Portland preschool demands county halt plan for deflection center [Video]

PORTLAND, Oregon — A preschool in Southeast Portland is stepping up its objections to Multnomah County’s plan to open a drug deflection center nearby, and a lawyer for the school sent a letter to the county this week threatening to sue if the development of the center isn’t halted ahead of the planned Sept. 1 launch.

Oregon House Bill 4002, passed earlier this year, recriminalizes possession of hard drugs starting Sept. 1 but also allows counties to set up programs to give offenders a chance to “deflect” into treatment instead of going to jail. The planned facility at 900 Southeast Sandy Boulevard will serve as a physical first step in that process, where police can bring detained offenders to get them connected with treatment.

But …