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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Cops / City Hall Should Portland Ban Cops From Using Horses and Pepper Spray to Bust Up Protests?

Posted by Denis C. Theriault on Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 4:48 PM

Portland's Charter Review Commission—volunteers responsible for helping amend what's basically the city's constitution—is holding a public hearing this Monday, February 13, on a pair of police accountability proposals that at least a few members would like to see voters enshrine.

Both address the tactics police use to break up protests—methods that attained new notoriety amid the recent Occupy Portland protests, even though they've also been on advocates' hit list for years.

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Getting these changes on the ballot, let alone persuading voters to back them, won't be easy. No doubt many will argue the police bureau needs these tools weapons at their disposal in the case of a genuine riot, and not merely an assemblage of activists blocking a road for a spell while they demonstrate their freedom of speech.

Minutes from a charter commission meeting in December offer a glimpse at the chilly response police measures (or Occupy-backed policy changes like instant-runoff voting) can expect from the Portland City Council. The council typically is tasked with deciding on the commission's recommendations for the ballot.

Mr. Rich Rodgers asks Ms. Jo Ann Hardesty questions pertaining to her meeting with the Mayor December 7th. He wanted to know if he was in support of the IUC [Independent Utility Commission] and if the Police Accountability Sub-committee had caused resistance towards the Charter Commission.

Ms. Jo Ann Hardesty said, “After the December 7th meeting the Mayor said he is not interested in anything I am not in support of such as the Police Accountability and Instant Run-Off.

The discussion, however, continued.

Ms. Jo Ann Hardesty would like to know if the Charter Commission would like to continue with the Police Accountability, and Instant Run -off Voting sub-committees

Mr. Steve Weiss said that they can put anything on the ballot with a fifteen affirmative member vote. He also agrees that the Police Accountability and Instant Run —Off Voting made the City Council nervous.

Show up Monday for the meeting, or at another meeting at City Hall on Thursday, February 16, and keep making people nervous. It's healthy.

 

Comments (17) RSS

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1
CAN'T WE JUST GET RID OF THE STUPID WASTE OF MONEY MOUNTED PATROL? OR IF THEY'RE GONNA STICK AROUND MAKE THEM DRESS LIKE CANADIAN MOUNTIES?!?
Posted by Graham on February 9, 2012 at 5:04 PM · Report
2
The answer is yes.
Posted by Fruit Cup on February 9, 2012 at 5:13 PM · Report
3
It's my understanding that very few cities still use horses (calling them weapons though Denis, really?) because of the expense that isn't really needed to get the police job done.
Scrap them.
But pepper spray? C'mon. Recent events have shown that people don't always respond to being politely asked.
Posted by frankieb on February 9, 2012 at 5:15 PM · Report
4
Finding myself in complete agreement with Franklin.
Posted by Commenty Colin on February 9, 2012 at 5:21 PM · Report
5
Throwing out a hypothetical here: Let's say we've got Random Psycho-Fundie Pseudo-Christian Wingnut Group blocking access to Planned Parenthood. Linking arms and blocking street access and doorway access to the facility, sitting in circles in patient parking, slathered in Crisco, etc. Police show up and say, "Hey, would you move?" and they say "No."

Now what? At what point, if ever, do the police get to resort to force (grappling, pepper spray, what-have-you) presuming that's all you've got -- no one is attacking anyone or anything?

Now what?
Posted by Sok on February 9, 2012 at 5:28 PM · Report
6
(Second "Now what?" brought to you by sloppy editing, not rhetorical emphasis.)
Posted by Sok on February 9, 2012 at 5:44 PM · Report
7
Yes. I have repeatedly seen, and recorded video footage of, the complete sadistic abuse of these weapons, to terrorize peaceful protesters. It's time to reign in the Portland police army.

The SERT (what other cities call "SWAT") response team is supposed to be used in cases of armed resistance. Why is it routinely deployed against peaceful protesters?
Posted by jessehadden on February 9, 2012 at 5:51 PM · Report
8
I am a little concerned that if they don't have pepper spray that cops will be forced to go to ever more violent weapons. What we need is for a cop who sprays to be taken off-duty for a while and the incident investigated, just like if they used a gun.
Posted by dwainedibbly on February 9, 2012 at 6:00 PM · Report
9
Just be thankful they use horses instead of dogs for crowd control. Although I do think they should have to clean up the horse poop.
Posted by ujfoyt on February 9, 2012 at 6:18 PM · Report
10
I'm for the ban ONLY if they replace them with a water canon. Water is recyclable, it cleans the dirty protesters and washes the streets clean of all the garbage the protesters leave behind.

Can't wait for the new film that's going to be released about the occupiers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqxA9LMa_0c
Posted by Andy from Beaverton on February 9, 2012 at 8:26 PM · Report
11
"A Water Canon"? I realize that was probably an unintentional spelling, but it does produce some interesting images.

Oh, and Andy, the protesters don't smell...that's just a Fox News myth. They also don't deserve your hatred, given that they're fighting for you against a system that's trying to screw you. If you're not rich now, you never will be. Deal with it.
Posted by AlaskanNow on February 9, 2012 at 8:56 PM · Report
12
@Alaskan - They are NOT fighting for me.
Posted by Reymont on February 10, 2012 at 10:41 AM · Report
13
"They also don't deserve your hatred, given that they're fighting for you against a system that's trying to screw you."

That sentiment right there is why a growing number of people resent these protests. Please, stop "fighting" the system for me.
Posted by Chuck Garabedian on February 10, 2012 at 10:42 AM · Report
14
Both horses and pepper spray are weapons that are not easily controlled - a horse can spook, and pepper spray drifts.

Horses are essentially moving walls in crowd control situations; the same effect can be used with shields instead of clubs (excuse me, they're called "batons", even though cops club people with them).

Pepper spray is meant to be used to incapacitate a person for arrest or to break up a fight; its use in crowd control panics the crowd and makes it much more difficult for people to leave the area (because they can't see and have trouble breathing). Cops also like to use it to bully women, as shown in the 11/17/11 protest and multiple times with Hauptmann (er, Captain) Mark Kruger.

And back in the days of the controversy with Nike and outsourced labor, protesters didn't need to shut down Niketown - the police horses left steaming piles in front of the store for shoppers....
Posted by LawyerPepper on February 10, 2012 at 1:10 PM · Report
15
@12 and 13. Ditto, thank you. @7 would these be the Peaceful Protesters that fashioned hundreds of makeshift weapons in their "camp" last year? Or the ones who vandalize? Or the ones who refer to themselves as a "mob"? @11 you sir are incorrect, some of them are pretty whiffy...ugh. Anyway, I am only ok with it if the horse is using the pepper spray! @7, shut up. And if you want an answer, fine. Because you are a mob and the Police are not going to let you do whatever the fuck you want. Sorry.
Posted by The Showstopper on February 10, 2012 at 2:19 PM · Report
16
As for the rest of you, STOP HORSING AROUND!
Posted by The Showstopper on February 10, 2012 at 2:20 PM · Report
17
I continue to film the horses being used as weapons "against and on the people of Portland" I continue to film the police abuse peaceful demonstrators. I continue to film the police use their bikes, fists, batons, motorcycles, horses and chemicals on UNARMED protesters. This issue of using animals in violent chaotic situations as tools of force is wrong. How much proof does a civil society need? "Retire the horses to good homes!"
Posted by joeanybody on May 15, 2012 at 9:49 AM · Report

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