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Dear Portlander,

Gun violence is on the rise in the City of Portland and newly released data shows that it is being driven by a very small percentage of our population.

Yesterday I shared my two-year, evidence-based plan called Safer Summer PDX which will work to reduce gun violence by at least 10% over the next two years. I also issued a new Emergency Declaration which unifies the city’s efforts to help address gun violence under a central command structure.

KGW: Click here for full article.

I believe we can accomplish this by better coordinating existing violence intervention efforts, working with communities to identify environmental improvement opportunities, and through providing additional resources to community-based partners.

The newly appointed Safer Summer PDX team is focused on providing positive options for those who are now engaged in gun crimes and creates options for them to step away from the life of violence. It complements the law-enforcement gun violence improvements that are already in place and showing results.

Oregonian: Click here for full article.

AP: Click here for full article.

As I shared yesterday in my remarks, we will not stop until the gun violence stops.

We will continue to be persistent, agile, and responsive in our efforts and investments. As we learn more—and this issue continues to evolve—we will adapt and assess all potential paths forward. The public’s expectations are clear and we’ve set our goals accordingly.

Sincerely,

Ted Wheeler