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Her LinkedIn says, “Advice for Contact-
ing Deanna.
“If you have a heart for service and social
justice, but have never thought of becoming
a police officer.
“Please consider that it could be an amaz-
ing way to serve and truly make a
difference.”
Artharee, who lasted less than a year in
the position, was called out in June for
of people with mental illnesses.
The city and the Bureau responded with
an array of fixes to hold off a trial – but
completely ignored a long list of demands
by the Albina Ministerial Alliance for Police
and Justice Reform, angering a large swath
of the grassroots community.
Meanwhile the Portland Police union filed
objections to the proposed new policies,
saying they violated officers’ collective bar-
gaining rights.
A federal judge earlier this year
demanded that city officials, feder-
al officials and the union mediate
their differences – and that the Albi-
na Ministerial Alliance group could
attend their mediations.
But in the end no agreements
have been reached, no DOJ agree-
ment is in place — and the
testimony given at last week’s
meeting ranged from the
Hales council
bitter to the gruesome.
The City Council postponed vot-
ing on the proposals which include:
giving the IPR the power to compel officers
to answer their questions; expanding the cit-
izens review committee from nine to 11
members; allowing the IPR to open cases
independently; and releasing more informa-
tion to the public when officers use force.
“In no way do these recommendations
address the depth and breadth of concern
felt by citizens in our city,” said Michael
Alexander, executive director of the Urban
League of Portland.
Deanna Wesson-Mitchell is a member of
the Community and Police Relations Com-
mittee of the Office of Equity and Human
Rights.
She is focused on the goal
of making this the best
urban police departments
in the country. She’s exactly
who we need right now.
—Mayor
remarks made to a Multnomah County
elected official; he says his decision to leave
was made after a spate of family tragedies,
including the kidney diagnosis of his son
who now needs a transplant.
Artharee’s work was framed by the stories
he told of being racially profiled by law
enforcement during his formative years in
Compton, Calif.
Without a doubt, Hales’ new policy advi-
sor has her work cut out for her.
In 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice
filed a lawsuit against the City of Portland
for operating the Police Bureau with a “pat-
tern or practice” that violates the civil rights
PPHOTO BY TBERNIE FOSTER
continued from page 2
Legacy CEO George Brown, M.D., is joined by Sandy City Councilor Olga
Gerberg, left, and her staff member Betsy Velasquez, at right, at a
welcome reception, Wednesday, Oct. 23, for Randall Children’s Hospital
at Legacy Emanuel’s new Chief Administrative Officer Mady Murrey. The
new CAO was formerly COO of MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
& Health Center in Tacoma, Wash.
In a statement, Hales staff outlined Wes-
son-Mitchell’s work history:
“Since joining the Portland Police
Bureau in 2004, Wesson-Mitchell has
served as a patrol officer (2004-08), an
investigative officer (2008-11) and recruit-
ment coordinator for the Personnel
Division. She also has been a Gang Resist-
ance Education and Training (GREAT)
instructor, and has been involved with the
Making Positive Choices Youth Forum;
Racial Profiling Committee; Citywide
Diversity Committee; Police Equity:
Leadership Council; and Community and
Police Relations Committee.”
Changes
continued from page 1
become an issue in negotiating the police
contract.
“The bureau is not aware of any problems
with the current system where the IPR par-
ticipates in the investigation,” Reese said.
“The current system is working very well.
The IPR is able to participate in investiga-
tions and able to have their questions
answered.”
Commissioner Fish said he wanted to
AUDITOR’S PROPOSED
CHANGES
Made up of nine citizens appointed by
the city, the IPR reviews complaints
against police officers. But community
advocates have long complained that it
lacks the power to be effective.
City Auditor LaVonne Griffin-Valade has
proposed the following changes:
• Authorize IPR to directly question
Police Bureau employees and compel
their testimony
• Implement a discipline guideline to
allow for fair and consistent discipline
• Create 180-day timeline for administra-
tive investigations
• Expand the Citizen Review Committee
to 11 members
• Authorize CRC members to serve on
Police Review Boards in use-of-force
cases
• Provide a template for PRB public
reports
• Require more detailed public reports for
officer-involved shootings and in-custody
deaths
clarify if the change would become an issue
in contract negotiation since lawyers advis-
ing the IPR and the Portland Police Bureau
disagree.
Portland Police association President
Daryl Turner also raised the question of the
rights of police under labor
law and the police contract.
He urged council members to
reject the proposed changes
saying they would undermine
the police line of accountabili-
ty turning it over to civilians.
Jan Friedman staff attorney
with Disability Rights Oregon,
—Kayse
said more transparency and
accountability is needed to
address the concerns raised in
the Department of Justice report.
“If they don’t have access to police offi-
cer they are not able to do an independent
investigation,” she said.
Kayse Jama, executive director of the
Center for Intercultural Organizing said the
changes don’t go far enough.
“We must do more and we must do it now
to achieve justice for the community,” he
said.
“The oversight workgroup made 44 rec-
ommendations. Only four have been
included.”
Dan Handelman of Portland Copwatch
said the changes don’t go far enough.
“The changes only add power to the IPR
professional staff while delaying changes
that would strengthen its Citizen Review
Committee,” he said. “IPR similarly pushed
through a package of changes in early 2010
with virtually no public input, which led to
the formation of an Oversight Stakeholders
group. That group put out a report with 41
recommendations, only four of which were
incorporated into the ordinance previously
and only one more of which is being pro-
posed this time.”
JoAnn Hardesty, of Consult Hardesty and
a member of the Albina Ministerial Alliance
said she spoke for herself and not the
alliance. She reviewed the history for coun-
tant in deciding the fate of the settlement.
“The community fairness hearing will
finally give the community an opportunity
to weigh in on the settlement,” she said.
And she said the fall in complaints only
proved her point.
The changes don’t go far enough. We must do more
and we must do it now to achieve justice for the
community
Jama, executive director of the Center for Intercultural Organizing
cil members, and reminded them that the
settlement with the Department of Justice
was far from final, and had been created
without public comment.
“The public did not have any opportunity
to weigh in,” she said. “We have depart-
ments and bureaus operating as if a
settlement agreement is in place.”
Portland still faces a federal court case,
after a Department of Justice civil rights
investigation found the Portland Police
Bureau has a “pattern or practice” excessive
force against people with mental illness.
To remedy the problems, U.S. District
Judge Michael H. Simon ordered the police
union, the city and the Justice Department
to find a solution through mediation. The
Albina Ministerial Alliance was also
allowed to participate as community repre-
sentatives. So far the parties have failed to
reach an agreement in mediation.
Judge Simon also has said he plans to
hold a fairness review next summer so the
public can weigh in on the final agreement.
Hardesty said that hearing will be impor-
“There is a good reason why the number
of complaints is down,” she said. “It’s
because the community has no confidence
that IPR or IA (internal affairs) has the
power to investigate the police.”
Council members, Chief Reese, Severe
and others voiced concerns about the 180-
day limit on investigations. Reese said
many factors could prevent the Bureau from
sticking to that timeline. He said it should
be looked at as a target not a deadline.
Community advocates, on the other hand,
worried that the 180-day timeline would
allow officers to escape discipline if the
timeline was exceeded.
City employee Jeri Williams was one of
several people who shared their own frus-
tration with a police accountability process,
the DOJ called “Byzantine” and self-defeat-
ing.
Williams son, who suffers from post-trau-
matic stress disorder, had an adverse
experience with the police. With tears in her
eyes Williams said her experience had left
her with “no faith in the process.”
October 30, 2013
The Portland Skanner Page 3