Update 1:30 pm: Mayor Sam Adams told me he will meet this afternoon with Police Chief Mike Reese to discuss more deeply Reese's decision to give Officer Leo Besner a sergeant's badge.
Back to the original post:
Outrage continues to bubble over Police Chief Mike Reese's decision to promote Leo Besner—the officer who shot and killed Raymond Gwerder five years ago while Gwerder was on the phone with a hostage negotiator—with letters and calls coming in from police reform advocates and even Gwerder's family.
And now Mayor Sam Adams, it seems, has personally responded to one of the many missives urging against the promotion. In an email sent yesterday from his phone, he told Jesse Cornett, Gwerder's friend and roommate at the time of his death, that he "will discuss with human resources and police bureau your concerns."
The Mercury saw Adams' email only after obtaining a copy of Cornett's reply to the mayor's offer, sent early this morning. Both Adams' email, and the first message from Cornett that prompted it, were copied below the most recent message. We haven't had a chance yet to ask the mayor what he meant.
In his reply, Cornett says he also spoke with Reese about the promotion to sergeant, scheduled for Thursday, but found his explanation "far from satisfying." Regarding Gwerder's shooting, Cornett wrote that Reese's "assertion that the communication breakdown on the scene was the sole cause of Gwerder's death seems to ignore the realities of the totality of the situation."
As Portland Copwatch has noted this week, Besner's rough conduct on the job has forced the city into several legal settlements in recent years—costing nearly $1 million. Cornett writes that "in our conversation, other than referring to Besner's 'pretty good record,' the Chief didn't engage on the other cases where Besner was involved, but they cannot be minimized. In instance after instance Portlanders have feared for their safety because of Leo Besner."
Promotions are handed out based on test scores, but the chief has the discretion to pass over any otherwise eligible officer. Reese confirmed the promotion Monday in the Oregonian. Cornett wants Adams, as police commissioner, to lean on Reese to change his mind and exercise his right of refusal.
And as for Besner's "pretty good record," the Skanner yesterday reported yet another tort claim filed against the city over Besner's conduct. In the most recent case, an African-American shop owner and attorney who called police after someone pulled a knife in his store says Besner arrested and handcuffed him instead.
Click through to see Cornett's emails to the mayor, police chief, and city council, along with Adams' response.
From: Jesse Cornett
Sent: Wednesday, December 8, 2010 12:00am
To: Adams, Sam
Cc: Adams, Mayor; Reese, Mike; Edwards, Antoinette; Jimenez, Warren; Lieber, Kate; Burke, George; Gonzalez, Cevero; Fish, Nick; Leonard, Randy; Saltzman, Dan; Fritz, Amanda; Finn, Brendan; Miller, Tom; Kaufmann, Roy
Subject: TIME SENSITIVE Re: Please do not promote Leo Besner
Mayor Adams,
Thanks for the prompt reply. The Chief also replied and I had the opportunity speak with him yesterday. He was very gracious to take the time but an explanation of why PPB Officer Leo Besner would be promoted was far from satisfying. The Chief's assertion that the communication breakdown on the scene was the sole cause of Gwerder's death seems to ignore the realities of the totality of the situation.
There were multiple causes leading up to the shooting, one of which as having an officer at the other end of the rifle who had a history of violence. In our conversation other than referring to Besner's "pretty good
record" the Chief didn't engage on the other cases where Besner was involved but they cannot be minimized. In instance after instance Portlanders have feared for their safety because of Leo Besner.
According to the Chief, "tort cases aren't necessarily an indication whether we're doing a good job or not." That's sort of like saying just because there's smoke doesn't mean there's a fire. Right. Well in this case the house has burned to the ground the and Chief still isn't sure the smoke meant there was a fire.
I thought you made a great choice in your selection of Chief but his inability or unwillingness to review all the facts give me pause. This promotion makes a mockery of the changes viewed positively by the community since his installation last spring, including the decision to fire Ron Frashour for a similar infraction.
I feel PPB is making a huge mistake in promoting Besner. The chief has the discretion to pass over an officer and he can and should do so in this case. Besner should not ever be promoted. He shouldn't even be allowed to keep his badge. I hope that as the Police Commissioner that you will stop
this from happening. *I would like the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest possible convenience to discuss this matter. *The badge is slated to be handed over on Thursday.
* *
Thanks,
Jesse Cornett
On Wed, Dec 1, 2010 at 1:39 PM, Adams, Sam wrote:
> Jesse: thanks for heads up. I will discuss with human resources and police
> bureau your concerns. Sam
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Dec 1, 2010, at 10:44 AM, "Jesse Cornett"
> wrote:
>
> Mayor Adams and Chief Reese,
>
> I hope this note finds you well. It was nice to see you (the Mayor + a PPB
> Rep.) in my neck of the woods recently to announce the Banner Program.
>
> I'm writing about an issue that is near and dear to my heart. You should
> have received a letter already from my dear friend Bobbie Jo Foster. I've
> been friends with Bobbie Jo for twenty years now. Her brother, Raymond
> Gwerder, was a coworker when we met at the time and he grew to be my closest
> of friends.
>
> As you know, last week it was announced that Officer Leo Besner is on the
> top of the promotion list to make Sergeant when promotions are announced at
> the Police Bureau on December 9th. It would be a tragic decision for his
> promotion be allowed to move forward. Besner remains a danger to the very
> public he is sworn to protect. Promoting Besner would be a slap in the
> face to the long list of victims and Portlanders at large. As a Portlander,
> I'm scared that he remains on the streets.
>
> Further, it’s extremely unfortunate that despite massive losses to the city
> and victims far and wide as a result of Officer Besner’s overbearing tactics
> that the city is unwilling or unable to terminate his employment with the
> Police Bureau. *The realities of policing are radically different than
> what’s witnessed in movies like Bad Lieutenant yet it appears that Besner
> treats Hollywood police movies as training videos*.
>
> In addition to shooting Ray in the back while he was complying with a
> police negotiator, *Besner’s other known victims include (also highlighted
> in Bobbie Jo's Letter)*:
>
> - **Bill Ellis an antiwar protestor who was targeted and punished with
> a beat down by Besner for his perceived leadership role in a protest.
> - 15 year old Maria-Janeth Rodriguez-Sanchez was roughed up by Besner
> while she waiting at a bus stop
> - Charles Lincoln, then 71, was attempting to restrain a woman who had
> a knife when Besner tasered him
> - Most recently (that we know of) Harold Hammick, Ri'Chard Booth and
> Alex Clay were terrorized by Besner for nearly an hour in a parking garage
> in Portland before being released without being charged with a crime.
>
>
>
> I beg you both to consider the needs of Portland as you make this
> decision. Fresh on the heels of firing Ron Frashour for a similar offense,
> it would be a strange decision for sure to then promote another officer
> guilt of the same crime. *Please do not promote Leo Besner.*
>
>
> --
> Jesse Cornett
