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Thursday, August 16, 2007
News Mayor Wants Racial Profiling Committee To Be “A Good, Sturdy Kia,” But Who’s Driving?
Posted by on Thu, Aug 16 at 4:47 PM
The mayor has been addressing his racial profiling committee this afternoon. It’s the first time he’s shown up since it first got together in January, and has faced questions about how he’s going to generate money and political will to continue support for its work.
POTTER: Copping flack over secure funding…
“The issue about resources is important,” says Potter. “Although people think of me as a liberal mayor, I’m conservative when it comes to money. But I want to make sure that you have the resources necessary to do the job. Maybe not the Cadillac version, but certainly a good, sturdy Kia. I want us as a city to understand that this is part of the core work that we’re doing. I want this committee to be seen as an institution by the city.”
Potter was also asked how he’s going to bring about the political will to make sure that the change the committee brings about is meaningful and real.
“I’m very optimistic about the effect that this group can have as a committee, on the effect that this can have in the police bureau but also in the broader community,” Potter said. “All of us having a part I think is really important. I believe in ownership, and it’s my responsibility as the mayor to make this work.”
In other words? It’s up to the Kia to drive itself…
State Representative Chip Shields also showed up to watch. “As a legislator I think it’s critically important to look at the laws and ordinances that are playing a role in racial profiling,” he says. “It’s very difficult to look into the heart of a police officer and ask them to do something differently, but we can provide a framework in which for them to work.”
He’s particularly focused on the city’s controversial drug free zones—which are coming up for renewal in September. He wants to tie them to actual convictions, rather than simply arrests, as is the case at the moment. The problem with the zones, which are wholeheartedly supported by the Portland Business Alliance [ALARM BELLS RINGING!], is that they effectively criminalize people, the vast majority of them African American, without due process. I asked Shields whether he thinks council might come through and change the structure of the zones in September.
“City council and the mayor haven’t had the best track record of delivering in this area,” he said. “But they may surprise me.”
There’s been interesting discussion amongst the various subcommittees, too. In the community relations group, Sergeant Dave Hendrie was asked by Jo Ann Bowman of Oregon Action what it would take to get more officers to come to a community event, and he said most officers, especially new officers, work such long and unsociable hours that they prioritize their families during their time off. Meanwhile, in the policies and practices group, the mayor’s public safety policy manager Maria Rubio suggested offering officers cash rewards for positive policing. This is “blue sky” thinking, although Assistant Chief Brian Martinek (who’s sitting in for Rosie Sizer today) said he’d “love to be able to do that.” There are contractual obstacles, of course. But it’s not out of the question. Lastly, the group on measuring data appears to be looking to narrow its focus—if anything, to just analyze the data the bureau already has, more deeply. Statistics are a minefield when it comes to this issue, of course. But the group is particularly interested in looking at data on pedestrian stops.
Comments
Do you need any freelance writing work, Tim?
"Funny money from his PBA buddies." Heh heh. [continues snickering. hits 'post.']
This lump of a mayor should put whatever kind of bow on his work that he likes, and then bow out and let people who have the energy to do the job do it.
Potter is a lazy autocrat. Better than the idiot destruction Francesconi would have wrought, but certainly not deserving of a second term.
I'm afraid of Potter's ego. If he gives into it, then there will be a monster fight for the fate of our city. We can't afford another four years of Potter passing the buck and failing to grasp what's happening to Portland on his watch.
screws his campaign workers out of tens of thousands of dollars
Wow, Tim. You know something I don't. Feel free to share at smoore@portlandmercury.com.
Oh yeah, news! Sorry, Scott. I was too busy snickering.
He has obviously never owned a Kia...
I encourage Rep. Shields to continue to demand some actual data on the DFZ/PFZ. He did a great job helping put some pressure on the city in Salem by proposing a statute that would stop the city from excluding people from neighborhoods without a conviction. In large part because of that effort, there was serious concern about the zone and an actual review was proposed. Some members of the city council have been demanding such a review for years, but even with this short renewal to form a committee and gather information on the zones the Mayor has done nothing.
The July 31st deadline for the committee's report passed with only three (or four?) meetings being held before mayoral aide Maria Rubio disbanded the committee. The Mercury was there and saw how well those went. The police bureau has failed to provide their report as required by the ordinance (90 days prior to the expiration of the ordinance)and there is not progress being made at all in terms of gathering community input or looking at the actual effects of the zones. Meanwhile, every single person who is accused of violating the zones and who then challenges the constitutionality of the zones gets their case dismissed - adding a large waste of court money and time to the general DFZ debacle.
Thanks, Stumptown Lawyer. We'll obviously have A LOT more on the DFZs in the next couple of weeks. The short story, though, is made by your comment: That long-promised oversight committee, upon which the extension of the law was based, doesn't exist, and really hasn't ever existed.
There's also rumored to be some doubt over whether the consultants asked to produce a report on the DFZs are going to have it ready in time for the council vote. What could be taking so long?
A conservative when it comes to money? Maybe HIS money but NOT ours.
Thats why he wants to spend at least $200,000.00 just to get started, not including annual up keep, for a Day Labor Center for people that will NOT be required to show they will pay any Taxes while working, because they do not have a S.S.#, meanwhile undermining Employment Agencies, private & public, & undercutting legitimate Employers that all collect & pay Taxes...Illegal Aliens Day Labor Center that is.
If these "Day Laborers" had "documentation" they would get work thru a Temp or agency, but they don't, I have asked all of them, many times.
In fact at two current sites the Plaid Pantry, a for sure, not a maybe Paycheck, with some benefits, had Help Wanted signs out front, none of the "Day Laborers" applied.
This Mayor is a disgrace to all hard working, Tax paying Oregonians. YOUR JOB could be next!
REMEMBER DANI COUNTRYMAN, KILLED/TORTURED/RAPED by "Day Laborers" as well as the aspiring Actress in N.Y. City last year.
Thank you Rick Hickey for your xenophobic rantings.
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“Although people think of me as a liberal mayor, I’m conservative when it comes to money . . ."
Bullshit. This from the guy who drops a million bucks on a worthless "visioning" survey, blows 100 grand to keep City Hall pissers flowing all night, spends twice as much money on his staff then Katz ever did, has more useless staff than anyone else in the building, screws his campaign workers out of tens of thousands of dollars and pockets beaucoup "gifts" and funny money from his PBA buddies.
Bullshit.