November 26, 2014
®*f* Curtiani» (Observer
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O pinion
Police Officer Posts Sanctioned
Inflammatory
behavior cited
in Ferguson
officer support
O livia O livia
T he P ortland O bserver
by
Three Portland police offic
ers were ordered M onday to
remove “I am Darren W ilson”
support images they embossed
over official police badges from
their personal Facebook pages.
It happened ju st ahead of
the grand ju ry decision in the
case o f D arren W ilson, the
police officer involved in the
death o f M ichael Brown, the
unarm ed teen ag er w ho was
shot in F erguson, M o. last
A ugust.
In light of the issues of police
violence and subsequent back
lash in Ferguson, the posts drew
a condem nation by Portland
Police Chief Mike Reese who
ordered them removed.
“The image displayed does
not represent the organization
and was very inflammatory in
nature,” said Reese in a state
ment he issued to the public. He
went on to say “the badge repre
sents all members of the organi-
An image from a Portland Police officer’s Facebook page deemed
inflammatory and ordered removed by Police Chief Mike Reese.
(KGW photo)
zation, past and present, and is
an important symbol in our com
munity and must not be tar
nished.”
Wilson has become the poster
child of many conservatives and
hate-groups who have come out
in opposition to civil rights groups
demanding justice for the slain
teen. Twitter and other social
media lit up when they saw local
Portland officers were associat
ing themselves with the pro-
Darren Wilson movement. The
Portland officers were identi
fied by the Oregonian newspa
per as Rich Storm, Rob Blanck
and Kris Barber.
M ayor Charlie Hales con
demned the officers who posted
the altered badges while prais
ing Chief Reese’s decision to
have the officers investigated
for possible violations of the po
lice bureau’s professional stan
dards division.
“The officers made a politi
cal statement by altering the city ’ s
o fficial badges. T hey w ere
wrong to do so,” said Hales in his
official statement. “Their actions
do a disservice to the hundreds
of Portland Police Officers who
are building relationships and
partnerships with the com mu
nity every day.”
Illuminating the Soul of Portland
Tree lighting Saturday at MLK Heritage Marker
•
C alendar
pages 13
C lassifieds
pages 14
F ood
” pages 16
A community tree lighting cer
emony with live music, light
snacks and warm drinks will illu
minate the Soul of Portland Holi
day Campaign on Saturday, Nov.
29, from 4 p.m. to 6 pm. at the
Martin Luther King Heritage
Marker at Northeast MLK Bou
levard and Hancock Street.
S p o nsored by the N orth/
Northeast Business Association
in collaboration with the North
east Coalition of Neighborhoods,
the event symbolizes that the
Soul District of inner north and
northeast Portland is open for a
fun and festive holiday season.
During the tree lighting, you’re
invited to enjoy live jazz music
from the group “Soul 3” with
Jarrod Lawson, Famell Newton
and Tyrone Hendrix; visit with
members from Portland Fire
Engine House 13; and enjoy
candy bag treats from the Full
Tilt Riders motorcycle club.
Oregon Lottery will be giving
away up to 100 Holiday Scratch
tickets for adults 18 and older.
Bring a new gift or nonperish
able food item from a Soul Dis
trict retailer to donate to the
Salvation A rm y’s Moore Street
community center and receive a
lottery scratch off ticket or raffle
ticket.
The local business group is also
sponsoring the Soul District Holi
day Bazaar and Gospel Sounds
which is scheduled for Saturday,
Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7 from
10 a.m.to 7p.m. at the group’s
offices at 311 N. Ivy Street.
Up to 20 unique vendors will
sell and display their services
and wares alongside of some
unique Soul District branding
items.