(Portland, OR) -- Drug possession is again a crime in Oregon, but penalties for the new misdemeanor vary by county. "Each community is coming up with their own response," Governor Tina Kotek said Friday, "And you will see some communities that will have additional resources for deflection, keeping people out of jail and on a pathway to recovery and treatment." She added, "I have been impressed with how everyone has mobilized to come up with ways to say the first or second time should not be 'go to jail.' It should be 'can we get you into treatment? Can we get you into help?' And, I think across the state, we're seeing counties stepping up, trying to figure that out."

Counties have had five months to work out their plan and 20 expect to have some version of deflection by the end of the year; some are already up and running. Six others are expected in January. "What we're doing now is we want to track what's happening," said Kotek, "So when we go into the next legislative session, we really understand what has been happening on the ground, are we having good outcomes and how we should fund it differently or more, going into next year's budget."

Under HB 4002, a person caught with drugs can avoid jail by agreeing to participate in a treatment program, either before being formally arrested, or during the court or probation process. 

Portland Police say they exercised Oregon's new drug possession law on the first day it took effect. The PPB Central Bike Squad conducted an operation Sunday in and around downtown Portland and arrested four people for illicit drugs; a fifth was cited. Two others qualified for deflection and reportedly accepted services.