Original Article07/09/2011
By Mike Benner
PORTLAND -- On Thursday afternoon Portland police officer Heidi Brockmann checked up on registered sex offenders, the way she has for the last several weeks, but this time officer Kim Liday is tagging along.
"I just wanted to go out there and make sure these folks were doing what they were supposed to," said Liday.
The 12-year veteran of the bureau was on her first assignment with Sex Offender Registration Detail. Officer Liday was one of 26 new officers who recently joined the team. The team now has 45 officers, the most it has ever had.
"I can't think of a better sort of criminal to make sure they're doing what they're supposed to," said Liday.
- I can. Murderers, gang members, drug dealers, DUI offenders, to name a few.
"It's a huge population group to have to deal with," Brockmann added.
There are 620 sex offenders for every 100,000 people in Portland. That is the largest sex offender population for a city of Portland's size.
"Some of it has to do with the justice system and people's perceptions about giving people a second chance, letting them rehabilitate," said Brockmann.
Brockmann did not say the high numbers make Portland a dangerous city to live in. She said not every sex offender is predatory.
"You have people who just made mistakes when they were young and ended up with that label," she said.
SORD and its new officers will keep a close eye on all offenders, predatory or not.
"As long as they're willing to let me be part of the team, I'm happy to do it," Liday said.
A federal grant made it possible for SORD to add the new resources. The grant will last for a little more than a year.
