Copwatch is challenging new IPR director Mary-Beth Baptista to show the community she is capable of objectively investigating police misconduct, having worked closely alongside the police as a District Attorney over recent years.

We’re hoping to interview Baptista about her ambitions for the office as soon as she takes up the job. It’s worth noting that Baptista’s reputation for fairness and objectivity is pretty strong, as far as District Attorneys go, and that Copwatch’s concerns could be misplaced.

Copwatch activist Dan Handelman says: “Ms. Baptista is going to have to work hard to convince the community that she is not biased toward the police after working for so long side by side with police to prosecute crime.”

Handelman points out that so far as Copwatch knows, no Portland Police officer has been prosecuted for on-duty use of force by the DA’s office, even though there have been prosecutions for lying, stealing and cheating, and sexual misconduct.

“It is particularly important for Ms. Baptista to show a serious commitment to community concerns in the wake of two police shootings this week,” Handelman continues. “And the action taken by police against people protesting laws that target the poor and homeless at City Hall.”