Riverdale Dunthorpe Patrol, Inc.

10/08/2024

I could be much better about sharing what we do in our patrol area. I occasionally hear from people, "We don't subscribe to your service because we don't travel." Yes, for the residents who support our presence, we perform helpful tasks when you are away. However, that is not our primary purpose, and it is not the limit of our services.

We are a security resource that acts as a deterrent to crime. The crime rate in our patrol area is much lower than in the adjacent neighborhoods. We also answer the phone and respond to reports of suspicious people. Yes, your taxes pay for police services, but their response policies and availability may not be what you hope for or even expect. Today is a good example.

This afternoon, I received a call from a client that a "presumably homeless man" with a sword just opened the packages on my porch and consumed some of the contents before leaving. This client reported that the man was carrying a sword and is now moving North along Highway 43 (Riverside Dr.). I told the client I would respond and asked her to notify the police. I responded to the area and found the man. I pulled over and attempted to converse with the man while waiting for the police dispatch center to answer the phone. The man refused to talk to me and kept walking. I followed him while the police dispatcher told me, "We have received numerous calls regarding this person." and "The police have already contacted him and would not be sending anyone out to speak with him again." I ensured she knew that the person had committed a crime (theft) and was not just walking in public with a 3-foot-long sword. She stated that the victim had already called about the theft and that police would contact the victim to follow up.

I was wholly disappointed and frustrated with the response, so I reached out directly to a Deputy I thought might be on duty. He stated that he was already on a high-priority call and would work on this incident as soon as possible.

I followed the man all the way to the Sellwood Bridge before responding to the next call to me about a "man riding a motorcycle opening mailboxes and checking on houses." While I am searching for the motorcycle rider, Riverview Cemetery workers called me to tell me that the man with the sword is now wandering around their buildings.

Yes, I've done a poor job of publicizing the work we do on a daily basis. This incident has given me an opportunity to emphasize the value we provide to the neighborhood. We responded when the Portland Police wouldn't, and the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office was delayed. If the dispatcher had told me that the police were on their way, I could have followed this person until he was contacted and arrested. Now, we may never see this person again, and he will continue to terrorize and commit crimes. At least it won't be in our patrol area anymore today.

If you want to discuss how we can help you or if you want to support our services, please call me. I will answer the phone.

01/18/2024

South Palatine Hill Rd is still closed between Breyman Ave. and Riverside Dr. because a truck is blocking most of the road. This young driver just drove around the “Street Closed” signs and proved that there not enough room to drive around the truck without getting stuck in the ditch.

01/18/2024

12:30 PM Thursday. I just watched this tree fall and damage utility lines around the Cornett from the tree that was previously across Military Rd. Already reported to PGE.

01/18/2024

Three winter weather updates:

1. One travel lane has been cleared through the downed tree on S. Military Road near S. Aventine Ave. PGE crews will be working on the lines in that area, so it may not be passable when working there.

2. I spoke with a PGE Supervisor for about 30 minutes at 11PM on Wednesday evening. She said she will have at least two crews working in the area tomorrow morning. They did some work on the north side of the college and some work on Military Rd., but it became obvious to her that the information she was getting from her dispatchers did not match what she was seeing in the field. She sent her crews home at 10:30PM while she stayed to sort out what was actually true. I was able to express the true nature of the 180 home outage. She has a better idea regarding the scope of the problem and promised me that she would be working on it tomorrow after her crews got some rest.

3. With the warming temperatures, frozen water pipes will thaw. That is when you will learn if you have any breaks spewing water. Even if you didn't lose power, it was cold enough that pipes on exterior walls or poorly insulated areas like garages might have frozen. I know of three homes that never lost electrical power but are dealing with broken pipes already.

12/05/2023

This new email newsletter describes why I want you to "Leave a Light On." Read here:

09/30/2023

Sat. morning we received 3 calls regarding 4 vehicle break-ins that occurred overnight Thursday and Friday. One of the incidents included the theft of a vehicle because a key was left inside. Two included the theft of a purse from the vehicles. Read vehicle security tips here:

Vehicle Security Vehicles are common targets of thieves. When thieves are checking vehicles, they are looking for something they can steal where the risk is less than the reward. If you leave your vehicle unlocked, thieves will open the door and search for something of value to take. If you lock you...

02/26/2023

Quick update on Dunthorpe road conditions on Sunday, Feb. 26th.

02/24/2023

Quick video update about road conditions in the Dunthorpe area as of 9AM on Friday, Feb. 24th.

12/07/2021

We received a couple of calls today asking about a "home invasion robbery" that was mentioned in a private Facebook group for neighborhood parents. I have spoken with the victim and want to get accurate information published.

The burglary occurred during the evening of Nov. 29th. The homeowner left the house for a short time around 5:30PM to pick up a child from sports practice. Whey they left, they didn't lock their front door. Upon returning home, they found the front door open and a new computer had been stolen from their home office located near the front door. It appears that the burglar did not go into other areas of the home and left after a brief time inside the house.

This is the time of the year when more people are ordering holiday gift items delivered to their homes. This increased delivery activity will attract "porch pirate" thieves. Thieves will also be interested in mailboxes hoping that you have small items or gift cards waiting.

Please use this incident as a reminder to remain diligent during the hectic time around the holidays.

09/27/2021

Around 2:30AM on Sept. 26th, we received a call from a resident on S. Radcliffe Rd. near S. Riverside Dr. (Highway 43) that a prowler had set off a car alarm. When reviewing video, they found that the prowler had accessed another of their vehicles.

People have posted on NextDoor in surrounding neighborhoods that they have also been victims of car prowlers. Please practice good vehicle security habits. Don't leave valuables like phones, wallets, purses, bags or briefcases visible and lock your vehicle doors.

As shown in the attached video, the prowler attempts to open a vehicle that is locked before moving on to the next vehicle that he does find locked. He looks into the vehicle prior to checking the door and when he finds the door unlocked, he proceeds to check the center console and glove compartment storage areas.

06/25/2021

On June 23rd, 2021 RDP Security Officer Duncan was notified of the theft of a purse that had been stolen via an open house window. The victim shared video of the backyard showing the suspect enter the yard from the railway tracks to fill some gallon sized water jugs, then return to the yard and leave with the stolen purse. Officer Duncan found items from the purse South of the victim's home on the tracks and forwarded the videos to the Lake Oswego Police Department. On June 24th, a Lake Oswego Police Officer found the suspect. Security Officer Duncan then coordinated with Officers of the City of Lake Oswego, Police Department and Deputies from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office to effect an arrest of the suspect.

Below is an edited (shortened) video showing the suspect walking South on the Willamette Shores Trolley tracks, approaching the victim's residence and the suspect's activity in the yard.