I want to thank Portland Police Union President Daryl Turner for speaking the truth in identifying how our city is becoming a cesspool and calling out Mayor Ted Wheeler and other city leaders for only exacerbating the problems ("Portland police union leader calls city 'cesspool,' slams mayor's response to homelessness," July 16). For the mayor to insinuate that our drugged and homeless population is unfairly targeted by police is sick politics.

In my six years of living near the city center, I've had four package deliveries stolen and attempted break-ins and damage at my front and back doors -- one terrifying incident while I was home. Addicts did drugs against my garage door, passed out at my front and back doors and left feces and urine on my porch. A man came up on my porch to look in my windows, and one ambulance treated an overdose in my yard.

Though the police were called and involved in many of these incidents, they never arrested anyone -- even the drugged-out man who busted out my porch light and damaged my front door trying to break in while I was home. In my experience, I'd be thankful for every arrest the police department makes because there are far too few.

Our city is changing drastically for the worse. Responsible, working taxpayers need to speak up and demand they be heard.

-- Tim Noreuil, Northwest Portland

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