By Rachel Richards | CNA Media Team
Mary Tompkins has lived in Concordia for 27 years. She has worked within the criminal justice system for 30 years, and has been in her current role of crime prevention coordinator for inner northeast Portland with the city’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement for the past 12.
Her position involves collaborating with many agencies to respond to citizen concerns about crime and their fears about crime.
Providing public safety community trainings, coordinating Neighborhood Watch and organizing National Night Out events are all a part of what Portland’s nine crime prevention coordinators do.
Responding to concerns from residents is a large part of the job, and Mary said the three biggest issues she hears about are the same citywide: car prowls, property crimes and homelessness. The concerns increase as Portland’s population grows.
Mary and her husband raised their now 21-year-old son here and she loves the neighborhood’s diversity, great parks and proximity to the airport.
She likes seeing young families move into the neighborhood to attend the new state-of-the-art K-8 program developed by Concordia and Portland Public Schools at Faubion.
“Concordia is unique, and I like seeing residents brought together frequently through the neighborhood association, and having the Kennedy School host events for the community, including Race Talks,” she pointed out.
Mary discussed the idea of crime prevention through environmental design – something she is able to work on with local homes, businesses, churches, schools, and for parks and public spaces. In 2016 she was part of a team that received an award for helping transform Holladay Park in the Lloyd District into a safe place via instituting activities to engage youth and families.
What can residents do to help in crime prevention? The Neighborhood Watch program is a great way to get involved in the community, she explained.
Call Mary at 503-823-4764 to get help with organizing, and to receive training for Neighborhood Watch. That includes information on how to report both criminal and noncriminal issues and how to look out for your neighbors.
Mary enjoys making positive changes in local neighborhoods, using creative ideas and knowledge of systems along with an understanding of what it means to be live in northeast Portland.
She helps define what it means to be not just a resident, but a community member.
Rachel is a 16-year Concordia resident who loves her community. She has a background in counseling/education and uses her passion for helping others in her work as a real estate broker. Contact Rachel or learn more about her at RachelRichardsRealtor.com.