Congratulations, we have almost hit 2000 signatures, and there are no signs of flagging interest in the petition. Today, Portland Police union head Daryl Turner, wrote "It is a recipe for failure to put the burden of homelessness solutions on the Police Bureau's shoulders." We agree. Let’s take the task of responding to people living on the street and those with mental health and addiction problems off the police to-do list, and create a force of trained social workers to help provide services to those in need. If we use fewer resources policing the homeless – repeatedly arresting them, jailing them, and cycling them through the criminal justice system – the city could fund alternatives to this broken approach that are more effective, cheaper and more humane. Let’s let the police target violent crime, and leave the social work to others. Daryl Turner also called Portland a “cesspool,” thus demonizing our neighbors who are homeless. He pushes for more police at the same time as he declares that police should not be the first responders for the homelessness crisis. It’s time for a different way of handling homelessness in Portland. Let’s not succumb to Trumpist dehumanization. Portland is better than that. Special thanks to our latest co-sponsors: Bobbin Singh, Executive Director of Oregon Justice Resource Center (OJRC) Teressa Raiford, candidate for mayor Don't Shoot Portland Village of Hope Jules Boykoff, Professor of Political Science, Pacific University