Matthias Hallett Endorses Safer Portland Initiative, Calls for More Police on the Streets to Restore Safety and Accountability in Portland
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, OR — June 19, 2026 — Matthias Hallett, candidate for Portland City Council District 3, today announced his strong endorsement of the Enhanced Community Safety Initiative, also known as the Safer Portland petition. The measure would dedicate a portion of existing Portland Clean Energy Fund revenue to hire and train hundreds of additional police officers, moving Portland toward the basic standard of two sworn officers per 1,000 residents without raising taxes.
“Portland’s streets have become too dangerous for too long,” said Hallett. “We currently have roughly 1.26 sworn officers per 1,000 residents - far below what a city of our size needs. The result is 20 min response times on shootings, open drug markets, and neighborhoods that no longer feel safe. The Enhanced Community Safety Initiative is a practical, no-new-taxes solution that puts more police where they belong: on the streets, protecting our communities.”
Hallett noted that the initiative directly aligns with the core of his campaign platform: restoring public safety as the foundation of a healthy city.
“Portlanders, particularly those of us in the Black community, have been failed by DSA policies that demonize the police,” Hallett continued. “This petition represents the kind of straightforward, results-focused leadership we desperately need. I’m proud to stand with it and with the tens of thousands of Portlanders who have already signed to make our city safer.”
The Enhanced Community Safety Initiative would amend the city charter to set a minimum staffing level of two officers per 1,000 residents and redirect a share of existing revenue, already being collected, to recruitment, training, and deployment. Proponents emphasize it requires no new taxes and focuses resources on the most basic function of city government: keeping people safe.
Hallett’s endorsement comes as part of his broader “Let’s Put the Love Back in Portland” campaign, which prioritizes safety, economic vitality for small businesses, and real accountability for taxpayer dollars. He has repeatedly called out the failures of the current approach, including the Peacock progressive bloc’s record of shifting resources away from policing and into unaccountable programs that enrich their political allies, and pledged to reverse the damage with common-sense populist reforms.
“Safety isn’t partisan. It’s the baseline expectation every one of us deserves,” Hallett said. “I’m running to deliver a city where families can enjoy their community without fear, where businesses can operate without looking over their shoulder, and where every tax dollar is spent with transparency and purpose. Supporting Safer Portland is a clear first step in that direction.”
Hallett is urging Portlanders to sign the petition and join the growing movement for safer streets. He also called on current City Council members to get behind the measure and stop blocking practical solutions.
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About Matthias Hallett Matthias Hallett is a Portland attorney and small business advocate running for City Council in District 3. With a background in law, entrepreneurship, and service to this country, he is campaigning on a platform of restoring public safety, cutting red tape for local businesses, and demanding full accountability for every tax dollar. His campaign is built on the simple promise to put the love back in Portland through results, not rhetoric.
Media Contact: Laurin Hallett, vote@matthiashallett.com
