February 24, 2010
The
Portland Observer Black HiStOiy Month
Page 7
Hot Seat at City Hall
continued
front Front
week with Mayor Sam Adams and
Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman.
He also spoke at Maranatha Church
in northeast Portland telling over
1,000 people that if the officer in
volved in the shooting returned to
work the next day as scheduled,
they should march on City Hall at
high noon.
And they did just that, marching
from the Justice Center al 1 the way to
the mayor's office.
Over the last several years, Port
land has fallen intoa familiar pattern
after someone dies during a police
encounter: Marches are held and
forceful denunciations are made;
the Police Bureau promises to re
view the incident and make changes;
the outrage boils off, but leaves a
stinging residue o f resentment on
the public.
The officer involved in the Jan. 29
shooting o f Campbell was found to Da„
n
photo by M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
have acted within the law by a grand p J , J
Jackso" (right) with Portland pastor, Rev. LeRoy Haynes Jr.. holds a news conference at Maranatha Church in northeast
ju ry earlier this m onth, which
? support a ca" t0 actlon by the Albina Ministerial Alliance and other civil rights activists to protest the shooting death Aaron
prompted the AMA to hold a rally Campbel1, an unarmed black man killed by police during a mental health disturbance.
f 'ePfS ° f ,he r T
CT r ‘nC,ident' the aPP°in,menl o f a sP0- dead|y force, more oversight o f the
So far, the eall fora special pros- add teeth to the current IPR fune-
Th8 A M A '' T d f C dtehmandS.
C,t prosecutor for P °hce violence, bureau, and a revision o f state law ecutor hasn’t been acted upon- al- tion," said Ty Kovatch Leonard’s
AMA called tor the estab- athoroughrevtew ofbureau'strain- governing the use o f deadly force though city officials have asked for chiefofstaffoftheordinance which
lishm entofa public inquiry into the ing and policy on excessive and by police officers.
the U.5. Justice Department to in- he expects to be brought before City
vestigate- and with the Legislature Council in coming weeks,
wrapping up its current session the
Portland Copwatch spokesper-
chances o f it reviewing the state’s son Dan Handelman, who’s never
use o f force laws seem nil.
seen the bureau under so much scru-
But other two ofthe other priori- tiny, applauds this move. He also
ties by local activists seem to be hopes that the city will use the up-
gaining traction.
coming negotiations with the police
At a press conference on Friday, union to revisit how officers are
Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman protected after using force. The city
said he was going to initiate a “top- wants the negotiations to be public.
to-bottom” review o f the police
In December, the union flexed its
Includes hands-on experience
bureau, which is currently review- muscles after Saltzman suspended
ing the incident.
a controversial officer who shot a
Safety, apprenticeship, and
Commissioner Randy Leonard, 12-year-old girl with a beanbag gun
who has had a contentious relation- on a MAX platform. The union held
more!
ship with the bureau, is drafting an a massive rally and threatened to
ordinance for more independent release results o f a no confidence
Intro to Green Building
oversight o f the police that could vote on him and Police C hief Rosie
take flight given the current climate. Sizer, until he backed down.
Trades Math I Measurement
In 2001, the city formed the Inde-
The city will begin negotiations
pendent Police Review Division to this spring with representatives o f
Visits to Job Sites &
receive citizen complaints o f officer the union over its contract, which
misconduct.
expires in June.
Apprentice Training
The director o f the IPR has only
"For me, it's about the contract,"
Centers
an advisory role on key boards in said Ann Bowman, who sees the
the Police Bureau that reviews of- negotiations as an opportunity to
fleer misconduct. The IPR can't pro- reassert control over the union,
Strength Training
pose or enforce discipline on offic- which some worry is undermining
ers, and has few ways to compel the civilian control o fth e police.
Police Bureau to cooperate in its
The current contract mandates
investigations.
that the city not discipline officers
Leonard s ordinance would pe- publicly, a provision Bowman wants
nalize the bureau for not cooperating out, so the public can determine
in an investigation. It would also "who's good and who's bad."
allow the IPR to propose and chal
But Bowman stresses that public
lenge discipline for officers, broaden pressure on the city needs to be
its ability to initiate investigations, sustained if real change will happen.
and make its director an integral part
"So we got a window to make that
o f key review boards in the police change happen now, and if we don't
bureau-
do it now we'll be stuck with it," she
"As a general matter, it's meant to said.
We'll prepare you for work and
help with your job search.
Contact us to attend the next information session.