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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 1982)
Page 2 Portland Observer, September 8,1962 Sheetrocking workshop set Jordan, Peters debate police review trust generated by this secrecy w ill erode the foundations o f Portland’ s liveability.” Stating that the proposal com m it tee is “ unique to Portland,” Jordan said, “ in the traditional Portland style we have created a committee which provides the proper means to protect the citizen’s right to know and the officer’s right to fairness.” The committee, he said, is just “ the next logical step demanded by recent events to restore trust and confidence in the Bureau o f Police and it ’s bound to save us m oney." This year the city faced over $60 m illion in suits charging police mis conduct and has paid $183,000 in settlements o f some o f these suits. Jordan expects the committee to re duce police misconduct and there fore save money. STAN PETERS Jordan charged Peters and the Commissioner Charles Jordan Portland Police Association with and Stan Peters, president o f the threatening not to do their jo b if the Portland Police Association, de committee is adopted, telling the cit bated the merits o f Bailor Measure izens that “ this citizen committee 51 — the “ police audit committee,” w ill make a tough jo b tougher.” before the City Club on Friday. M r. Peters said that i f it is Jordan, who fired the first shot, implemented officers w ill not en asked, “ Why is the leadership o f the gage in self-initiated arrest activ police association making such a big ities. What he is saying, basically, is deal about the participation o f citi that the police w ill not do their jobs zens in the complaint process?. . . if citizens have an opportunity to “ W hat’s so special about the po look over their shoulders. lice profession that the standards “ That’ s an interesting thing fo r a that apply to other professionals professional to say. I would think a should not apply to them as professional in that circumstance w ell?. . . Why should the police be would try harder to do a better job any different (from other profes — a professional would want the sionals)?” public to see that the work gets done Jordan said that the fact tha: in a professional manner. I f the po Portland is always judged among lice, however, are less professional the most liveable cities is the result than they say they are, then o f its “ unique, nationally recog Portland should take such a threat nized relationship between the peo as a dangerous a ffront. It is an a tti ple, their city and their government. tude that represents danger, not I think it is a rare sense o f team spir only to the profession, but to the it, a trust enjoyed between the citi city and its citizens.” zens and their com m unity. . . Port Saying the issue is one o f trust, land’s livability is the natural result Jordan said the best weapon the Po o f city government working respon lice Bureau can have in its arsenal to sibly with and enjoying the trust o f fight crime is public trust. the people.” Stan Peters said the Police Asso He explained that police miscon ciation is not opposed to citizen in duct resulted in demands by the volvement but “ most certainly is public for citizen involvement in the opposed to Ballot Measure 51.” It complaint process and that these de imposes a bureaucracy that w ill like mands have been denied by the Po ly be expensive and is composed o f lice Bureau. C ity Council members with sub “ Ia m truly concerned that police poena power that compels the atten misconduct and refusal to involve dance o f police and citizens alike citizens discredit the trust and re and compels the production o f doc spect this community has had from uments and evidence. the people o f Portland. When we “ In a criminal matter this would tell the concerned citizens you don’ t be devastating to a police investiga have a right to know what is hap tion. It is a politicization that could pening in any part o f their city, as lead to a deterioration o f police- the Police Bureau is telling them community relations in Portland.” now, I think we are driving a wedge The first objection is the composi between them and their govern tion o f the “ review board,” which is ment. M y fear is that the breach o f to be composed o f three members o f the City Council who voted to estab lish the board. Reviewing police re view boards across the country, “ one message speaks loud and clear: the more politicized the police review board, the less likely it is to have any effect at all, the more like ly it is to harm police-community relations. When speaking to functionaries from other cities, “ they were amazed, even those in favor o f re view boards, that the members o f the City Council itself would actual ly sit on the board. Such a system wouldn't work because the worst kind o f a review board is the kind that would turn the Police Bureau into a political football.” Peters also objects to the fact that having three City Commissioners on the board subjects it to the Oregon Open Meetings law and provides no protection for the officer or the citi zen complainant. “ Any police officer wrongfully accused o f wrong-doing at the whim o f the three commissioners can find themselves, their addresses and pic tures. on the front page o f the local paper next day. Once accused in this fashion, can one ever dispell the ac cusation completely and one’s fam ily and children be protected from false allegations resulting from pub licity? O f course i t ’s a two-way street as well. The police officer may well be guilty o f some misconduct in making an arrest, the arrested per son complains and the officer is dis ciplined by the Bureau. Under Mea sure 51, he or she would have a right to appeal to the review board against the discipline imposed and demand that the review board con duct its meetings in p u blic. . . . W ouldn’t this discourage the filing o f legitimate internal affairs com plaints if the complainant knew the Oregonian would publish the fact that they were arrested fo r drunk driving, soliciting prostitution, tra f ficking in drugs or any other charge they may be arrested for i f the police officer appealed the case to the board? Another reason fo r PPA opposi tion is cost, Peters explained. The ordinance makes no provision for investigators which Peters called “ an absolute necessity.” They feed on increased authority and increased budgets,” he said o f Police Review Boards. Though boards start as advisory with low cost budgets, “ they have repeatedly requested both more authority and funding.” Only on- sentence in Measure 51 prevents the committee from issuing discipline, he said, warning that the three commission ers in the committee could “ with The Eliot Energy House w ill sponsor a hands-on home sheet- rocking workshop on Saturday, September 11, at 10 AM . The w ork shop w ill he held at the Eliot Energy House, 3116 N. Williams Avenue. Participants w ill be asked to pay $5.00 or donate four hours o f skill polishing labor to the non-profit Eliot project. Come by, learn some handy car pentry skills, work with neighbors, and see the house which serves as Portland's most unique model of urban energy efficiency. Call the Eliot Energy House for more inform ation (284-7868). Beautiful * Relaxing * Durable Portable THE NORTHWEST’S #1 ENERGY EFFICIENT WOOO’N GLASS SPA As Featured In The Street of Dreams by HQ Construction The Sonoma makes daily tubbing affordable CHARLES JORDAN one stroke o f the pen” give them selves that authority. Citizens currently can register complaints through the internal a f fairs division, the Chief o f Police, the City Council, the C ity Attorney, the District Attorney, the FBI or the local courts. Regarding the idea that there needs to be a window into the Police Bureau, Peters said, “ There are adequate ways o f m onitoring the internal affairs process without add ing another larger bureaucracy to the city.” This committee "sim ply cannot w ork,” according to Peters. I f the committee sustains the Bureau’s findings in a complaint it w ill be seen as a rubber stamp. I f the com mittee disagrees with the police bur eau decision and imposes greater discipline on the police officer the Portland Police Association w ill have to request arbitration and the expense that involves; reversal o f the police bureau discipline would involve a complain, based on d iffe r ing treatment for different officers. I f the chief ignored the board it would become frustrated and seek more authority. “ Under the ordinance as written, we do no, know jus, wha, the pow ers are or wha, they may be. Even the proponents o f Measure 51 make conflicting statements about just how the board w ill operate.” TRY TU E StK S jW LVIK ITlì B 11858 SW PACIFIC HWY. TIQARD OPCN Taaa Sal 10 00 am 1 00 pm 639-9889 TROPHY HEADQUARTERS FOR THE GREAT NORTHWEST w BEST QUALITY BEST SERVICE BEST PRICE 304 S.W. 3rd Ave Portland, Oregon 97204 222-1051 See Garfield M yer, for fast Engraving BRAND O F ___ Chateaubriand JAMES DAVIS, educational director of the Portlend Audubon So ciety, visits with Owen the Bern Owl, e permanent resident of the Audubon Rehebllitatlon Center for Injured wildlife. Devls will teech a four-pert class In Birdwatching at Portland Community College during the fall term. ■ eaeeeee 1 Buying Cars Running Or Not • ROCKET AUT0\ good used motors D O M E S T IC & & s parts « F O R E IG N WE BUY CARS ■ 2 9200 NE Halsey - Phone 255-6310» ROCKET TOWING CO. I We T o w 24 Hrs. - 9200 NE Halsey - 253-111 I J C a rs rem oved from p riv a te p ro p e rty a t o w n e r’ s e x p e n s e # •ne« 1 James Davis, educational coordi nator for the Portland Audubon So ciety, w ill teach an introductory lev el birdwatching class at Portland Community College’s Sylvania Campus this fall. Birding, the more contemporary term for birdwatching, has grown in popularity in the United States since the 1940s, according to Davis. “ The environment decade o f the 1970s saw the most grow th,” he says. Be sides the growing interest in nature during that time, better books and improved binoculars helped foster the boom. “ Birding is a very good way for people to become aware o f their natural w orld,” says Davis. Birds are easier to observe than other ani mal life because they are out during daytime hours, fairly conspicuous and easy to tell apart. “ Casually birding in a good area, a beginner should see 30 to 40 varie ties o f birds in a day,” according to Davis. “ A t the coast on a big day I once saw 125 species. That’s toward the upper lim it,” he notes. Davis’s class w ill begin Wednes day, September 29 and runs four weekly sessions from 7-9 p.m. T ui tion is $30. Four Saturday field trips conducted as part o f the class will include visits to Sauvies Island, Oaks Bottom, Crystal Springs and the Oregon Coast. O f the all-day trip to the coast, says Davis, “ The Oregon Coast in the fall is the most exciting place around for birding.” Anyone who enjoys birds and wants to learn more about them is encouraged to register for Bird watching through PCC Community Services. TAKE A THICK. WELL MARBLED FILET OF USDA PRIME TOP SIRLOIN SEAR IT BRIEFLY TO SEAL IN THE JUICES. ROAST IT SLOWLY. SLICE INTO THIN FILETS. THEN SERVE SIZZLING WITH A RICH BORDELAISE SAUCE INCLUDE FRESH BUTTER, SAUTEED VEGETABLES. A PLUMP BAKER WITH SOUR CREAM, CHIVES. BUTTER. AND CRACKED BACON V O ,L A . . . G E O R G IO ’S HAS DONE <T AG A IN ... I 1.95 PER PERSON 230-1212 832 SE GRAND E END MORRISON BR S h a ft /m l JŸ j / ij
