Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2000)
nTïTTTTÏÏTTîTïnews n Dec. 23, 1998, Portland Police Officer Damon W oodcock— then a nearly 8-year veteran of the force— went before the City Council to testify in favor of Resolution 1851, which added gender identity to the city’s nondiscrimination policy. “I feel fortunate to be able to say that I have not personally experienced any discrim ination in the work place,” testi fied W ood cock, who began his tran sition from female to male a year earlier. “But I would be naive to believe that the fear and hatred toward those whose gen der identities do not conform to the norm does not exist. Everyone should have the right to feel safe in the workplace. No one should have to fear for their safety while using the restroom or locker facility.” Seven months later, Woodcock, who has received numerous awards and commendation letters during his career with the Portland Police Bureau, would find himself fearing for his own safety. Approximately July 1, 1999, Woodcocks locker at Central Precinct was defaced. The incident occurred after Woodcock had been instructed by former Chief Charles Moose to move into the men’s locker room. Some feel that change was made too abrupt ly, without the necessary planning for a smooth transition. (In other words, one day Woodcock was in the women’s locker room, the next he was in the men’s.) Someone in the guy’s locker room apparent ly didn’t appreciate the switch and scrawled a circle around Woodcock’s locker nameplate, then drew a slash through it. A superior ordered the graffito be cleaned off. Woodcock, meanwhile, was not informed of the episode, and only learned about it a few days later from another officer. Woodcock, who has legally changed his sex from female to male, has called the incident a bias crime, one that has evoked fear for his safe ty- O ngoing S truggle Officer will appeal the denial of his disability claim In an August 1999 letter to Portland city commis sioners, he wrote, in part: “It saddens me to tell you that I was recently the victim of a hate crime by a co-worker.... 1 am writ ing to put you on notice that I have been victim ized, threatened and harassed in my work place, and I fear for my physical safety. I won der how members of the sexual minority community can ever truly feel safe when minority officers can’t even feel safe in the workplace.” According to Detective Sgt. Mike Hefley, the bureau conducted a criminal investigation, but no suspect was ever identified. Woodcock also requested a transfer to the Tri-Met police division, to no avail. WcxxJcock, who hasn’t been back to work since July, filed a work-related stress claim. A few days ago, on April 11, members of the Portland Fire and Police Disability and Retire ment Board rejected Woodcock’s disability claim by a 5-5 vote following a two-day hearing. “I’m disappointed in the lack of bureau sup port. I believe it sends the wrong message to the entire community. I’d like to thank those mem bers of the board who offered their support,” Woodcock told Just Out via e-mail. “Obviously, I don’t agree with the stand the bureau has taken with regard to my disability claim. We will be appealing the board’s decision and letting the legal system take its course.” Portland Mayor Vera Katz, who sits on the board, backed Woodcock’s claim. Police Chief Mark Kroeker, also on the board, opposed it. As for how the bureau handled his situation from the get-go, Woodcock says: “I don’t believe there has been much contention among the rank and file that things could have been handled bet ter by management.... Due to the ongoing inves tigation, I can’t discuss the details of the case. But 1 believe even the bureau agrees that this sit uation could have been managed more sensitive ly with respect to all involved.” by Inga Sorensen The Portland Police Bureau has been hailed by some as a model for advancing acceptance of sexual minorities, due in large part to its Sexual Minorities Roundtable, a monthly gathering of queers and cops at Central Precinct. The round table is open to anyone from the queer commu nity who wants to participate. At the same time, Woodcock’s attorney, Lynn Nakamoto, notes “there clearly have been some complaints both internally and externally” by bureau members who are sexual minorities. Most notable is a lawsuit A u fu n 9 .1 9 9 9 brought by Mike Garvey, a Portland police captain. Com nBM iooar Dan Saitzm an In 1998, he filed a federal civil 1221 SW 4 * Avenue. Room 2 3 0 rights lawsuit against the city of Portland. O R 9 7 2 0 4 -1 9 9 4 Portland, alleging Mayor Vera Katz and then-Chief Charles Moose dis D ear Com m iaaiooer Saitzm an: criminated against him due to his I am a p olice o fficer fo r the C ity o f Portland. I have been a fu ll-tü n e o ffice r fo r nearly sexual orientation. Earlier, Garvey, eigh t y e a n , and I w ar a reeerve o ffice r fo r th e city fo r aia y e a n prior to b e u g h in d . I have w o tted a t C entral P recin ct, with the exception o f m in in g tra n rfen , fo r my who is gay, came under fire from entire career. 1 have received num erous awards and and com com m m endedoe endasi«» lectern during u.—----------- _______aids m y _____ superiors because of allegations he with the Portland P olice Bureau. I have been an ‘o u t' sexual m inority o ffice r fo r the peat seven y ean , la the rum m er o f 1997 I cam e to realize I am transgendered. and in had paid male prostitutes for sex. D ecem ber o f 1 9 9 7 1 began the transition from fem ale to m ale. In 1996, a grand jury refused to I testified before you and the C ity C ouncil on D ecem ber 2 3 , 1998 regarding the passage indict Garvey, who was demoted o f R esoiuboo 1851, w hich added gender identity to the c ity 's noo-disenm inatioa policy. In that testim ony 1 stated the fo il ow ing: from commander to captain. The lawsuit maintains Moose held a "1 feel fortunate to be able to say that I have not personally experienced any discrim ination in th e w o rt place. B u t it would be naive to believe that the fear “discriminatory animus toward and hatred tow ards those w boee gender Identities do not conform to the norm gay males.” does not exist. I am here to tall you it does e x is t Everyone should have the right to feel safe ia the w ork place. No one should have to fear fo r th eir safety w hile Says Norm Costa, co-chair of using the restroom o r lock er fa c ility ." the Sexual Minorities Round It saddens m e to have to tell you that I w as recently the victim o f a hale crim e by a co table: “We seem to have a good w orker T h is incident occurred after having m oved into the m en 's locker room at C entral working relationship with the P recin ct 1 am w riting to put you on notice that I have been victim ized, threatened and harassed in my work p lace, and fea r fo r my physical safety. I w onder how m em bers o f bureau...but what happened to the sexual m inority com m unity can ever truly fe el safe when m inority o fficers c a n 't even feel safe in the w ork place. Damon should not be tolerated.” Still, Costa says he’d like It is my hops that this incident w ill be used to create positive change w ithin the P olice Bureau so that all it's m em bers can feel safe in the work place. more information. “Neither side will say much about it, so it’s really hard to know," he says. For his part, Woodcock is encouraging mem ing to foster comm unication between the bers of the queer community to attend the bureau, its minority members and all the monthly Sexual Minority Roundtable meetings. minority communities is the key to making “Be active and let your voice be heard. C on progress. Clearly this incident has highlighted tinue to educate the police bureau on minority the need for the bureau to work even harder at issues. Continue to hold the police bureau gaining and regaining the trust of the commu accountable for its actions and words,” he says. nity.” “If you are a queer officer, I would encourage you to attend as well. If you come into contact with ■ For questions or comments about Just O u t’s the police, be truthful, cooperative and respect Northwest, national or world news coverage, ful. That goes a long way toward the outcome of please send an e-mail to News Editor I nga the encounter.” S orensen at inga@justout.com. W estov er H eights Columbia County’s Premier Real Estate Resource. Country living only 20 minutes from downtown Portland. 3otui 1. Scott RIAL ««TATI a . S i w w w .coium Diacoum ynom exom www.johnlscott.com jenniferpugsley ©johnlscott.com 503-543*3751 (o) 503-313-8130 (c) Kroeker, meanwhile, reportedly has urged Woodcock to return to work. To that notion, Woodcock says: “W hen I am medically able to return to work, I intend to do so. It has been my intention from the beginning to positively resolve this situation.” He adds: “Overall, I think the bureau is moving in the right direction. But it still has a long way to go. Sometimes it takes a few steps backward, as it has in my case. I was stunned to hear that the police bureau has concluded that the vandalism to my locker was not even a crime, let alone a hate crime. “Personally, I find that very frustrating, especially in light of the fact that this very issue of police not recognizing hate crimes is a topic frequently discussed at the Sexual Minorities Roundtable,” Woodcock concludes. “Continu- C L I N I C Offering general internal medicine and excelling in sexual health care Serving the community for 17 yearo 2330 NW Flanders Suite 207 226-6678 •1:3 su e K? does I d y e r ■ | Get work NOW that: pays your true WORTH, has a real FUTURE, FLEXES to your schedule, includes | top TRAINING, contributes to good HEALTH and the environ ment, is FUN, makes you PROUD, puts you in the world’s FASTEST GROWING industry. NO BULL!
