For this week’s “Bend Don’t Break” podcast, we talk with to Former Bend Police Chief Jim Porter. After 20 years with the BPD and six years as the head of the agency, Porter retired a few weeks ago. His successor has big shoes to fill.
We cover a lot of ground in this episode: Beginning with Porter’s program to improve officer wellness, we move on to discuss the challenges of answering mental health calls and being charged with managing people without homes. We then dig deeper into the “Defund the Police” movement, the purpose of School Resource Officers, and then end with Porter’s powerful take on the murder of George Floyd. For those interested in police issues and constructive ideas about reforming the system, you won’t want to miss this episode!
