Accountability concerns arise as private security firms take hold in Oregon
By BRIDGET CHAVEZ
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PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — Many businesses in downtown Portland have turned to private security companies for help in protecting their storefronts and businesses, but there is a concern among law enforcement that this is more hurtful than helpful.
Aaron Schmautz is the president of the Portland Police Association and said this all stems from the Portland Police Bureau’s staffing shortage.
“We are significantly understaffed,” he said.
While the shortage is nothing new, Schmautz said there are crucial parts of public safety missing when it’s just private security guards responding.
“With anything that isn’t law enforcement, if the problem gets to a place where law enforcement is needed then law enforcement is needed,” he said.
Shcmautz said officers are trained specifically with how to de-escalate situations but often it’s too late when they’re called to a scene that already has a private guard.
“If they’re called to a circumstance where it has become escalated, their options are limited. We’re always wanting to make sure when we’re having to use law enforcement resources we’re able to have some say in the way that interaction goes so that we can come up with the safest response to it,” Schmautz said.
He also said that accountability is a big issue because officers are held to different standards than private guards.
“Are the accountability standards the same, are the ability for the public to kind of deal with any issues that may come up the same?” he said.
The similarity in uniforms is also causing concern because Shcmautz said people can get confused as to who they are dealing with.
“When you have people walking around dressed similar to police officers, engaging with the public in a way they may think those people are police officers, it really does create something of a legitimacy issue and a trust issue,” he said.
Mike Schmidt, the Multnomah County District Attorney, said all private security firms should be held to a rigorous standard. According to a three-part series by Oregon Public Broadcasting, the DA’s office has declined to prosecute some criminal cases linked to private security guards downtown due to credibility issues.
“While I believe that the use of private security firms can fill an important role in maintaining the safety of our businesses, this belief is absolutely conditioned on those firms demonstrating their true commitment to the safety and dignity of everyone with whom they interact. If existing law is insufficient to ensure that level of professionalism, it should be strengthened,” Schmidt said in a statement.
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