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Thursday, February 28, 2008
News Tim Robbins Shows For Cop Review Protest
Posted by on Thu, Feb 28 at 4:49 PM
Answering Erik’s question of what Hollywood actor Tim Robbins is doing in Portland: He pulled up at City Hall briefly this afternoon to watch a citizens’ protest over the mayor’s decision to shove off public testimony on a damning report about the Independent Police Review until council has had a chance to discuss it amongst themselves:
ROBBINS: Said he planned to burrow into Gary Blackmer’s office with a spoon… [Photo by the omnipresent Teresa Teater.]
Council had planned to hear public testimony at a hearing scheduled today, but will now have a “work session” on the 18th, with no public testimony, to decide what to do with the recommendations. Then perhaps hear public testimony the next day, once it’s all a done deal.
That has cop oversight advocates hopping mad—they say council now gets to decide what to do with a consultant’s damning report on the so-called “Independent” Police Review without hearing what the community thinks. Undeterred, Portland Copwatch organized a public hearing of their own today, inviting council to attend if they felt so inclined:
CITY COUNCIL: Really cares what the public has to say on this issue…
Still, never mind. The community had their say, regardless:
COMMUNITY OUTRAGE: Venting on the City Hall steps…
“We do not need an imitation of the internal affairs division of the Portland Police Bureau,” said Reverend Doctor Leroy Haines. “We need a citizen police review committee that has credibility in the community.”
“The argument always used by the City Auditor is that we should do it behind closed doors so that we don’t antagonize the police,” said Martin Gonzales, on the committee for justice for Jose Mejia Poot. “But what is there to antagonize?”
“Auditor Blackmer has responded with such dismissal to these recommendations that we believe it is not fair to the community and to the fair-minded people of Portland,” said Kayse Jama of the Coalition for Intercultural Organizing.
“By canceling public testimony, the Council effectively ignores the public,” said Jason Renaud of the Mental Health Association of Portland.
Dan Handelman of Portland Copwatch said the average city settlement payout for police misconduct has not changed since the IPR was established. It’s averaged $469,721 per year between 1993 and 2005. In fact, since the IPR was established in 2001, payouts have risen, slightly. In 2003, for example, $1.3m was paid out.
It’s not clear what Robbins’ interest was—he watched proceedings for a few minutes, chatted with some people in the crowd, then got back in his minivan and drove off. Still, it leant a pleasant air of surreality to the whole affair.
Afterwards, the advocates tried delivering copies of their testimony to the city auditor (who sent a lackey out to collect the documents) and to all the city commissioners. The mayor sent public safety assistant Jared Spencer out to talk to the public. Asked whether the mayor cares what the public thinks about the process, Spencer responded: “Of course.” Why didn’t he come out and listen to them, then?
VIDEO BY INTERN JONATHAN SHAPIRO: Failed to get a shot of Tim Robbins…but never mind…
Comments
Tim Robbins is cool.
All these people running into him, and not one of them is returning with news of who's been cast in the movie?
They were probably too cool to ask, since Tim is so awesomely cool himself. I don't think I could've asked. If he had said "Hey." I would've said "Hey." and then walked away thinking, Oh shit! That was so cool.
Robbins is no stranger to Oregon. Long before he was famous, when I was in junior high school in McMinnville in the 1980s, Robbins was a supporting actor in a movie for CBS television filmed in our town called "Quarterback Princess". The movie also starred another future Oscar winner (along with Robbins), Helen Hunt, in the title role as Tammy Maida, who is quarterback of the boys' football team and homecoming princess as well. For some reason, perhaps to do with royalties, the town is called "Minnville" instead of "McMinnville". But it was fun seeing it as a backdrop for a cheesy CBS melodrama.
Oh, and Robbins in this cinema classic played the third-string quarterback.
Tim Robbins was the shit in that movie, 'The Player'.
Yo, I chased Tim Robbins into the street in front of City hall, for that photo,
I screamed,I just LOVE your Wife !!!
He looked at me and suddenedly screamed,"watch Out !!", your going to get hit by a Car !!!" Sure enough, A car rushed by me as I leaned inward...
I quickly said,"you and your Wife are the coolest Activists,Keep it UP !!
Forgot to thank him for saving my life today, So... Hey Tim Robbin's I now have to do you a favor !!! I will spit polish your shoes,Or Buy you a VOODOO DONUT in PORTLAND, YOU CHOSE :>
LOVE YOU AND SUSAN...
P.S.
I know where the Nuclear Power plant is in Nebraska :> wanna protest ?
I saw Tim at Kelly's Olympian on my birthday and was just intoxicated enough to confuse Bull Durham with A League of Their Own and compliment him on a movie he wasn't in.
Is that like when people say, "Hey, Matt, I just love what you're doing for the Willamette Week?"
No. Didn't think so.
Teater, not only did you narrowly avoid getting hit by a car, but you may have forgotten that Tim Robbins and Susan Surandon are famously NOT married, just longtime partners.
I didn't realize Teresa Teater and Matt Davis sold out to Hollywood and are on a studio's payroll. Interesting.
Damn you ... you've uncovered our secret.
Hey Mercury,
Thanks for covering this story. As an ex-PDX-er, I like knowing that people still care in Portland. Here in Oakland, most people don't know shit about shit (even where to get a good beer). And the music scene sucks (I think primarily because the music coverage in the Bay sucks - everyone's too busy trying to make more money).
Thanks for the huge volume of music/show reviews . . . wait, this post was supposed to be in thanks for the focus on real issues that effect the public.
I'll try this again:
I miss knowing what's going on around me . . . thanks for being, and keep going.
Frank
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It’s not clear what Robbins’ interest was—he watched proceedings for a few minutes, chatted with some people in the crowd, then got back in his minivan and drove off.
He is in town, saw something liberal going on, and stopped to look.