TriMet takes steps to enforce Oregon’s new drug possession law on public transit

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – The possession of small amounts of drugs will once again be a criminal offense in Oregon on Sunday, putting the public transit system on the front lines of curbing open drug use.

On Thursday, three days before the new possession law goes into effect, TriMet announced plans for how their anti-drug enforcement on board will work. Law enforcement — including transit police — will begin citing people for drug possession, punishable by up to 180 days in jail.

“We’re not just turning a blind eye to the crisis on the streets that we’re all seeing the drug crisis,” said Andrew Wilson, TriMet’s chief safety security officer. “We do have great teams that are steeped in things like mental health and outreach services. This is our Safety Response Team, and you’ll see them out there in the blue and yellow, and they’re saving lives out there.”

But TriMet’s increased safety and security staff will not be able to enforce this law. Instead, these teams can only issue warnings, citations, or transit bans for code violations.

That’s why TriMet asks riders who see something to say something by calling a non-emergency hotline, according to a recent statement from the transit agency:

“If riders or the general public see drug use or any other type of disruptive, unsafe or criminal behavior on the system, please report it to TriMet staff. People can call or text 503-238-7433 (RIDE) to report non-emergencies.”

So far, KOIN 6 News has spoken to several transit riders with mixed reactions. One TriMet rider, Jared Swift, who said he approved of the plan, calling it a “great thing.”

“I’m actually in recovery right now, so I think it’s a good thing to help people out and keep people safe,” Swift said. “Drugs out there are just taking over and people are being controlled by it. They do things they’re not used to doing, things they normally wouldn’t do and it puts the community in an unsafe place.”

But another rider, Gabriella MaceraI, said it was “horrible” and added, “I think that substance use is a disease and it’s not something that should be criminalized …There’s no need for jail time for people who rely on substances to survive.”

Trimet’s code of conduct already prohibits drug use, but Sept. 1 is when law enforcement can offer a person caught with small amounts of drugs like meth and fentanyl the option between jail or addiction services .

“It’s really vital for us all to have law enforcement tools to be able to really address this from a law enforcement perspective, they have not had this same level of ability to address open drug use as they do now with HB 4002, for several years,” Wilson said.

The new law comes as TriMet stands up a 24/7 security operation center with dispatching software, installs more bluelight security phones and cameras on platforms, and  increases safety and security staff to 500 people.

Meanwhile, data from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office show that calls for police on public transit continue to drop with dispatched calls declining by more than 50% between 2021 and 2023.

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