February 19, 2020
The
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INSIDE L O C A L N E W S
Week in Review
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Wrongful
Arrest
Settlement leads to
more investigations
B LACK H ISTORY
O PINION
C LASSIFIED /B IDS
inside
Multiple police investigations looking at possible
misconduct have been sparked after the story of a
Portland African American man who was the alleged
victim of a racially-motivated harassment in 2017 by
a towing company employer and the West Linn Police
Department, actions that also enlisted Portland’s for-
mer gang enforcement team to make an arrest during
a traffic stop.
Since the case of Michael Fesser, 48, was reported
last week by the Oregonian, new investigations have
started in Clackamas and Multnomah counties, the
Portland Police Bureau and city of West Linn. Oregon
Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Congressman
Earl Blumenauer have also asked the U.S. Attorney for
Oregon to investigate possible civil rights violations.
In addition, Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eu-
daly has directed the Portland Bureau of Transporta-
tion to sever its contract with A&B Towing, the com-
pany at the heart of the harassment claims and Fesser’s
former employer.
Fesser this month won $600,000 in a civil suit
against West Linn police, claiming he was targeted
for arrest as a favor to a fishing buddy of former West
Linn Chief Terry Timeus. The fishing friend was Eric
Benson of A&B Towing, Fesser’s employer at the time
who accused Fesser of stealing money from the com-
pany. The lawsuit claimed two West Linn detectives
and Timeus worked with the employer to fabricate a
theft case against Fesser just as Fesser was alleging
racial discrimination on the job because he was black.
Saying she was sickened by Fesser’s wrongful ar-
rest, Portland City Commissioner Eudaly last week
Michael Fesser, 48, of Portland, won a
$600,000 civil suit this month against the city
of West Linn for a wrongful arrest in an alleged
racially-motivated harassment case from 2017
involving West Linn police, Portland’s former
gang enforcement team and his employer A&B
Towing. (KATU photo)
released a statement, saying she’s instructed Portland
Bureau of Transportation to cut ties with A&B Towing,
which currently holds one of the main towing contracts
with the city.
The Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office
will conduct a review to determine if officers involved
committed crimes and whether action should be taken
to avoid putting future cases in jeopardy. Portland Po-
lice Chief Jami Resch has called for an internal police
investigation.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office
also announced it would initiate a review of what led to
Fesser’s arrest, including the involvement of the city’s
gang enforcement team.
Current West Linn Police Chief Terry Kruger said
in a statement that the department would fully cooper-
ate with the investigations, and that like many, he was
deeply troubled and angered by the full weight of the
allegations. He said the only remaining member of the
West Linn police department associated with the Fess-
er case was put on paid administrative leave pending
the final outcome of the Clackamas County District
Attorney’s investigation.
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Portland Community College hosts a meeting for minority, women, emerging small businesses
and veteran-owned firms. Coming Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. will be another event to recruit
participation in campus construction projects to be held on the Sylvania Campus
Minority Business Outreach at PCC
Portland Community College
is recruiting participation in an
event where certified minority,
women, emerging small busi-
ness and service-disabled vet-
eran-owned firms are invited to
meet with the college’s general
contractors.
The gathering will take place
on Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 6
p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the Sylvania
Campus in southwest Portland in
the College Center Upper Mall.
Refreshments will be served, and
parking is free.
Representatives from PCC’s
Facilities Management Services,
Kirby Nagelhout Construction,
Fortis Construction, Andersen
Construction, Mortenson Con-
struction, Lease Crutcher Lewis,
Pence Construction, the Small
Business Development Center and
other firms will be in attendance.
They’ll have information avail-
able for their contracting needs
and schedules for the different
trades.
This outreach function is part
of the college’s effort to pro-
mote business development and
workforce diversity. For more
information, call PCC Bond Fi-
nance Manager John MacLean at
971-722-8435 or email john.ma-
clean1@pcc.edu.