Troutdale advisory committee plans October town hall on police, fire and EMS

The Public Safety and Equity Advisory Committee voted to move forward with planning a hybrid town‑hall/open‑house tentatively scheduled for the first full week of October, the committee chair said at the May 7 meeting.

The meeting—organized by the Citizen Advisory Committee and supported by the advisory committee—will combine an open‑house format (tables and resource displays) in the early evening with a later presentation and Q&A focused on police, fire and emergency medical services, the chair said. Committee members asked that the event include clear, easy‑to‑scan materials and an opportunity for the public to submit questions in advance.

Committee member Frank said the town hall should help residents understand options and trade‑offs, while Committee member Sherry suggested including community‑oriented programs such as cadets and neighborhood watches. "We want the community to come out and meet officers," the chair said, adding that organizers hope to include information about costs and service options so attendees have a realistic sense of choices before City Council consideration.

Nick, representing Multnomah County public‑safety partners, told the committee he is working with regional partners on outreach and advised including county resources in the town‑hall materials. "We were doing traffic enforcement and a lot of times engage in community policing efforts like handing kids a county patch instead of issuing a citation," Nick said, describing small efforts that can improve community relations.

The committee discussed logistics—possible dates (Oct. 6–8), multiple times to reach different audiences, use of First Friday and other community events for promotion, and materials such as QR codes to link residents directly to resources. Members also recommended including presentations on neighborhood safety tools (adopt‑a‑block, emergency‑kit guides) and invitations to partner groups such as Safe Routes to School.

Next steps: the chair said committee members and CAC staff will refine a program and ask the City Council for formal blessing; the committee’s working group will track details and report back at future meetings.