Know Your Rights

Know Your Rights

The Know Your Rights page is meant as a tool for people experiencing homelessness and poverty, social workers, organizers, journalists, and the general public. Street Roots is solely responsible for the material on the Know Your Rights page.

Your Basic Rights: Whether or not you are a United States citizen, you have rights under the United States Constitution. You have the right to remain silent, and the right to say no to a search of you or your belongings. Police may detain you for questioning if the officer has reasonable suspicion that you have been involved in a crime. Police may pat down your clothing if they suspect a concealed weapon. But you do not have to consent to any further search of yourself, your belongings, your house or your car.

If you think your rights have been violated, the following organizations may be able to help you.

The Independent Police Review Division has five primary responsibilities:

  • Receive citizen complaints alleging misconduct by Portland police officers.
  • Monitor investigations conducted by the Bureau’s Internal Affairs Division (IAD) and conduct joint or independent investigations if necessary.
  • Report on complaint and investigation activities and recommend policy changes to prevent future problems.
  • Hire a qualified expert to review closed investigations of officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths and report on policy and quality of investigation issues.
  • Coordinate appeals filed by citizens and officers with the CRC and City Council.

The following are laws often enforced against people experiencing homelessness:

How do I appeal a park exclusion? If the exclusion notice box has been checked on your issued exclusion, you may appeal the exclusion by filing an appeal at any Portland Police Bureau Precinct. Your appeal must be in writing and filed within 10 calendar days of receipt of this exclusion notice. If you appeal the exclusion, your exclusion will be stayed pending resolution of the appeal.
Precincts: Central, 1111 SW 2nd Ave; Southeast, 4735 E. Burnside St.; East, 737 SE 106th St.; Northeast, 449 NE Emerson St.; North, 7214 N. Philadelphia Ave.
Arrest Information: If you have received an exclusion notice and you enter or remain in or upon the Park listed on your exclusion you will be subject to arrest for Criminal Trespass II.

  • Property Recovery from Police Bureau. If your property has been confiscated by Portland police for safekeeping or during arrest periods, you can retrieve it at the Property and Evidence Division of the Portland Police Bureau. At the time the property is confiscated, the officer is required to provide you a property receipt. A second receipt will go with the property. You will need to present that receipt, and preferably a photo ID, to the Property and Evidence Division to retrieve your belongings. If you have lost the receipt, call the property office for instructions. You may authorize someone else to pick up your property, but only with a notary or authorized witness. Property is held for a minimum of 60 days. Property and Evidence Division of the Portland Police Bureau is located at 1132 SW 17th Ave., PDX, 503-823-2179, Hours: 10AM to 4PM, Monday-Friday. Closed noon-1PM for lunch.

Busker Rights: Street Musician Partnership.

Tenant Rights

FInd out everything you need to know at Community Alliance of Tenants.

Foreclosure Rights

How to prevent Foreclosure

Other legal services, including legal contacts for seniors, youth, tenants, and much more