By Brian Hoop
If you think you’ve been hearing more noise from late night street racing this past year, you’re not alone. While street racing has been around since the creation of the automobile, there are reasons for the increased presence this past year.
Based on conversations with several Linnton resident eyewitnesses, speed racing was occurring in Linnton this past summer and fall along St. Helens Rd. The vast majority of reports indicate racers prefer the wide industrial streets of North and Northeast Portland and take place most often on Sunday evenings along Columbia Boulevard and Marine Drive. Chances are the noises we hear in Linnton are coming from around Terminal 5 and 6, near Kelley Point Park, with their multiple large industrial parking lots.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, speed racing is a Class A traffic violation. While racers can lose their vehicles on the spot and face thousands of dollars in fines, apprehending racers is difficult. Prosecution is even more elusive as their primary deterrent – towing away cars whose drivers have no insurance or a suspended license – has been taken away by recent court cases.
According to Keven Allen, a Sergeant with the Portland Police Bureau, the agency used to have an active dedicated team within the Traffic Division that was on alert weekend nights and utilized social media for public education to deter participation. However, in an Oregon Public Broadcasting interview, Feb. 12, 2021, Allen noted societal disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, police resources shifted to respond to protests, and recent budget cuts limiting police resources.
Police can’t send just one patrol car. They must come up with a multi-patrol response to ensure safety not just for the police but for pedestrian bystanders. Even if they apprehend anyone, prosecution is difficult without evidence tied to a specific person, at a specific time, tied to a specific crime. More importantly, their primary focus continues to be responding to higher priorities including robberies, assaults, and sex crimes.
If you are going to call police to report speed racing on St. Helens Rd., please call the non-emergency number at 503-823-3333. 911 is for situations involving an immediate threat to life or property. The same dispatchers are answering calls for both.
Who to call for noise complaints:
• Vehicle noise, including street racing – non-emergency police dispatch –
503-823-3333
• Residential-to-residential animal noises (barking dogs) – Multnomah County Animal Services 503-988-7387
• Roosters, and urban wildlife – Bureau of Planning and Sustainability 503-823-1174
• Aircraft-in-flight issues (helicopters too!) – Port of Portland 503-460-4100
• Railroad issues – Federal Railway Administration – 1-800-724-5998
• Noise from human voices – covered under Oregon’s Freedom of Speech rights (unless voices are so loud as to be considered “disturbing the peace”, then non-emergency police dispatch at 503-823-3333, and an officer can assess whether it falls into this category)
• Garbage/recycling noise – Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
503-823-7202