november 17. 2000 » J u s t
Now that the mayor has come
to the police chiefs defense,
where do we go from here?
KEX
NEWS
Stories by Jonathan Kipp • Photos by Marty Davis
s many speculated, Mayor Vera Katz came out in
strong support of Portland Police Chief Mark
Kroeker in response to an outcry concerning com-
ments he made about homosexuals a decade ago.
During a highly anticipated press confer
ence Nov. 9, she said the controversy came
down to one key question: C an he separate his
personal religious views from his professional
conduct? Katz thinks he does just that— and
will continue to.
“I have determined that he manages his
duties without bias and will continue to do so,”
she said. “His performance has met my expecta
tions. I have asked Mark Kroeker to stay.”
Kroeker was met with a mixture of criticism,
confusion, disdain and support when the Port
land Alliance found and released three audio-
tapes of old speeches he gave to conservative
Christian organizations about 10 years ago. The
The Sexual Minorities Roundtable
ppleu with its role in the controversy
ring its regular November meeting
recordings were available for sale on
the Internet but since have been
removed at his request.
In the tapes, Kroeker made dis
paraging comments about homosexu
als and blamed the AIDS epidemic on
a society unwilling to legislate morali
ty. He also supported the submission
of women, advocated for physical
punishment of children and equated abortion
with murder.
Kroeker has been at the helm of the bureau
for almost a year. He came to the City of Roses
after serving more than three decades at the Los
Angeles Police Department.
*
J*i t'
I
have determined that he
manages his duties without bias
and
will continue to do
His performance has met
m y expectations. I have asked
Mark Kroeker to stay.
—
Mayor Vera Katz
Kroeker’s year has not been without contro
versy. He’s been criticized for his handling of the
May Day protests and for creating what some call
a paramilitary bureau, complete with more con
servative dress and grooming axles for his officers.
A search for information
K
midst of the controversy. Upon her return, she
set aside an entire day to speak with members of
the faith community, gay and lesbian police offi
cers, leaders of the sexual minorities community
and experts on ethics and diversity issues. The
press was not allowed into the meetings.
After these discussions, the Police Chief
Concerns Group, a consortium of gay and les
bian community leaders, drafted a letter asking
atz was on vacation when Portlands top law
enforcement officer found himself in the
T urning
Continued on Page 24
T able
the
Roundtable unsure of role in controversy
he Sexual Minorities Roundtable will come
together Nov. 21 to discuss its role in the
controversy concerning Portland Police Chief
Mark Kroeker. The special meeting, scheduled
for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the 15th floor of the Jus-
tice Center, is open to the public.
Regular members of the roundtable will
attempt to clarify what actions the group should
take during the coming weeks. The results will
be discussed during a special community meet
ing Dec. 2.
T
W hen a n ordinary
R e a lto r s im p ly w o n 't d o ...
Each quarter, the roundtable will gather on a
Saturday afternoon at Multnomah County's Cen
tral Library. Members hope the alternative time
and place will allow a more diverse group of citi
zens in the sexual minorities community to attend.
The roundtable has been criticized for not
being more accessible to the general population.
Sexual minority youth have been particularly
outspoken about their dislike of the meetings
being held during school hours and at the police
headquarters.
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