Well known sporting brand Nike wants to hire off duty police officers at their MLK Portland store. The Nike store at 2650 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. has been mostly closed to the public for months, with little indication whether the closure is temporary or permanent. It remains stocked and staffed. The Nike Community Store has been a staple in its Portland neighborhood, once the core of the city’s Black population, since it opened in June 1984.
Nike officials has said that theft at the store has skyrocketed, hurting the location’s revenue, and that its future is far from certain. Some may also have concerns about the safety of workers. Many want the store back open. Nike also closed the Seattle store. The shoe company did not formerly offer a reason for closing the Seattle store after more than two decades.
Nike said it would cover the cost of officers to secure the Portland store. The company sent a statement to Mayor Ted Wheeler expressing: “Because a safe and secure workplace is essential for our employees, consumers, and communities, we have proposed a sustained and coordinated partnership with the City to better protect employees, consumers, and the community surrounding our MLK Community Store.”
The letter says Nike officials were saddened to close the store “and that they want to reopen it.” Several people associated with the Nike Community store said theft has always been an issue at that location. However, criminals have become brazen and bold. Some do not hide that they are loading up items in a bag and running out of the store. Security guards contracted by Nike are forbidden from physically stopping shoplifters. Off duty cops, however, may take police action if properly reported
Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office said that the city and Portland Police Bureau have been working with Nike executives on addressing retail theft and safety issues. “We are exploring all opportunities available to further support the Community Store, which is an incredibly important and valued space in our city,” the mayor’s office said.
