The Central Eastside Together (CET) Board of Directors and Safety Committee has selected Securitas as the Central Eastside Industrial Council’s (CEIC) new safety provider. Securitas was selected after CET held three community conversations, received hundreds of survey responses and evaluated potential security providers through a Request for Proposals process.
Based on community feedback, the Safety Program will prioritize three areas of service—presence, de-escalation and safe walk chaperones. Safety Ambassadors will be present in patrol cars and on foot, deployed district-wide daily, 6 am-2 am. The Safety Ambassadors will be unarmed and wear CET-approved and -branded uniforms.
They will connect with people experiencing houselessness respectfully and compassionately, communicating and coordinating in ways that lead to proactive, positive outcomes for all.
The Safety Ambassadors will also provide chaperone services for individuals needing safety going to/from their cars or public transport with response within 15 minutes. Safety services are available to all who live, work and visit the Central Eastside. For service, call 503.236.6830 ext. 702 or email safety@ceic.cc.
As an Enhanced Service District, CET provides safety, cleaning and district enhancement for Central Eastside businesses and residents beyond the City of Portland’s basic services. These services are funded through a Property Management License fee paid to the City of Portland’s Revenue Division and distributed to CET to steward for maximum community impact.
Carolyne Holcomb, Interim Executive Director of CET and CEIC said, “The Board and Safety Committee have worked hard to identify a new provider; we are confident Securitas is the right partner for our community.” National security firm Securitas has offices in Vancouver, WA.
Community feedback also expressed the importance of improved transparency through reporting and tracking. To address that, some of the incidents that Securitas will regularly track include the number of incidents or requests for services related to vandalism, emergency mental health, police contacts and chaperoned walks, as well as providing an annual report to CET.
“We know that safety is among the top concerns in our community,” said Mike Larkin, CET Board Chair. “We will continue to prioritize safety resources in this area and collaborate with our affiliate organization, Central Eastside Industrial Council, the City and Portland Police Bureau to continue advocating for the businesses, residents and visitors of the Central Eastside.”