POLICE COMMISSION
SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT
ON ‘CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT’
The Eugene Police Commission (PC) has
had a tough time getting citizens to show up
at forums on more mundane police policy is-
sues, but the upcoming sessions on police
complaints might stir a better response. The
agenda includes discussion on “civilian over-
sight,” which reform advocates see as an op-
portunity to push for a truly independent po-
lice review board.
The first forum in the series will be from 7
to 9 pm Thursday, Aug. 5 at the Eugene
Public Library Bascom/Tykeson Room. The
session will be facilitated by Marion
Malcolm of Community Alliance of Lane
County and Councilor Bonny Bettman, and
will be co-sponsored by the ACLU, CALC
and the Eugene Human Rights Commission.
Additional sessions with different sponsors
and facilitators will be scheduled after stu-
dents return in the fall.
Bettman says the top priority of the PC in
2005 is refining the complaint process, and
the commission hopes to have a report to the
council, police chief and city manager by
September 2005. The commission is seeking
additional funding for staffing and outreach
for the project.
Bettman says she hopes the sessions will
provide “the broadest possible range of feed-
back” and will result in “more accountabil-
ity” for the police department.
The 12-member PC, appointed by the
mayor and council, has been criticized in the
past for being too “police-friendly” and not
advocating for stronger reforms of EPD, de-
spite widespread allegations of excessive
force, discrimination and sexual abuse. Two
former EPD officers were recently convicted
of sex crimes committed while in uniform.
Bettman says the commission has a mix
of conservative and liberal members and has
made progress in several areas, including
media access during protests, SWAT policies,
use of “spit hoods,” recruitment protocols,
and refinements to the MATRIX system.
“Of course, anyone looking for complete
police reform will not be satisfied with the in-
cremental improvements the PC has been
able to affect from working within the sys-
• The Democratic National Convention
is totally scripted and finely crafted to
energize Dems and swing skeptics, but
it’s still a good show. Will John Kerry’s
words tonight (Thursday) match the
power of Bill Clinton’s “Send Me”
speech Monday night? Does it matter?
Clinton stole the show as the conven-
tion began (he probably couldn’t help
himself) and few expect Kerry to exude
that level of charisma tonight. But we
predict Kerry will hold his own and
maintain the momentum that is driving
the highly motivated and surprisingly
unified Democratic Party ahead to
Nov. 2.
• Some Eugene city councilors are
working this week to get a charter
amendment on the November ballot
that should have great appeal to con-
servatives on the council, but for some
reason doesn’t. The measure would
establish an independent performance
auditor following the unanimous rec-
ommendation of the Charter Review
8 JULY 29, 2004
tem,” says Bettman.
Whiteaker neighborhood leader Majeska
Seese-Green says she’s pleased to see “re-
view of various civilian oversight models”
listed on the flier advertising the Aug. 5
forum. “This is an opportunity to make com-
ments in support of strong independent over-
sight,” she says. “But if people don’t know
that is on topic, they are far less likely to take
the opportunity.”
Seese-Green figures the low turnout at
some past PC meetings is due to “skepticism
about the independence of the commission,
and thus the value of bothering to attend or
comment. … Related to that is a feeling that it
is utterly impossible to affect real change at
the Eugene Police Department.”
Citizens who attend the sessions will be
invited to talk about the complaint process
and how it can be improved. One question
being tossed out for comment is, “What, if
anything, would prevent you from filing a
complaint with the police department?”
Comments can also be submitted by e-mail to
jeannine.parisi@ci.eugene.or.us or mailed to
the commission at 777 Pearl St. Room 106,
Eugene 97401. — TJT
COUNTING DOWN
UNTIL BUSH IS GONE
How much time does George W. Bush
have left in office? Just check your
button, says Matteo Luccio of
Eugene. Luccio is a partner
in a new company, Time
Left LLC, offering fan-
ciful 3-inch buttons
with a display that
counts down the
days, hours, minutes,
and seconds to the
end of the Bush presi-
dency — when the
election polls close Nov.
2.
The digital device will
then reset itself and count down
to the inauguration of our 44th presi-
dent at noon Jan. 20, 2005 . This “Button for
a New Era” can be worn or displayed on a
desk.
The button’s brushed-metal artwork
Committee two years ago. Would an
independent auditor have uncovered
the sexual abuse of women in our
community by Eugene police officers?
Maybe, maybe not. But independent
auditors in other cities spend a lot of
time looking at their cop shops in
terms of both efficiency and account-
ability. As we go to press, the council is
looking at putting a charter amend-
ment on the November ballot to estab-
lish an independent auditor — a posi-
tion that answers not to the city man-
ager, but rather directly to the City
Council. We urge the council and staff
to charge ahead with this referendum
and get ballot language prepared for
approval at the Aug. 9 council meet-
ing.
• Just two hours after we queried Don
Kahle this week about rumors that he
was shutting down <wink>/Comic
News, he sent out a press release
announcing that he’s putting the week-
ly humor magazine on the market.
places the inscription “Countdown to the Day
When Bush Goes Away” over an image of
the inner workings of a pocket watch.
Luccio is one of four partners
around the country involved
in the project. One of his
partners is Fabio
Meacci of Boston, an
electronics engineer
who came up with
the countdown idea
and found compo-
nent manufactur-
ers. Luccio takes
credit for the button
idea, and he will also
process and ship orders
nationwide out of Eugene.
Single buttons can be pur-
chased on-line at www.timeleft.us
for $9.95, with discounts for multiple and
bulk orders.
Luccio says a dozen prototype buttons
were hand-made in Boston by Meacci and
He’s closing down for the month of
August and will print his 500th issue
just in time for the Eugene
Celebration. Looks like the national
subscription version will continue, but
we hope the free little local paper
keeps going as well. Anybody want to
buy a job?
• What’s the noise down at Hempfest
headquarters? A messy internal fender-
bender appears to have followed the
screeching halt of this year’s annual
educational gathering and celebration
(see story 7/15). But the smoke has
cleared and Executive Director Dan
Koozer says he’s still in the driver’s
seat, and down the road he sees a
revived festival Sept. 25-26 in
Washington-Jefferson Park. Koozer
says the bumpy road ahead has a $400
pothole from vendor fees that were
paid in advance and spent on expenses.
Bob Jensen of the Wild Duck and Big
Green Events are reportedly involved in
steering the September fest.
enthusiastically received by delegates at the
Democratic National Convention this week.
The first manufacturing order will be 1,000
buttons.
Time Left LLC has offices in Wyoming,
North Carolina, Massachusetts and
Eugene. — TJT
CITY PANELS LOOKING
TO FILL VACANCIES
The city of Eugene is seeking volunteer
applicants for committees that advise the
City Council, and for one intergovernmental
committee.
The recruitment period opened July 19
and continues through Sept. 24. The City
Council will decide on appointments Oct. 25,
and the appointments begin Nov. 1.
The following groups have vacancies to
fill: Budget Committee: two vacancies;
Planning Commission: two vacancies;
Human Rights Commission: five vacancies;
Toxics Board: three vacancies (must meet
specific criteria); Historic Review Board:
H ou s e P a rt ie s
J u ly 2 9
Hobnob with J o h n Ke r r y /
Jo hn E d w ar d s fans at one of
several Democratic
Convention parties happen-
ing Thursday evening at pri-
vate homes or at public
venues such as the Vet’s Club
and Cozmic Pizza. Get info at
https://volunteer.johnkerry.co
m/event/search or
call 342-8594 or e-mail
grosscup@usalocal.com