland police ride-along as officers face mounting calls and possible cuts

The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) could soon face major budget cuts, including a proposal that would significantly reduce non-sworn officers, also known as Public Safety Support Specialists (PS3), within the department. PS3s focus on non-emergency crimes. Technically, Mayor Keith Wilson proposed these cuts as part of his budget proposal. City council did not agree on how to amend the cuts to the police department, despite there being amendments to restore PS3s and even add sworn officers. All of this comes as members of the PPB say they are already struggling to keep up with calls, pointing to staffing shortages and growing backlogs across the city. They warn that additional cuts could make response times even worse. MORE: https://katu.com/news/local/inside-a-portland-police-ride-along-as-officers-face-mounting-calls-and-possible-cuts-ppb-local-budget-funding-community-public-safety _______________ Stay up to date with our social media: KATU on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katunews KATU on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KATUNews Subscribe to KATU on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmDTerxNU_gvCWLkIPkqghA/?sub_confirmation=1 Daily News Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFtHM_AbvnEUkd_YRTlZpGKkbczT5w062 For more information, visit https://katu.com/ Have a news tip? Send it directly to us: Email us: newstips@katu.com Call the Newsroom: 503.231.4222 KATU is a OR based station and a ABC Television affiliate owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today. #KATU #Katu2abc #Portland #Oregon #localnews #oregonnews