PORTLAND — Multnomah County plans to spend $1 million to hire four prosecutors and two investigators to help with an increasing caseload of homicide investigations, District Attorney Mike Schmidt said Thursday.
Sixty-five people have died in homicides this year in Portland, approaching the most ever recorded in the city, which was in 1987 when there were 70 homicides. The vast majority of people have been killed in shootings.
Schmidt is still working with County Chair Deborah Kafoury on getting the money approved, though he said his office is already recruiting for the six new positions.
He and Kafoury were among county leaders who spoke publicly to outline initiatives the county is taking to respond and try to stem the violence.