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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 2023)
Page 4 December 06, 2023 County Judge Shoots Down Gun Control Measure Keller said in a press release. Continued from Front “Measure 114 provides the two last December, ruling that it violates the state constitution. Raschio ruled that all of the law’s provisions are unconsti- tutional. After a six-day trial in September, the law was per- manently blocked, unless it is overturned on appeal. That’s just what Oregon At- torney General Ellen Rosen- blum plans to do, she said in an email to Oregon Public Broad- casting last week. “The Harney County judge’s ruling is wrong,” she wrote. “Worse, it needlessly puts Or- egonians lives at risk. The state will file and appeal and we be- lieve we will prevail.” The petition to address gun control was sponsored by Lift EveryVoice Oregon, with chief petitioners that included ac- tivist Marilyn Keller, Rev. Dr. Mark Knudson, and Rabbi Mi- chael Cahana. “The people of Oregon took the work of reducing gun vio- lence into their own hands be- cause so little was being done,” most effective changes, sup- ported by evidence-based stud- ies, for reducing gun-related homicides and suicides.” In the same press release, Cahana added that he feels confident that the appeal will be successful. “Everyone at Lift Every Voice Oregon is grateful to At- torney General Rosenblum and her skilled attorneys and staff for their tireless efforts to make Measure 114 fully operation- al,” he said. “We look forward to their further efforts in state court to achieve a similar result as soon as possible.” In a telephone interview, Rev. Knutson said he was not surprise by Raschio’s ruling because of the questions he asked at the trial, but felt con- fident it will be overturned by the state Court of Appeals. His rational will not hold up. “I have great confidence in our Oregon AG to reverse it and to complete the process and implement it as Oregon law,” he said. WHO DOESN'T LOVE A GOOD HAIR DAY? At Mane of Opulence, we believe that everyone deserves to feel like a million bucks. That's why we're dedicated to helping women who are suffering from hair loss or just absolutely love the versatility extensions can provide. We offer top-tier extensions and wigs, and we're ready to help you turn your hair goals into a reality. treat yourself SO G O A HEA D : USE CODE SAVE15 AT CHECKOUT FOR 15% OFF. Phoenix Police Department Sgt. Kevin Johnson shows off the new Axon Body 2 body camera. (AP Photo) City Council Approves $2.6M for Police Body Cameras Public officers will have body cameras by the Summer The City Council in Portland, Oregon, approved $2.6 mil- lion for permanent police body cameras in a unanimous vote, a crucial step toward the city no longer being among the last ma- jor U.S. police agencies without the technology. All of the city’s roughly 800 uniformed officers who interact with the public will have body- worn cameras by the summer, after training and further negoti- ations with the police union, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Wednesday. But only around 300 patrol officers will be required to wear them routinely on their shifts, the news outlet reported. Roughly 500 other sworn mem- bers, including detectives and sergeants, will put on their cam- eras when they interact with the public, said police spokesperson Mike Benner. The City Council’s approval for the cameras came after a 60-day pilot program that lasted from August to October and equipped 150 officers with camer- as. The vote makes the pilot pro- gram permanent. Among the 50 largest police departments in the country, Port- land, until this year, was the only one that had not yet deployed body cameras. A settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice requires Portland’s police bureau to implement a body camera pol- icy. The settlement stemmed from a 2012 lawsuit brought by the federal government against Portland over allegations its po- lice used excessive force against people with mental illness. Wednesday’s vote followed nearly a decade of at times con- tentious negotiations between the city and the police union over the technology. Among the major disagreements was whether offi- cers who use deadly force can re- view camera footage before writ- ing reports or being interviewed by investigators. Under a negotiated policy between the city and its police union, officers who use deadly force won’t get to view their cam- era’s footage until after they’ve provided an audio-recorded state- ment to internal affairs within 48 hours of the incident. During Wednesday’s vote, Mayor Ted Wheeler said the policy might take time to implement.“It’s go- ing to take some time for us to phase in the rollout of body cam- eras and make sure that every- body has sufficient training and sufficient understanding of how these tools will work,” he said.
