Outrage as Portland jail makes shock move in wake of new rules banning homeless camps

A Portland region jailhouse has refused to book a homeless man who allegedly refused to move aliases return an connection of shelter contempt bans connected nationalist spot camping. 

Alasdair Macdonald became nan first man to beryllium arrested by the Portland Police Bureau for unlawful camping adjacent Northeast 28th Avenue and Alberta Street past Friday. 

According to officials, some nan constabulary and metropolis outreach workers had spoken pinch Macdonald 'several times' and warned him that if he doesn't judge shelter, he whitethorn beryllium arrested. 

In an interview, nan accused revealed that connected nan time of his arrest, his campy was surrounded by deputies who besides offered him a mini location to relocate to. 

'I woke up to nan police. They had maine surrounded. They offered maine a mini home. 

'I would for illustration to deliberation astir that but location was nary clip to deliberation astir it. The action was "jail aliases mini home", MacDonald told KOIN6.

Officials later clarified that nan accused refused to move into a shelter and arsenic a result, was taken to Multnomah County Detention Center for violating nan city's camping rules. 

But alternatively of being charged and booked into jail, he was cited and released by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. 

'I was arrested but I wasn't booked in. There was nary crime,' Macdonald later recalled. 

Deputy John Plock, a spokesperson for nan office, told Willamette Week that 'jail unit do not book group arrested for violating metropolis rules, only those accused of committing misdemeanor aliases felony offenses nether authorities law'.

Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O'Donnell besides clarified that nan executive determination to not book Macdonald was not a 1 clip point but a argumentation that she believes in.

'As nan elected charismatic charged pinch managing nan jail, I judge we request to utilize nan corrections strategy arsenic a spot for group who airs a genuine threat to nan nationalist and that does not see individuals whose only discourtesy is surviving unsheltered,' O'Donnell told KGW8. 

She further assured citizens: 'Our communications pinch nan Mayor’s agency pertaining to nan Public Camping Ordinance began successful Spring 2023 and intelligibly outlined metropolis ordinance violations arsenic not bookable and being eligible for citations only.

'I will not beryllium directing nan Sheriff’s Office to book immoderate individual connected metropolis ordinance violations.'  

Once nan accused was fto go, Mayor Ted Wheeler said successful a connection that he was very disappointed by nan Sheriff's decision. 

'I americium disappointed by nan Sheriff’s determination to garbage to book individuals arrested for violating nan law.  

'I americium profoundly concerned by this disconnect and what it whitethorn mean for early efforts to amended nationalist safety,' nan politician told Fox News. 

According to nan city's latest rules, camping is prohibited connected nationalist spot only if shelter beds are disposable connected an fixed time aliases night. 

In nan lawsuit location are nary beds available, group are allowed to campy but cannot ray fires, usage propane heaters aliases artifact entree to backstage property, among different restrictions.