Page 2 The Skanner Portland & Seattle April 21, 2021
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Challenging People to Shape
a Better Future Now
Portland Police Union Response to Chauvin Trial Verdict
Bernie Foster
Founder/Publisher
A
Bobbie Dore Foster
Executive Editor
Jerry Foster
Advertising Manager
Patricia Irvin
Graphic Designer
Monica J. Foster
Seattle Office Coordinator
Susan Fried
Photographer
2019
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Daryl Turner
Executive Director,
Portland Police
Association
try. This tragedy is inconsis-
tent with our oath to protect
and serve, it is inconsistent
with the job entrusted to us by
our communities, and it is in
complete opposition to every-
thing we are trained to do.”
Those words are still true
today.
We have more work to do.
As we have done for the past
year, we will be steadfast in
our commitment to actively
participate in the evolution
of policing locally, regionally,
and nationally.
We have the finest police
officers here in Portland, and
“
“
to peacefully protest.
Our officers will also work
to preserve public safety if
those individuals, intent on
violence and mayhem, seek to
hijack this historical moment
In the coming days, our officers
will work hard to preserve our
community’s right to peacefully
protest.
I am confident in their train-
ing, experience, and commit-
ment to public safety.
In the coming days, our of-
ficers will work hard to pre-
serve our community’s right
for their own self-serving, po-
litical purposes.
To our communities, we are
committed to healing with
you. To our members, we are
proud of your tireless service.
The Skanner News Responds to Police Union
W
e welcome this letter
from Daryl Turner
of the Portland Po-
lice Association. It
is the first response we have
had from the police union
and we hope it means that of-
ficers have seen the light and
are ready to make the root
and branch changes that must
come.
In a free country policing
must be by consent. Officers
must be accountable for their
actions. The lives of Black
and Brown citizens must be
Bernie Foster
Publisher,
The Skanner News
valued as much as the lives
of white citizens...and police
officers. So the police contract
and our laws must hold offi-
cers accountable to their oath
to protect and serve:
We must be able to fire po-
lice officers who act badly
Our laws
must hold
officers ac-
countable to
their oath to
protect and
serve
and where they are fired they
must stay fired. No arbitrator
should be able to overrule the
mayor.
For far too long qualified
immunity has allowed reck-
less and dangerous behavior
to go unchecked. That must
change.
The Brady bill must be a
part of these negotiations.
Now as Portland negotiates
a new contract with its police
association we have a once-
in-a-lifetime opportunity to
change our city for the better
and our city commissioners
know just what to do. Port-
land City Council do your job!
The
Verdict,
The Nation,
and Us
he conviction of Der-
ek Chauvin on all three
counts in the death of
George Floyd represents
a much-needed breeze of
change, but it is neither the
storm or whirlwind need-
ed to correct the malignant,
cancerous attitude of law en-
forcement against not only
Black men and women and
people of color, but a society
which says it’s alright to be
judge, jury and executioner
of those having contact with
police in particular. The pros-
ecution and its witnesses in
the trial made it clear that the
issue is not police training,
nor is it about anything other
than treating people with the
respect and dignity the police
would expect if they were in
the shoes of those who have
become their victims. We
know that crime does exist,
that there are people who
must be apprehended and
not all can be done without
use of force; but those select-
ed to wear a badge and gun
must know the difference and
must no longer be able to hide
behind such legal myths as
“qualified immunity” which
AP PHOTO/MORRY GASH
Updated daily online.
•
nts
Minnesota jury has im-
posed justice in finding
Derek Chauvin guilty
of murdering George
Floyd. This is the first step
in our Nation’s healing as we
continue to rebuild trust with
the communities we serve.
Nearly a year ago, we wrote
that:
“What happened to George
Floyd in Minneapolis at the
hands of a police officer is
revolting, incomprehensible,
and unacceptable. What we
saw in that video—Mr. Floyd
pleading for his life—should
send chills down the spine of
every law enforcement offi-
cer and citizen in this coun-
T
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS
LOCAL EVENTS
to
y •
Opinion
People cheer after a guilty verdict was announced at the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin for the
2020 death of George Floyd, Tuesday, April 20, 2021, in Minneapolis, Minn. Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin
has been convicted of murder and manslaughter in the death of Floyd.
Dr. John E.
Warren
Publisher,
San Diego
Voice and
Viewpoint
has excused so much of what
so many police officers should
be held accountable for. The
verdict is a good start, but
let’s not think it solves our
problems.
In the midst of celebrating,
let us keep our eyes on the
national war before us which
“
In the midst
of celebrat-
ing, let us
keep our eyes
on the nation-
al war before
us.
finds Republican legislators
at the Congressional and State
legislative levels mounting
a relentless battle for “voter
suppression.” They are at-
tempting to do to people of
color what Derek Chauvin did
to George Floyd. Their knee
is being placed on our neck
of democracy and we can-
not breathe without fighting
back. Let’s identify not only
those Republican legislators
in each state pushing such
legislation, but mount people
to run against them. At the
same time, let us withhold
our dollars from those corpo-
rations that refuse to stand up
and speak out with their dol-
lars against those very elect-
ed officials they have funded
for so long.
There are still more trials to
come. Let’s stay vigilant, for
the struggle continues.
nt •
lo c a l n e w s •
eve