Portland Observer, July 17, 1986, Page 7
Rap Sheet raps Mayor,
Police Chief and Herndon
by la n ita Duke
GRASSROOT NEWS, N.W. —
UNIO N LEADER
POLICE CHIEF
STAN PETERS
PENNY H AR RING TO N
Harrington, Peters
square off over
salary dispute
by Nathaniel Scott
Portland police union leader Stan
Peters, by all accounts, has been
drawing half a patgrolman’s salary
since 1981 without performing any
such duties.
Recently, Police Chief Penny E
Harrington ordered Peters, badge
number 1860, to half-time duties with
the bureau’s telephone unit.
Chief Harrington said, "T h e bu
reau has recently taken a reduction of
72 police officers and every officer
should carry his/her full load.”
Furthermore, she said, “ 1 don’t
think a person should draw a salary
and work one hour a day.” In addi
tion, Chief Harrington doesn’t think
Peters could have drawn the salary
for the past four years without the
knowledge o f former Police Chief
Ron Stills and former M ayor Frank
lvancie.
Initially, when Peters’ salary dis
pute surfaced. Chief Harrington’s
position was to “ deal with the present
and the future,” Rudy Westerband, a
deputy city attorney, said. However,
in a recent interview, the chiefs think
ing seems to be headed in another
direction.
She said she had not previously
thought about asking Peters to reim
burse the city the amount of money
he received for the non-performance
o f duties, but she is now thinking
about asking the City Attorney’s o f
fice to look into the matter.
When contacted about the possi
bility o f reimbursement, Peters said,
" I wouldn't agree to reimbursing the
money paid over the past four years."
He added, "N obody forced the City
into any contract” and maintained he
had fulfilled all obligations required
o f him.
A growing number of Portland citi
zens are watching the unfolding o f the
drama with growing concern And one
taxpaying citizen is considering bring
ing suit against Peters himself, saying.
"Every dime o f that money should be
repaid."
Regarding a Portland taxpaying
citizen’s rights: Can he or she bring
suit against a city employee to recover
City money. The Observer sought the
opinion o f two different legal con
sultants.
Stevie Remington, executive direc
tor of the American Civil Liberties
Union o f Orgon said, a private citizen
chances o f "Bringing a suit (against
M r. Peters) in the federal courts is
limited. But in the slate court is would
be probable."
One the other hand, an attorney in
private practice who wishes to remain
anonymous, said, “ A taxpayer of the
City o f Portland can make a demand
on the City of Portland to recover the
money paid to Stan Peters."
The anonymous source added, " I f
the City does not comply with the de
mand, the citizen is free to initiate the
suit."
Judging from the turn o f events, a
quagmire has developed. Undoubt
edly, the City, especially the police bu
reau. is in need of money One very
graphic example is the save the horse
patrol drive. And to make matters
worse, a number of citizens are upset
over what they perceive to be “ M r
Peters’ unprofessional manner.”
It seems, at least at this point in
time, that Portland’s police depart
ment is destined to remain in the me
dia spotlight. The answer seems to lie
in the convention of a body who has
the authority to analyze the situation
and make recommendations that will
be implemented. And judging front
the urgency o f the matter, the saying
"haste makes waste," does not apply
in this instance.
Repression of
Falashas in Israel
(Editor's Note: The Black Jews o f
Ethiopia, also known as the "Fa
lashas, " are Black people, natives o f
Ethiopia, who are Jewish, and have
lived in Ethiopia since before the
time o f Christ, according to some ac
counts. Reports o f their repression by
the government o f Ethiopia, together
with pressure from the international
Jewish community and the current
starvation in Ethiopia, have only re
cently caused the Israeli government
to significantly aid the Ealashas in
their ancient desire to leave Ethiopia
to go to the "promised land, " i.e., to
Israel The following article appeared
in the Mexican daily, El Dla, on May
5, 1985, under the headline, "What
promised land?'')
Translation by John Blank
Another Falasha complaint is that
their youth, in spite o f being in the
country less than six months, are
already being forced to enroll in the
Israeli army.
Falasha "ghettos” have already
made their appearance, and according
to the aforementioned accounts this
ghettoization has not been by the
choice o f the recent immigrants, but
because o f the attitude o f rejection
and isolation on the part o f an impor
tant sector o f the Israeli population.
Perhaps the most patent episode of
this discrimination occurred last
March 9th, when a group o f falashas
tried to approach the W ailing W all,
but were violently repelled by the
guards, who refused to recognize (hat
"that bunch o f Blacks” was com-
possed o f true Jews.
Concentration camp*
While the State o f Israel and the
C IA renew the transport o f Ethiopian
Jews (Falashas) to the supposed
"promised land,” more and more
newspaper accounts are appearing ac
cording to which these new Jewish im-
migrans are still not finding the prom-
ised terrestial paradise; rather they are
finding themselves hit by racism and
discrimination.
Curiously, after the Grand Rab
binate declared that the Falashas
were really authentic Jews, it has im
posed on the recently arrived Falashas
the obligation o f submitting them-
adves to a ceremony o f "ritu al con
version” (by immersion) as if they
were some simple aspirants to the
Jewish faith.
Another complaint o f the Fala
shas against the Jewish state concerns
the fact that, until now (M ay), the
majority o f those recently arrived
have been confined in "reabsorp
tion centers" where, apart from see
ing their liberty severely curtailed,
the falashas receive no type o f prepa
ration for entering into Israeli life.
Departure from these centers, on
the other hand, seems to be condi
tioned on the acceptance o f a deter
mined destination: I f an individual
accepts being sent to the Gaza Strip or
the West Bank, he'll be able to leave
the "reabsorption center” ’ if he
doesn't, the procedures for his estab
lishment in Israel become delayed and
troublesome.
Letters to the editor in the July edi
tion of the Rap Sheet, a monthly
newspaper published by the Port
land Police Association, revealed
that some o f the rank and file in the
bureau strongly support Union Presi
dent Stan Peters, and have little re
gard for th ar new police chief, the
new police commissioner — Mayor
Bud (. lark — and Ronnie Herndon,
co-chair o f the Black United Front.
Police Chief Penny Harrington
said she does not have a good feel if
the comments expressed by officers
were representative o f the entire bu
reau or the opinion o f those eight or
rune letters printed.
Chuck D uffy, an aide to M ayor
Clark, said the officers were respond
ing to a personal letter from Clark
after the firing o f two officers who
produced " D o n ’t Choke ’Em, Smoke
’E m ” T-shirts in response to the tem
porary suspension o f the sleeper hold.
In April, Tony Stevenson died after a
police
officer
administered
the
sleeper hold. A public inquest found
them guilty o f criminally negligent
homicide but a grand jury proceeding
returned a verdict o f "n o true b ill."
In his letter to officers, Clark said
he was saddened by the statements of
Stan Peters, who said the commis
sioner and the chief did not support
them. Peters also called Herndon a
liar and a vulture.
In the Rap Sheet, officers questxmed
Harrington and Clark's knowledge
of the Black community.
“ Both you and the chief lack ex
perience with dealing with these self-
appointed spokesmen of the Black
community. These people have been
appearing and disappearing since
1967, starting with Kent Fort and
running to this date with Ronnie
Herndon."
One officer from North Precinct
said officers in the Stevenson case
used reasonable force to subdue a
very large man. " Ih e self-proclaimed
Black leaders yelled racism and the
self-serving area press highlighted
White vs. Black, looking for every
angle to fuel the confrontational
budget
“ Layoffs and the loss o f the use
of the carotid hold will certainly con
tribute to police injuries and possible
fatalities. You will be at least par
tially responsible when an officer is
killed due to lack o f cover. . that
would have been there had you sup
ported police and opposed cuts.”
An officer from East Precinct said,
"1 don't feel you (M ayor Clark) will
get any support from the police as you
are viewed as ’anti-police* and not
well informed about duties of the bu
reau. As for the Chief, she rates even
lower than you. You will do best by
appointing a new chief as Penny never
will be trusted and respected again
due to these past incidents.”
Duffy said the summer of '85 has
been “ tough” for the bureau, the City
and the citizens. "Times are chang
ing. We had two serious incidents, a
bureau reorganization plus budget
cuts. W e are trying to bnng changes
to the bureau. We never expected it to
be easy. Some officers do not like to
see politicians meddle in police busi
ness. But it’s our business, to o ."
Duffy said the press, such as the
headline in the Portland Observer that
said "83-year-old woman murdered
by police," polarized the community.
Harrington agreed with some o f the
sentiments expressed. She explained
the hostilities officers felt toward
Herndon, centered on the perception
that he lied. " I even heard it when lie
contradicted himself on T V . Officers
feel that they are being picked upon
when they are trying to do a good
job.
" It goes back to ‘W e are the pro
fessionals and the community doesn’t
have any business sticking their nose
in our business.’ T h a i’s the attitude
we are going to have to change and
it’s the hardest,” added Harrington.
Herndon said he was not concerned
about the letters and challenged any
officer to point at his statement where
they perceived that he lied
Jeff Barker, editor o f the Rap
Sheet, was on vacation. The Rap
Sheet has a statewide circulation of
4,000.
A Public Sarvlca of the Portland Observer
Albina M inisterial A lliance
284 6023
flame.
"The members o f the Police Bu-
reau were portrayed as racists and
murderers, and officers’ lives were
publicly threatened while the city
leaders sat quietly. Morale dipped to
an all-time low and confusion set in
while the city leaders sat quietly ."
Another officer from North Pre
cinct said, "W e are not killers. W hat
is expected from administration is im
partial investigation. Not not some
one to jum p in the media bandwagon
with a handful of radicals.
" It was this seed o f frustration
that gave birth to the T-shirts. The
slogan ws not a statement but a ques
tion directed at administration What
do we do now? Step back and
shoot????”
A detective from the sex crimes unit
wrote, " I f you have learned anything
from this episode, I hope it is Ronnie
Herndon is not your friend and he
will never be placated. The more
you give him, the more he wants.”
Officers also vented frustration
over recent cuts in the bureau’s
Cheese Day:
July 20th
Cheese and butter will be distribut
ed to the public Saturday, July 20th,
at many site throughout Multnom ah
County, including two in North Port
land. Roosevelt High School and
Jefferson High School will serve the
same zip code areas as in past dis
tributions o f U.S. Department of
Agriculture surplus commodity foods.
These distributions are for house
holds with income at or below 130
percent of the federal poverty level,
which means a monthly income of
$569 or less for a single person, $764
for a family o f two, $959 for three
persons, or $1,154 per month for a
household o f four persons. The
amount continues to go up for larger
households.
Persons seeking to receive the
cheese and butter must bring identifi
cation showing proof o f where they
Uve. The centers will be open from
10:00 a m. until 4:00 p.m.
Volunteers are needed to help proc
ess those seeking to receive the cheese
and butter. Volunteer persons may
also be eligible to receive the free
commodities, but they may be others
from the community who just want to
help in this mass project. Interested
people should call 286-8371 for de
As we all know, the breakup of the old Bell
System created changes in phone services and prices.
And the chamges will continue for some time to come.
We at Pacific Northwest Bells LetsTdk Bureau
hiive the job of keeping up with these changes and
answering your questions about them.
It s our job at Let’s Talk to keep you informed.
For example, some rates for local services are
increasing, to meet the actual costs of supplying the
services. At the same time some long distance rates
are going down.
We will be publishing messages atx)Ut these and
other changes in the weeks ahead, and we are always
available to speak with you about any phone-related
matter.
Gill us toll-free at 1-800-555-5000 any time.
And Let’s Talk.
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