Portland Public Safety Commissioner Urges Caution with 911 Calls Amidst Mass Overdose Crisis

Portland's public safety commissioner has advised residents to only call 911 in life or death emergencies, as the city grapples with a surge in drug overdoses and struggles to address issues of crime, homelessness, and drug abuse. The emergency service hotline has been overwhelmed with calls about fentanyl overdoses, and paramedics have responded to multiple incidents. Despite pouring funds into relief initiatives, little change has been seen on the streets of the city, which has experienced a spike in deaths from fentanyl overdoses since the decriminalization of hard drugs in 2020.