6/23/25
BOTTLE DROP IMPACTS
Public safety notes:
PPB has created a trespassing agreement for locations near the 122nd bottle drop.
The Service Coordination Team (SCT) prioritizes the area in their patrols.
Reduced foot traffic.
Drug Dealers wait outside of bottle drop locations. Example report 25-148699.
People have been observed dumping out water bottles to later exchange for money and
drugs.
Businesses like the Market of Choice have experienced repeated thefts of glass milk
bottles, which are then discarded for redemption purposes.
Central Precinct's Bike Squad estimates that over half of their deployment time is spent
within three blocks of a bottle return location.
PPB has investigated after-hours burglaries in which suspects break into businesses to
steal large bags of cans, only to redeem them later for cash, often repeating the same
process multiple times.
PPB contacted one person carrying bags of cans who has had frequent contact with bike
detail downtown. He was cited this morning from Beaverton Transit Center for drug-
related activity. He told PPB that he isn't interested in addressing his substance abuse.
He then entered the Grocery Outlet to redeem cans.
Commander Jake Jensen (East Precinct):
"Anecdotally, the Bottle Drop and the surrounding location has drawn the highest level of police
effort of any location in East Precinct. One of my NRT officers has devoted many hundreds of
hours over the past couple of years to networking with local businesses to get an overall
trespass agreement for the area in place, working with the McDonald's directly south of the
bottle drop to make that place less friendly to drug users and dealers, and identifying and
arresting people committing crimes at the Bottle Drop and in the immediate surrounding area.
Additionally, the SCT missions always include that area, and it is one of the primary locations for
the SCT proactive patrol."
Acting Commander Jason Jones (Central Precinct):
"I conferred with several members of Central Precinct who routinely participate in
weekly and bi-weekly PEMO-facilitated meetings with neighborhood associations,
residents, and business owners. A consistent theme across all of these discussions
involves concerns about chronic drug use and dealing, theft, unsanctioned camping, and
mental health crises, especially in areas surrounding bottle drop locations.
Three bottle drop sites in particular generate the most complaints:
Under the Morrison Bridge at MLK.
The Stadium Fred Meyer location.
Safeway at SW Jefferson and 10th
.
These locations have become hotspots for open-air drug activity and related criminal
behavior, severely impacting nearby residents, businesses, and people simply passing
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through. Despite repeated efforts by patrol officers, Neighborhood Response Team
(NRT) members, and Bike Squad officers to conduct enhanced patrols, the problems
remain persistent.
Residents have shared stories of declining property values, difficulty selling their homes,
and an overall deterioration of livability in proximity to these bottle drop facilities.
Business owners report losing customers and revenue, as the visible disorder deters foot
traffic and fosters an unsafe environment.
Sergeants Arnold and Bernard, along with other officers, have documented sustained
issues at these sites. For example:
The areas near SW 11th/Jefferson, the former Target at 10th/Morrison, and SE
Grand/Morrison have all supported a surrounding drug trade linked to the bottle drop
facilities.
Officers have made multiple arrests of dealers who wait near the SE Grand/Morrison
site to sell to individuals returning bottles. One such case is documented in report 25-
Individuals have been observed dumping out water bottles or milk containers in the
street, stating their intent to redeem the containers to buy fentanyl.
Businesses like Market of Choice have experienced repeated thefts of glass milk bottles,
which are then discarded for the purpose of redemption.
Central Precinct's Bike Squad estimates that over half of their deployment time is spent
within three blocks of can return locations.
The People's Depot has been the site of repeated assaults, including a stabbing as
recently as last summer.
Officer Bernard has investigated after-hours burglaries where suspects broke into
businesses to steal large bags of cans, only to redeem them later for cash, often cycling
through the same process repeatedly.
From our collective experience, these bottle drop locations act as magnets for criminal
activity and individuals in crisis. Their proximity to residential neighborhoods and small
businesses creates ongoing public safety challenges that require strategic attention."
Sergeant Namba (North Precinct):
"My team conducts focused missions at the Delta Park on about a 6-week cycle. Our
last mission was conducted last night in this area. During that time there were roughly
50-75 people lined up along the sidewalk waiting to access the bottle drop for
services. Open air drug used was observed on multiple occasions yesterday and is fairly
common behavior at our Bottle Drop location (1176 N Hayden Meadows Dr). This
portion of the parking lot is frequented by drug impacted individuals who seemingly use
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the proceeds from the Bottle Drop to purchase drugs. This brings along a slew of other
crimes such as stolen vehicles, car prowls, disturbances, and unwanted individuals. The
other half of this issue is that those persons within the city that choose to participate in
low level drug dealing have a captive audience and consumer base. We work with PPB
NOC frequently to arrest and investigate these drug dealers; however, the public
defender crisis means that man of these cases are being set over multiple times and
sometimes dismissed entirely."
Livability Notes:
The city has directed significant resources addressing illegal phone tents, which
frequently pop up near bottle drops to prey on the vulnerable population.
Vacant properties near bottle drop locations attract drug use, nuisance activity and
loitering.
TRIMET has removed bus shelters near bottle drops as a result of drug activity.
TRIMET has had to increase its security presence at bus stops near bottle drops.
The Public Environment Management Office has done numerous site walks in the area
with community members and PPB.
Businesses in the Menlo Park area have had to install fencing, cameras, and security
lights and pay for additional security.
PEMO is working with Broadway Clinic to fence off their property because of drug use
on their property.
Residents have lost access to walkable retail amenities. In the shopping centers near
the Bottle Drop at 555 NE 122nd Ave, Safeway, Target, US Bank, Office Depot, Rodda
Paint, Family Pet, Dollar Store, and Great Clips have all vacated, leaving residents
without a single walkable grocery, home goods store, bank, office supplies, or pet store.
On trash day, neighborhoods near Menlo Park are frequently littered with excess trash
because individuals rummage through neighbors' trash and recycling bins, looking for
cans and leaving garbage on the sidewalks, which blows through the neighborhood.
Hazelwood Neighborhood Association
"Impacts to business:
Vacancies
o Menlo Park Plaza, which is located across the street from the Bottle Drop, has not been
able to get a tenant for the vacant US Bank space which closed during the pandemic.
Possible tenants see the Bottle Drop, the activity happening on Oregon Street across
from the Botte Drop and run. They have also not been able to fill other vacancies in the
commercial park. Walgreens is planning to close their store in this commercial park so
there will be another vacancy soon.
o Glisan Station also has vacancies they cannot seem to fill, although this isn't totally on
the Bottle Drop since there are two county buildings in Glisan Station which attract
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additional unwanted activity where people using drugs tend to congregate, so some of
that is on the county
Cost of doing business
o Every business in proximity to the Bottle Drop has had to add thousands of dollars in
fencing and security to their operational budgets
McDonalds, new fence
Hearing Aid place - new fence, siding replace due to multiple fires
Taco Bell - fencing, landscaping/hardening, added security services. Have had
to close the lobby off to the public and only the drive thru is open now
Menlo Park Plaza Shopping Center - cameras, fencing, signage and increased
security services costs
Glisan Station - increased security services costs
Astro Gas Station - new fence, additional hardening measures
Harbor Freight - Security services costs
Mini Mart - fencing, security cameras
Blackburn Center - fencing, signage, security services
Venture Park Plaza - hardening measures, security services
Naughton Dental - hardening measures, security services
TriMet - new fencing, cameras, removal of bus shelters, increased security
Impacts to community
Inability to safely use transit at 122 and Burnside
o The park and ride, bus shelters and platform are frequently filled with people using and
dealing drugs
Fear and trauma
o Both community surveys conducted by Safe Blocks overwhelmingly report that residents
in Menlo Park Plaza do not feel safe walking around, shopping or using transit in the
area
o Residents have been assaulted, witnessed assaults by people in crisis or committing
theft and been intimidated/threatened by drug dealers operating in the area. Menlo
Park is comprised mainly of people of color, the elderly and low-income residents who
feel powerless to get out their living situation
7 low-income housing developments clustered between Burnside and Stark between 118 and
122 which accounts for roughly 900 units/several thousand residents
o Residents have also reported and exhibited an unwillingness to engage in community
activities/programming in the area due to safety concerns. It is extremely challenging to
get community buy-in for litter events or community fairs at that location because
residents don't want to have to run the gauntlet of drug dealers, drug users, people
passed out on the sidewalks or navigating around large piles of garbage
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o Accessibility issues - sidewalks are frequently blocked by shopping carts filled with cans
and bottles or trash
Measures already taken/in partnership ( with no obvious change)
PEMO
o Street tree lighting by PEMO
o PEMO problem solving group
TriMet
o Increased community safety patrols from TriMet
o Fencing, cameras
Housing Developments
o Included in problem PEMO problem solver meetings and MPBA meetings/activities
o Including in HNA (Hazelwood Neighborhood Association) meetings/activities
MPBA
o Monthly problem solver meetings
o Quarterly-person meetings
o Monthly Litter patrols
o Signage
o Monthly meetings with Cultivate and CCC
o Daily triage and reporting
o Data compilation
o Testimonies for city and state issues
Bottle Drop
o Changed trash pick-up hours to accommodate neighbors
o Signage - provided to MPBA at their request
o Lighting - put shields on lights to accommodate neighbors
o Services Pilot - conducted a 6-week services pilot in tandem with DHS, the county and
Cultivate last summer which wasn't successful because
It failed to connect people to behavioral or drug services ( did not have
literature available on how to access those services, did not have case managers
present)
It mostly consisted of handing out free food, condoms and water - making it a magnet not a resource.