Recent In-Custody Death Reignites Calls For a Police-Free Crisis Response System

The death of Damon Lamarr Johnson while in police custody has sparked renewed scrutiny of Portland's mobile crisis response systems. Johnson, 52, died after struggling with officers who had been called to his apartment due to erratic behavior. During the encounter, he was restrained face down for several minutes before losing consciousness. Police did not summon Project Respond, a 24/7 mental health crisis service, which could have provided assistance. Chief Bob Day stated that he prefers law enforcement not to be the default responders for mental health emergencies.

Currently, Portland Street Response operates under limited hours and cannot respond to certain calls, while Project Respond has fewer restrictions. Between 2019 and 2023, Project Respond handled 73,000 calls, with 96% resulting in deescalation. This incident highlights the urgent need to enhance mental health response options in the region.