Page A6
August 8,2001
¿FW P o r t la nò (Dbseruer
Police Look at Options
to Lethal Bullets
(A P )-F ollow ing tw o fatal police
shootings this year, the Portland
Police Bureau will review new tech­
nologies that allow officers to dis­
able suspects w ithout using lethal
force, according to C h ief M ark
Kroeker.
The bureau’s training division
looks at such options as an ongoing
basis, K roeker said, but uses few o f
them because they require officers
to get too close to an advancing
suspect and do not consistently
work
That leaves officers and possi­
bly bystanders vulnerable, K roeker
said in a letter to M ayor Vera Katz
that was released last week at a
Latino business com m unity lun­
cheon. “But since technology is
ever-changing, w e will continue to
look at em erging less lethal options,
including high-w attage nervous
system neutralizers and taser-like
guns that deliver chemical agents,”
the letter said. K roeker did not say
how long the review o f such options
w ould take. He denied that Portland
police
lice have a “ shoot to kill”
kill policy
dealing with suspects w ho are
threatening officers or bystanders,
despite some com m unity concerns
to the contrary.
"O ur policy is that an officer
shoots to stop a deadly threat,” he
told representatives o f the Hispanic
M etropolitan Cham ber o f C om ­
merce. “The issue is stopping a
person.”
K roeker also told Latino busi­
ness leaders he was frustrated by
his departm ent’s inability to recruit
Latino and Spanish-speaking offic­
ers. Portland has 24 sw om Latino
officers and six non-sw om Latino
em ployees out o f 1,436 total em ­
ployees, he said.
“W e lag w ay behind this em erg­
ing population,” he said.
In the fall, Kroeker will take a
group o f officers to M exico for 10
P hoto by S herena S mith /T he P ortland O bserver
days o f “ full im m ersion” language
and culture training, he said.
In a time o f budgetary reduc­
tions, he expects to be criticized for
spending m oney on such training, Area residents enjoy some sweet sounds thanks to the Portland Metro Youth Choir (above) and scores of other entertainers at the ‘Gospel
but he defended the plan.
Gumbo’ celebration held at Holladay Park Lloyd Center. The recent event was developed by the Portland/Vancouver Chapter of the Gospel
“Sure, everyone should speak Music Workshop of America and sponsored in part by the Portland Observer.
Spanish in
m this country.
coi
But the
reality is they d o n ’t.
Gospel Gumbo Delights a Crowd
Looking for
Cultural Diversity Award Presented
a sh an n a
L ynn
E dw ards, who re
c e iv e d
h er
bachelor’s o f science degree in
human development and family
science from Oregon State Uni­
versity this year, is being hon­
ored for her leadership in pro­
moting cultural awareness on
the OSU campus.
Edwards helped coordinate
an OSU diversity summit con­
ference this spring.
R
Rashanna Lynn Edwards
an
Her efforts in the college’s
Minority Education Office
also helped the department
win the Year 2000 Beaver
Spirit Challenge Award for
welcoming new students to
campus. The Minority Edu­
cation Office at OSU was
founded in 1997. The office
seeks to increase the recruit­
ment, retention and academic
performance o f students of
color.
Report Finds Alcohol, Drug Problems
A new report by a task force level o f 55 deaths in 1986.
for the Regional Drug Initia­
Almost as dramatic was the
tive finds alcohol and drug 35 p e rc e n t re d u c tio n in
problems are declining; yet Multnomah County drug-re­
most who need treatment still lated deaths from 153 in 1999
can’t get help.
to 99 in 2000.
The figures show student
Yet the percent o f juveniles
alcohol and m arijuana use is arrested and testing positive
trending lower, and student for drugs remained at record
cigarette use by young people levels, with over half testing
declined more than 30 percent positive for drugs.
between 1988 and 2000. To­
M uch o f th is
bacco sales to minors and posi­ year ’ s report focused
—
tive drug tests in the w ork­ on showing the posi­
place also declined in 2000.
tive impacts o f sub­
A lco h ol-involved traffic stance abuse treat­
deaths in M ultnomah County ment.
dropped 43 percent in 1999
For every public
and a rem arkable 30 percent dollar spent on treat­
more in 2000. Last year’s 14 m en t
p ro g ra m s,
alcohol-related traffic deaths a b o u t $ 2 .5 0 w as
in M ultnom ah County con­ saved in cost reduc­
trasted sharply with the peak tions to other pub-
licly-funded programs.
But it’s estimated that less
than one in five people need­
ing treatment receives it.
Task force officials said
the challenge is to increase
funding for these extremely
effective, successful pro­
grams, when their very suc­
cess makes funding seem
less critical.
e X c e lie n t
p art time
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Change is good
And it’s not as hard
as you may think.
A lot of things, from the gro w th in high-tech in d u stries to increased
p o p u latio n , tell us th e energy crunch o u r region is facing rig h t now
will co n tin u e for aw hile. D ealing w ith it m eans th at each of us has to
ch an g e the w ay w e u se energy. A nd w e h av e to start now.
H ere are som e changes and tips that will m ake a difference now
an d in the future:
G roup Wants
Lottery Abolished
( AP) - An anti-gambling group is seeking toovertum the
voter-passed law that created the state Lottery.
Portland lawyer Dan Meek says a lawsuit filed in Marion
County Circuit Court challenges the constitutional am end­
m ent that established the Lottery in 1984.
The lawsuit, brought by Oregonians forGarnbling Aware­
ness says the Lottery measure had too many issues for one
am endm ent and that it should have been put to voters
separately. T hat's the same grounds used recently by a
M arion County judge in overturning a law limiting state
law m aker's terms. That decision is on appeal to the state
Suprem e Court Meek says courts are taking a narrow view
o f how voters can am end the state constitution by initiative
measures He says as long as that ’ s the case, a lawsuit might
as well be used to “rid ourselves o f harmful measures” such
as state-run gambling.
Sw itch to com pact fluorescent
bulbs in lights that rem ain on
three o r m ore h o u rs p er day.
T h ey u se o n ly o n e q u a rte r
th e en e rg y o f re g u la r b u lb s.
Clean lightbulbs an d fixtures.
D u st can red u ce lig h t o u tp u t
b y as m u ch as 10 percent!
H im off o n e 60-w att light that
w o u ld norm ally be on d u rin g
the peak su m m er h o u rs of
2 p.m . to 8 p.m . If every one
o f o u r 1.5 m illio n custom ers
d id , th e en erg y saved could
p o w e r a b o u t 45,000 hom es.
Install dim m ers. T h e am o u n t
y o u d im e q u a ls y o u r en erg y
sav ed . For exam ple, lig h ts
d im m e d 15 p ercen t red u ces
en e rg y co n su m p tio n u p to
15 percent.
Install m otion sensors or
tim ers to autom atically tu rn
lights on an d off. M otion
sensor lighting is g reat for
o u td o o rs an d in y o u r w o rk ­
sh o p o r la u n d ry room .
T im ers are th e rig h t choice
if y o u 'd lik e an in d o o r lig h t
sw itc h ed o n an d o ff at
specific tim es.
M ake saving energy a habit.
Peace Group Sets Workshop
O regon Peace Institute is sponsoring “T he A rt o f
L iving W orkshop" on A ug 14. from 7 p.m. to 8:30pm at
the First United M ethodist C hurch. 1838 S . W. Jefferson,
Room 134. The session wi 11 be led by Shyam G anna varam
o f the A rt o f L iving Foundation.
For more information, or to register, call 503 725-8192
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Do the bright thing.
Call us at 1-800-222-4335,
and ask for a copy of our
Bright Ideot booklet.
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