Watch Live: Jo Ann Hardesty speaks about Rethink Portland initiative

Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty talks about her new community safety initiative, Rethink Portland.

"So much has happened that led us to this moment," Hardesty said. "Too many decades of people demanding change have gone by, only to be met with too many decades of status quo policing. We need to rethink how we keep our communities safe, and Portlanders safe."

[DavidJohnson-tvnn]

It appears that what Hardesty means by talking to the "community"... Is that she's talking to fellow like minded left wing extremists.

[ralphbieker]

, HARDESTRY, IS JUST ANOTHER PORTLAND FREEK SHOW !!!

[BallSackLunchTime]

Wow. People actually allow this person to hold office. Time to get my gear together... I'm getting my family the hell out of this absolutely insane town.

[mgillee]

PLEASE PLEASE READ THE COMMENTS. NO ONE LIKE HER PLAN, OR HER METHODS TO DATE!!! SHE IS NOT HELPING PORTLAND!!!

[jenstekat]

Yeah. So how about the person who actually calls 911 let them decide if they need a police officer? If you belong to Joannes
community(activists) then you can call 912 and get your counselor, emt, and 'peer support person'(fellow activist). Clearly she
is in a dangerous mindset when boarded up businesses and a few dumpster fires are perfectly fine. It is insulting for her to use
the word community when she only hears who she wants.

[BJoySen]

As someone born in Oregon, raised in PDX, you are embarrassing JoAnn. You should have stayed in Baltimore (where you would have fit in perfectly) instead of coming here to ruin our city. You have been instrumental in ruining Portland.

[joestaloch]

Shootings are up 243%. Your doing a great job.

[andrewstevenjo]

Locals, bear in mind no matter how upset you are with Wheeler, if Iannarone wins, she will put the PPD under this woman. Can you say "Hindenburg explosion?" Also, remember to vote down her ballot measure 26-217, which may not past legal scrutiny anyway.

[lindawalker]

People that make remarks on what's happenin here in Portland that live in other states obviously have opinions based on rumor and not facts.

[lindawalker]

Glad to see you're working on these important complex issues that haven't really been addressed regarding the police. There are so many examples that show that the police need support from the mental health community to deal with those that are suffering episodes. I hope the police see this as a way for them to work more effectively and that their own stress on the job can be alleviated by working with others that can take some of their burdens off their shoulders, especially when they aren't equipped or trained for those burdens. Keep up the good work.

[sulmona]

She only classifies 1 night in the 4 months as an actual riot?
Maybe she should go stand with the police a few nights and see the kind of stuff that is getting thrown at them and what is happening to local businesses. A few broken windows is all she sees going on in the protests?
I completely agree though with police should not be dealing with the homeless (but something has to be done about the homeless in portland) and they shouldnt have to deal with mentally ill people all the time. Unfortunately Portland is literally filled with mentally ill and homeless.

[kenny]

she doesn't understand the word, "reduction"

[dragonflyearthmedicine]

Thank goodness for Oregon and Portland!! We are living in oppressive times. We need to make a stance. It's the American way.