January 6, 2016
Page 5
Police Reform Activists Stunned
C ontinued from f ront
greeted by other activists, includ-
ing Jo Ann Hardesty, the Portland
chapter president of the NAACP.
Originally, Frashour was fired
by Police Chief Mike Reese
during the tenure of former Mayor
Sam Adams, but the Portland Po-
lice Association filed a grievance
challenging the termination. The
arbitrator determined the city did
not have “enough cause” to fire
him, ordering the city to rehire
him. The Oregon Employment
Relations Board also ordered
Portland to reinstate Frashour.
Current Mayor Charlie Hales
issued a statement Wednesday
saying the city would comply
with the court ruling, but indicat-
ed he was distressed at what the
city was being forced to do.
“I am disappointed the court
blocked the city’s efforts to ter-
minate an officer who used force
inappropriately,” said Hales,
pointing out that he felt that these
kinds of incidents undermine the
hard work the local bureau has
put in to emphasizing de-escala-
tion in its trainings.
Local community leader Joyce
Harris also expressed her frus-
tration with the reinstatement,
pointing out that Frashour was a
threat to her community.
“If someone fails at their job,
they don’t get to just come back
– killing an unarmed black man
is a gross injustice that should
prevent someone from just walk-
ing back onto the force, or getting
paid administrative leave for six
years,” she said. “That’s just not
acceptable.”
Hardesty echoed the concerns,
saying she wanted more from the
city.
photo by o livia o livia /t he p ortland o bserver
Angie Black, a Portland resident and member of Black Lives Matter and her son, Moses (left) embrace NAACP Portland Chapter president
Jo Ann Hardesty (second from right) and community leader Joyce Harris (far right) at a protest against police brutality outside City Hall.
“I don’t think what we’re ask-
ing for is unreasonable,” she said.
“What’s the purpose of sending
this officer back onto the streets?”
As the rally and the year came
to its close, the protestors looked
to each other for support. Soft
prayers ended with the hope that
someday, there will be no more
Aaron Campbell’s to mourn, be-
cause police would not be killing
them.