The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners heard updates on ongoing efforts to enhance safety and reduce security incidents at Central Library and surrounding areas.
The Sept. 30 briefing included representatives from Library leadership, Workplace Security, the Portland Police Bureau and more.
“This level of coordination is really what our community expects of us at this moment and in all the work we do,” said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “I’m grateful for the expertise and the way you have moved forward with this work very quickly.”
While perspectives on the issues vary, Vega Pederson emphasized, “what is clear is that everybody is committed to the success and safety of our Central Library, and that’s something we can all be grateful for and recognize.”
Multnomah County Library Director Annie Lewis led with an update on security enhancements put in place since the Board’s last briefing Aug. 7 before providing a review of action items still underway, and then sharing an analysis of a proposal to add weapons detection systems.
“The safety and security of staff, patrons and our neighbors is our absolute number one priority,” said Lewis, noting the Library’s investments in safety and security have increased 85% between fiscal years 2018-19 and 2025-26.
Buildings are designed with security in mind, supported by staff training, on-site contracted security, 24/7 security camera monitoring and round-the-clock support from an executive management team.
“We also invest in resources to support patrons experiencing behavioral health or social services needs through a contract with Cascadia that provides Qualified Mental Health Professionals and Peer Support Specialists,” Lewis added.
Security measures already in place
A new Operations Team including City of Portland, County and Library leaders was established July 1. New security measures that have been implemented since then at Central Library include:
- Portland Police Bureau Public Safety Support Specialists (PS3s) conducting library walkthroughs
- Street-based outreach by 4D Recovery, a contractor with the Multnomah County Behavioral Health Division, on the blocks surrounding Central Library
- Four additional security officers
- Security officers stationed at front doors
- Increased perimeter patrols
- Wi-Fi access limited to Central Library’s hours of operation
- Increased exterior building maintenance
- Additional trash cans provided by the City of Portland
- Updated and more prominent library rules signage
- Increased Portland Police Bureau perimeter bike and foot patrols
- Ongoing engagement with nearby businesses
Lewis highlighted a decrease in the average number of incidents since those changes began in July. She also noted that many incidents tracked by the Library are nonviolent.
“The majority of these are trespasses at the library. This can range from reminding people they can’t sleep in the library to disruption of library operations. Generally people leave peacefully,” Lewis explained.
Approximately 1,400 people visit Central Library every day.
“The relative number of incidents to door counts is pretty low. However, the numbers of incidents at Central are higher than other locations,” said Lewis.
Additional security measures in progress
Additional security and improvement measures, set to be in place in the next several months, include:
- Installing vapor sensors in restrooms (pending assessments by County Facilities staff and a review of available products)
- Hosting positive events at Central Library (outdoor events, art installations, etc.)
- Reviewing and updating rules and exclusion guidelines, with recommendations for extending exclusion lengths for drug-use violations
- Temporarily removing some benches for repair and restoration
- Hiring a Library Security Manager
It is "very likely" that the Library would move forward with the installation of vapor sensors that can detect illicit substances in restrooms, Lewis said. Their addition would improve safety by helping the Library both detect and respond to drug-use.
“We’re also updating our weapons policy to be more clear for library patrons about weapons that are excluded from entering the library,” Lewis said.
As part of recommendations made by partner organizations, the Library will launch a new project to improve training and communication between and among supervisors and Inter-Con security staff.
“I’m excited about that project, because it will help us identify areas that need improvement," said Lewis.
Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards asked for a definitive timeline for completing the security items currently in progress.
The Library should know more by the end of November when it can move forward with vapor sensors, pending some variables, said Lewis. Exclusion guidelines, including a revised policy on weapons, are expected by the end of December.
Weapons detection discussion
The Board and Library staff spent significant time discussing one proposal in particular: adding a weapons detection system at Central Library.
Adding metal detectors, wands or bag searches would require developing new policies around the scope of any searches, how searches would be conducted and then what would happen if any items are discovered, among other related issues, Lewis said.
She said the Library compiled a report, analyzed costs, conducted research, completed an equity impact study and engaged different community groups to explore the idea.
“Metal detectors, wands, bag searches for the purpose other than law enforcement are considered an administrative search under Oregon law," she said. “This means searches can only be conducted as defined in the policy of restricting weapons, but not for criminal enforcement.”
Everyone who enters the library would need to be searched equally. Inter-Con security guards, not regular Library staff, would take on that work, Lewis said, requiring them to be “highly trained in accordance with our policies and procedures.”
Currently, the Library cannot restrict firearms carried by concealed handgun license holders, Lewis said. The board recently passed an ordinance, under the Community Safety Firearms Act that was brought forward by Commissioners Shannon Singleton and Brim-Edwards, which will ban concealed weapons in certain County buildings. The County is still working to determine exactly which buildings will be covered by the ordinance.
“If the library buildings are included in that administrative rule,” Lewis said, “we would be able to restrict all firearms, including those with concealed handgun licenses.”
The Library has reviewed one potential weapons detection system, from a contractor called Evolv, which is designed to help reduce queuing compared to more traditional weapons detection systems.
“It uses AI software to take images when it detects metals,” said Lewis.
The Library analyzed the budget for employing weapons detection. Costs to lease a system would be smaller, Lewis said, at about $43,000 annually. But more officers would be needed to operate the system. Costs for operating the system and providing security at the rest of the library could jump to as much as $1 million annually, up from just $300,000 now, Lewis said.
The Library’s equity manager also conducted a racial equity impact assessment, which found that security systems may have a disproportionate impact on people of color, individuals experiencing houselessness and people with neurodiversity, due to implicit or explicit bias.
“I also interviewed library directors across the country,” said Lewis. “We found relatively few libraries that have metal detectors. But some reported positive impacts with patrons adjusting after a period of time.
In New York City and Buffalo, with higher volumes of visitors, the Evolv system was effective at limiting additional barriers to access.
“But we also heard metal detectors can create barriers for those with bags and strollers, and that they are highly dependent on highly trained officers,” Lewis said.
Based on the information currently in-hand, Lewis said, “I do not feel we have enough information to move forward with weapons detection systems.”
She said the Library still needs to answer “important questions about whether and how these systems would work, including testing systems and understanding procedural and operational impacts.”
Lewis said the Library remains committed to working with partners like the City of Portland and the Portland Police Bureau.
“The underlying causes of security that the Library faces are a result of greater systemic issues,” said Lewis. “I respectfully request that the Board continues to advocate for measures and enact policy that will enhance community safety, improve housing affordability, access to mental health care and programs that meet basic needs.”
Board of Commissioners comments and questions
“We must ensure that our Library staff, library patrons and also the broader community feel safe working in or visiting our libraries,” said Commissioner Brim-Edwards. “We need to assess what the County will be doing differently going forward and improve coordination with our partners at the City and with adjacent property owners.”
Brim-Edwards asked about efforts to engage more members of the general public about library access and safety issues at Central Library and inquired how staff would enforce rules such as a ban on unauthorized weapons, particularly if the weapons are not visible.
Currently, Lewis said, if staff see a non-firearm weapon on someone — either in-person or in a bag, and if that person isn’t a threat — staff would approach that person, remind them of the rule and ask them to leave. If the person refuses, staff would then call 911.
In the case of a firearm, staff do not approach. They call 911, and police then verify whether the person has a concealed handgun license.
“We expect we’ll have a library engagement plan," Lewis acknowledged.
“Right now, we’re looking at a strategy of sending a broad message to the community with a link to the survey, but we can think about ways of reaching people more broadly.”
Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon commended staff for the report on weapons detection and the thoughtful consideration on whether it’s the right response.
“Clearly it’s a systemic issue, especially from the level of engagement from the community and workers within our library system,” he said. “They’re talking about getting services to folks who are currently in need.”
He then asked, “Has there been an increase in folks using weapons inside the library?”
Lewis responded that the Library had not seen an increase.
“We’ve seen overall incidents decline, but I’ll have to look at September data to see whether that trend continues,” Lewis said.
Commissioner Meghan Moyer conveyed mixed feelings on weapons detection, and asked what weapons could be prohibited.
“Weapons could be anything from a book to your own hands to instrumentalities, such as dirks, daggers, knives, firearms, etc.,” said County Attorney Jenny Madkour. “So coming up with a definition that is solid, that provides a foundation for notification to members of the community if we are doing weapons detection… we want to have definitions that can be understood by the people who are coming and then by the people who are either enforcing our rules or giving people guidance.”
Moyer asked if the County had met with the City related to the lack of public restrooms in inner downtown, calling it an “unmet need at a volume far beyond what the Library ever envisioned.”
Speakers noted recent progress of shelter opening in parts of Portland.
“I do appreciate the conversation and the collaboration over the last several months,” said Moyer. “But I do worry that it’s been very limited to one geographic block.”
Chair Vega Pederson closed by acknowledging the complexity of the decisions ahead.
“There are going to be a lot of conversations that we’ll have internally as well as externally with the community. I think it’s vital to understand the full impacts of that,” she said.
View the full recording of the board briefing at: youtube.com/live/5SWOGsipnz8?si=Y6DNJ3AZEXye4ch9&t=2820###