PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - The Portland Trail Blazers and the Portland Timbers say they both want to make sure the city is safe.
Both organizations recently sent an open letter to the city council urging them to preserve public safety funding in Mayor Keith Wilson’s proposed budget.
The Trailblazers and Timbers generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue through games, concerts, and family events.
At the crux of the letter, it said that they want to make sure the people who attend games, concerts, and events feel safe.
In the letter, they highlight the slow response times when they need Portland Police.
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The letter says in part: “We have experienced unusually long response times from public first responders on non-event days, some in excess of 10 to 20 minutes when calling for assistance. We know these response times are caused, not by any lack of dedication, but by the current public safety staffing shortages at the city.”
The letter goes on to say: “If the public safety staffing level worsens, response times could be exacerbated. The same extended response times that impact us also impact fans, families, and small businesses across Portland.”
Both the Blazers and Timbers employ their own security on their campuses and pay overtime for public safety staff for every game and event at their own expense.
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