Stephanie Sy:
Mapps acknowledges fentanyl is a growing problem up and down the West Coast, but says Portland's small police force, down some 120 officers since the 2020 racial justice protests, compounds the challenge.
We saw firsthand how officers are stretched thin riding along with Portland's Central Bike Squad, which patrols a 124-square block area in downtown.
Led by Sergeant Jerry Cioeta, the Bike Squad gets a tip about a possible drug drop and approaches a parked SUV. Ultimately, they don't find probable cause to conduct a search and let the vehicle and its occupants go. Measure 110 may have legalized possession of small amounts of drugs, but dealing drugs is still illegal.
And Cioeta's squad captures a lot of busts on its popular Instagram account, including weapons and the ubiquitous blue pills that contain fentanyl.
Do you think that 110 increased demand?
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