I
Portland Observer, April 29, 1982 Section II Pag« 3
Police explain review board position--------------
j
by Harris Lavon McRae
" O f course they (the police] don’t
want a citizens review board o f any
kind with all the brutal stunts they
p u ll— somebody needs to watch
them and see what is going o n ."
“ I think that they should be
watched because they are h a lf
crooked."
" I f they have nothing to hide, I
don’ t understand why police o ff i
cials find a review committee so ob
jectionable.”
As a result o f this public concern
regarding the Portland Police D e
partment, a Citizens Task Force on
Internal A ffa irs was appointed to
make a study and to make recom
mendations on how the police inter
nal investigation process might be
improved and how the public confi
dence could be enhanced.
The Task Force’s recommenda
tion caused the Police Internal In
vestigations Auditing Committee to
be created. It will be composed o f
three members o f the C o u n c il,
assisted by City staff personnel and
citizen volunteers charged with the
responsibility o f investigating the in
ternal investigations system utilized
by the Bureau o f Police in resolving
allegations o f police officer miscon
duct. It will review the overall pro
cess and hear certain appeals, filed
cither by the complaining citizen or
the accused officer.
Why do police officials find the
auditing com m ittee so o bjection
able? W hat are the alternatives to
such a committee?
" I'm not in favor o f it because it
isn’t effective; it's a nice idea but it
doesn’t work — it's a sham. I t ’s not
Anti-Kian
Network
organizes
The Portland Anti-Kian Network
is organizing to fight racism. Indivi
duals and organizations o f diverse
social, political, religious, profes
sional, and racial affiliatio n s have
come together because o f their com
mon concern about the resurgence
of the Ku Klux Kian and other hate
groups in the U.S. Their purpose is
to see that the Kian and K lan-like
mentality are defeated and to help
build a strong anti-racist movement
in the Portland area.
Network functions include docu
menting and exchanging in fo rm a
tion on Klan-like activities, as well
as countering these actitivities with
public statements and actions. A
victim advocacy committee will help
find medical and legal assistance for
victims o f racist violence. They will
also publicize and organize response
to such incidents if the persons in
volved so desire.
As part o f the b attle against
racism in Portland, the Network en
dorsed the April 19 school boycott
called by the Black U n ited Front
and p articipated in the A p ril 17
March Against Racism in Northeast
Portland. A letter from the Network
was sent to the School Board, mem
bers were urged to keep their chil
dren out o f school, and money is
being collected to help the BUF with
expenses. By these actions, the Net
work is making the point that racist
violence and institutionalized racism
are not separate issues. The latter
makes racist violence possible by
creating a social atmosphere which
condones racist acts.
Any organization or any in d ivi
dual willing to support the purpose
and activities of the Network can be
a member. Meetings are the first
Tuesday o f each m onth at King
Neighborhood F acility, 4815 N .E .
7th Avenue, at 7:00 p in . For more
information contact Linda Johnson
(C h a ir), 249 8501. T o report in ci
dents, call Linda Roberts at the
M e tro p o lita n H um an Relations
Commission, 248 4187.
W HAT’S HAPPENING
AROUND TOWN t LOOK
FOR EVENTS IN THE
ENTERTAINMENT
SECTION
that we are trying to hide anything. I
know o f no other city in the U .S .
where a review com m ittee o f this
type is working. Portland has peo
ple w ith the same human frailties
and problem s. I d o n ’ t thin k the
make-up here will be different than
anywhere else. I feel that this Audit
ing C om m ittee issue is polarizing
the community and I don’t like it ,"
said Detective David Simpson, from
Portland Police Chief Ron Still’s o f
fice.
One thing that p artic u la rly
bothers Detective Simpson is the
fact that the A u d itin g com m ittee
can independently monitor (he Bu
reau's investigative process includ
ing the exam in atio n o f In tern a l
Investigation Division ( 11D) docu
ments, reports and files. Also, they
would have access to in fo rm atio n
given by informants.
" A r e officers going to tell us
about rumors and information that
they get from informants if they are
going to have to testify to those
kinds o f things? I d o n ’ t think so.
Oakland (California] is a prime ex
ample. Police officers just are not
testifyin g when put in that situ a
tion.”
Recent events such as the " O p -
possum Incident," where police o f
ficers threw dead opposums in front
o f a restaurant, have caused many
citizens o f P o rtlan d to question
whether the "police policing them
selves" is a process that is fair, e ffi
cient, tho ro u g h , responsive and
concerned equally with the rights o f
the complaining citizen and the ac
cused officer.
There have been $159 m illion in
suits filed for public misconduct, a
$500,000 increase in insurance pre
miums, and a $100,000 increase in
legal staff.
M ayor Ivancie recently said that
the city o f Portland has to decide
whether " to fight crime or to moni
tor crime fighting,’ ’ and many citi-
zens feel that a good place to start
fighting crime is w ith in the police
department.
"W e encourage citizens to report
police misconduct. W e investigate
every single com plaint. There is no
need for a review committee because
there are a number o f agencies a l
ready involved in that. A person can
appeal through the Police Bureau to
the C h ie f. They can go to the
M a y o r’ s o ffic e and to any o f the
Commissioners. They could go to
the District A tto rn e y ’ s o ffice, and
say ‘ I was mistreated by the police.’
Civil rights violations can be report
ed to the Federal Bureau o f Investi
gation. They can hire an attorney or
go to the m edia— all o f these o p
tions already exist and the agencies I
mentioned are much more equipped
to handle complaints than a review
com m ittee w ould b e ,” Detective
Simpson said.
" M o re than anything, there is a
need for increased communication
MAYOR FRANK IVANCIE
CHIEF RON STILL
and increased education between (he
com m unity and the police depart
ment. We need a better understand-
ing o f each other. I think that the
police departm ent is m akin g
headway in that area."
PEOPLE WHO DON'T ATTEND
BUS SCHOOL MAT HAVE A HARD
TIME GETTING ANYWHERE.
<3=2
A good education, it is said, will
help a person go far in life.
How very true. Particularly
when that person chooses to go by
bus in Portland, after Septem
ber 5th.
Because as of that
date, the way to ride
Tri-Met will change
considerably. For the
better.
But it will take
a little re-learning by
our riders.
SELF-SERVICE
MEANS
QUICKER SERVICE.
The most important
single improvement coming
September 5th is called Self-
Service. Basically, it means riders
no longer deal with the driver when
boarding the bus. Unless paying cash.
We’ll explain more in a moment,
but first consider ail the advantages:
Quicker boarding and exiting of the bus,
passholders no longer have to dig their
pass out to show the driver, ticket book
holders no longer have to tear off a ticket
for the farebox and, in many cases,
people will be able to board at the rear
doors! Now for some details.
EVERY BUS WILL HAVE TWO NEW
PIECES OF SPEED EQUIPMENT.
The secret is two orange electric
boxes you’ll see on each bus.
The first box is a ticket dispenser
for cash fare riders. After you've depos
ited the exact change into the farebox and
the driver pushes a button, the dispenser
prihts out a ticket.
The other new box is called a val
idator. It’s for use with our new Ten-Ride
Tickets that will replace the cumbersome
ticket booklet. Passengers board the bus,
insert their Ten-Ride Ticket into the val
idator and zap, bam, it gets punched and
♦ i» M
> M
imprinted with date, time, and zone.
There will be a validator inside all
dtx)rs on the articulated buses so those
with Ten-Ride Tickets (or passes) can
board any dtxir.
How does the driver know if
everyone has paid the correct fare? He
doesn’t. That’s where our new Fare In
spectors come in; at random, on every
bus. For those who are trying to get away
without paying, it could be rather embar
rassing. (And expensive, because sur
charge fares are $20.)
THE FASTEST BOARDING
BUSES IN AMERICA.
Self-service has been saving people
time and money for decades. In depart
ATTEND THE TEN-MINUTE BUS SCHOOL NEAREST YOU.
TUESDAY. APRIL 27 MAY 1
1. Fred Meyer
Beaverton
2. Lloyd Center
TUESDAY. MAY I MAY 8
1. Fred Meyer
Ogard
2. Jant/en Beach Mall
TUESDAY. MAY 11 MAY 15
I Fred Meyer Gresham
2. Clackamas Town Center
TUESDAY. MAY 18 MAY 22
1 Natl. TYana. Week Swan Island
*2. Pioneer Square
TUESDAY. MAY 25 MAY 29
1. Fred Meyer
Stadium
2. Oregon City Shopping Ctr.
TUESDAY, JUNE 1 JUNE 5
1 Fred M eyer— Hollywood
2. Tanasbourne Mall
TUESDAY, JUNE 8 JUNE 12
1. Fred M eyer- Ttialatin
2. Roae Festival
TUESDAY, JUNE 15-JUNE 19
1. Fred M eyer— Clisan
2. Washington Square
TUESDAY, JUNE 22 JUNE 26
1. Fred M eyer- Raleigh Hills
2. Lloyd Center
TUESDAY. JUNE 29 JULY 3
1. F Meyei 39th & Hawthorne
2. Clackamas Town Center
TUESDAY, JULY 6-JULY 10
1. Fred M ever— Oak Grave
2. Jant/en Beach Mall
TUESDAY, JULY 13-JULY 17
1 Fred Meyer — Interstate
2. Tanasbourne Mall
TUESDAY. JULY 20-JULY 24
1 Fred M eyer— Gresham
2. Washington Square
TUESDAY, JULY 27-JULY 31
I Fred Meyer — Glisan
2. Beaverton Mall
ment stores, gas stations, laundromats.
And throughout Europe, it’s proven itself
on transit system s for nearly 15 years.
But this will be the first time self-
service has ever been used on buses in
North America. Another first for Oregon.
More importantly, another im
provement for you. And, since self-service
should help us operate more efficiently
and save money, it should also help us
keep future fare increases to a minimum.
YOU'RE GONNA LIKE
WHAT YOU LEARN.
There’s a lot more to Self-Service
than there is room to explain here. Not to
mention the new zones, handy tickets,
direct Eastside routes, etc.
Which is why w e’ve created Bus
School. Three special yellow Tri-Met
buses that are parked throughout the
Portland area and can give you a complete
education on the many improvements
coming Septem ber 5t h.
Check the schedule and plan on
attending. All it will cost you is about ten
minutes. A small price to pay for a good
education these days.
•P nm eei Square « hedule d 11 am 6 .10 pm
hres Sat All o( bet k«cat unis 12 noon
7:30 pm hies Sat
TRI-MET
PHIL’S
Cyclery
>im r RMS
SCHWINN
O ’ © MOICk
»OSS PAWS
A ACCI « 0 0 4
WM’AWfsON All MAMS
281 4 0 3 6
r«i m i i i iit n v H
sip
arai
ON SEPTEMBER 5TH TRI-MET GOES A WHOLE NEW ROUTE.
S i m
SELF SERVICE HANDY NEW TICKETS ■ MORE FAIR FARES • DIRECT EASTSIDE ROUTES
I