how secure... (Portland, Beaverton, Beaver: crime, neighborhood, places to live)

[ElGreco]

I found::

"secure places to live as listed in Farmers "You Be - 12/2/2007
20 17
Sam
Portland, OR
I was amazed to see Portland, Vancouver, Beaverton listed as secure cities. I have lived here 40 years and see crime on a daily basis. I do not live in a bad neighborhood, yet there are always precautions needed to protect myself from the bad element of our community. Many levels of crime occur in Portland and even more problems preventing a secure feeling. I am not alone as many I have talked to feel the same way. I dont know who could have called Portland a secure city unless they were a criminal. We have crooked leadership, we dont respect the police or educators, we fear them! We have more than our share of crackheads and there are many places in town we wont go unless daylight and armed. Secure place to live......not a chance! By the way, I am planning to move out of the Portland area soon because of this growing problem."

Is it true, please?

[EnricoV]

Not a bit. I'd say the criminal was more likely the writer, himself.

Of course there is crime in Portland. But it does tend to be more property crime than crime against your person. Which I can deal with, given that nowhere is crime free. There's nowhere I feel insecure, as a rule. And the notion that one needs to be armed is ridiculous. I'd trust the police with my life, but then, I'm not a criminal. The politicians, sure you get a bad egg now and then. But then, I rarely vote for any of them (my politics being different than 75% of the city's), so I can feel smug when it happens.

We can only hope that "Sam" is long gone from town.