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• Learn more about Portland Copwatch              • Visit some cool links
                  • See our wish list (updated 12/19)  for ways to support PCW
                      • Look at our Glossary last updated 3/18
  

    ANALYSIS: Portland's Civilian Oversight System, July 2020




    Analysis: Arbitration Bill Won't Keep Cops Fired

Check out our fact sheet on the arbitration bill (6/7/20)  
Read the text-only version of the fact sheet

 

• Check out our newsletter, the People's Police Report (published 3 times a year)
  
  • NEW! 1/21 People's Police Report #82 (January, 2021)
        - > .pdf of PPR #82 (5 megs)
    
  • People's Police Report #81 (September, 2020)
        - > .pdf of PPR #81 (5 megs)
      Note: due to the pandemic PPRs #80-82 had limited print runs--
      please enjoy the newsletters online!
  • See thumbnail images of issues #1- 75 of the
           People's Police Report (posted in honor of our 25th anniversary issue!)
  
  

• Information on Portland Police shootings and deaths in custody
          Info includes the shootings of Aaron Campbell and Keaton Otis
          the in-custody death of James Chasse, Jr.
          and the shootings of James Jahar Perez and Kendra James

• List of shootings and deaths 1992-December 2020
    (Updated 1/3/21)


• "Remembering Aaron Campbell: Stop the Violence"
  Saturday, January 25, 2020
  Rally at Maranatha Church, 4222 NE 12th
  More info Facebook page*


• UPDATED! 10/20 Check out Portland Copwatch's informational graphic
    on over 200 officers who've used deadly force from 1992-the present (updated 10/23/20)


• PCW compiles list of shootings which Oregon forgot to do
    • Oregon Dept of Justice Posts Biased, Inaccurate Deadly Force Data (posted 5/18/18)
  '   • See our spreadsheet of Oregon deadly force incidents 2010-2019
      (updated 2/21/20)
    • Read the 2019 letter to OR Attorney General Rosenblum about the list (2/21/20)
    • Check out the March 2016 article in the Skanner with an interactive map of the shootings

          Weapons/Not Weapons Flash Cards for the PPB
          (added 2/21/13)

• Analysis of OIR Group's 2020 report on Portland Police shootings
        (12 pages, 9/29/20)
  
• Analysis of OIR Group's 2019 report on Portland Police shootings
        (6 pages, 3/12/19)
  
• Analysis of OIR Group's 2018 report on Portland Police shootings
        (7 pages, pdf only, 2/15/18)
  
• Analysis of OIR Group's 2016 report on Portland Police shootings
        (8 pages, 1/27/16)
  
(Find other reports and info at our shootings and deaths page.)

• ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN TO END PORTLAND'S COOPERATION
  WITH THE FBI'S TERRORISM TASK FORCE! (UPDATES Sept 2020)

  On September 8, 2020, a new letter demanding that Portland
  fully end cooperation with the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF)
  signed by 27 organizaions and two individuals was sent to City Council.

  NEW! On January 4, 2021 PCW and other groups released a
  "People's Report" on the Joint Terrorism Task Force
  suggesting that Council reject the Bureau's formal report
  unless it answers important questions.

  This follows the November 8, 2017, letter signed by
  23 organizations and a prominent Portland area survivor of unwarranted spying
  was presented to Portland City Council asking to get the Portland Police out of
  the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).

  On February 13, 2019 City Council voted to pull the two officers out of the JTTF.

  On May 8, 2019 Council adopted the second resolution which allows the PPB to work
  with the JTTF on cases of terrorism "and/or threats to life including hate crimes."

  A report released in January 2020 indicated the limited
  contact with the FBI in 2019 did not revolve around terrorism.

  October, 2020:
  On October 9, 2020, 16 Oregon-based social justice organizations and
  three prominent individuals sent a letter to Governor Kate Brown
  asking her to end the state's cooperation with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force.

  READ MORE
  



• HELP PUSH FOR A FAIR POLICE "UNION" CONTRACT! UPDATED DEC. 2020
• Portland Copwatch is part of a campaign for a
    police contract that focuses on community concerns.
  On December 10, 2020 a new letter to Council
  signed by over 30 community groups was published
  outlining important changes that need to be made to the contract.

    This followed the 2019 letter to City Council released on Sept. 11, 2019.

• Also read the 2019 companion letter focusing on items which should be negotiated
   -- but should not be in the contract itself.

For more information on the campaign on the
Police Association Contract, click here.

• Portland Copwatch Statement Against
  Criminalization of Anti-Fascists (8/8/19)



• Check out our report back on May Day 2017
  Expressing deep concerns, including over 30 stills
  and video of a copwatcher manhandled by police.
• Read PCW's fact sheet on the Portland Police Association Contract (10/24/16)
Read more on our page about the police oversight system including:

    Portland Copwatch's analysis of the "Standard of Review" for the
    Citizen Review Committee (4/8/11-.pdf)

• Information on US Dept of Justice Agreement
    In 2012, the US DOJ found a "pattern and practice" of excessive force by the PPB.

    The DOJ page on our site includes links to documents including:

    
  • 10/20 PCW's analysis of the COCL's third quarter 2020 report
    findin PPB out of compliance on force, training (10/27/20)
      
  • analysis of the COCL's second quarter 2020 report
    questioning use of force, urging hearing protestors (8/6/20)
      
  • PCW's analysis of the COCL's first quarter 2020 report
    claiming continued full compliance (5/7/20)
      
  • PCW's analysis of the COCL's fourth quarter 2019 report and DOJ's annual assessment
    still prematurely declaring full compliance (2/12/20)
    
  
  
  • Portland Copwatch's testimony to the federal court
       on the "fairness" of the Settlement" (January 31, 2014):
         •   pdf format (16 pgs)   •   text format (Intro + 11 sections with links)
  
  
  • Analysis of proposed changes to the Bureau's Directives
  • Comments on the first recommendations by the Training Advisory Council (June, 2016)
  
  
• NOW AVAILABLE FROM PORTLAND COPWATCH:
  Copies of "Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse, Jr"
    on DVD! (April 2014)

            Send $15 check or money order to
              Portland Copwatch/Peace and Justice Works
              PO Box 42456
              Portland, OR, 97242
      (Sorry, we can't accept payment for DVDs or other items via our web donation page)
  

    and
    Copies of "Arresting Power: Resisting Police
    Violence in Portland, OR"
    If you send $20 to the same address (December 2015)

• Copwatch stickers available
  Hey! Would you like to have your very own Portland Copwatch sticker?
  Decorate your bike, car, backpack, notebook, front porch, or whatever!
  Send us a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
  We can send up to 8 4"x2.5" stickers for 1 stamp.


• -> Look here for announcements of upcoming
     Orientations, Your Rights and the Police Seminars
      and Copwatch Trainings
  Contact us if you want us to provide a training for your organization!
         

• End FBI Stings!
    Mohamed Mohamud was sentenced to 30 years in prison after
    being set up by the FBI in a sting operation similar to many
    others around the nation. His January 2013 trial ended in a guilty verdict.
    Download and read our background fact sheet on FBI stings
    (last updated November 26, 2018)

• Portland Copwatch deflected from getting meeting with Mayor Hales April-July 2014
• Portland Copwatch participated in the Mayor's Racial Profiling Committee
          from January, 2007 until it was disbanded in late 2008.
          (We are monitoring the Office of Equity and Human Rights' efforts to continue the work.)
  

• Comments on PPB texting scandal outcome 9/13/19
• Analysis of the August 2020 Police Review Board Report
        (8/19/20)
• Analysis of the March 2020 Police Review Board Report
        (4/6/20)
• Analysis of the December 2019 Police Review Board Report
        (12/31/19)
• Analysis of the September 2019 Police Review Board Report
        (10/11/19)
• See other analyses of PRB reports


• Analysis of the Auditor's Report on Tasers
        (11/18/10)


• Analysis of the City's 2009 Use of Force Report
        (3 pages, 7/20/09)
          Includes links to the report and to omitted Bureau statistics
      Analysis of the City's 2007 Use of Force Report
        (3 pages, 4/25/07)

  Background on the Independent Police Review Division (IPR)

• Portland Copwatch analyzes the IPR's Annual Reports:
  *       5/20 IPR 2019 Annual Report Five Short Pages Signifying (Almost) Nothing
    (3 pages, 5/19/20)
  *       5/19 IPR 2018 Annual Report Ignores Force and Police Review Board
    (10 pages, 5/23/19)
  
• Read previous years' annual report analyses.

• Read an analysis of the Auditor's "Independent Police Review Division",
    showing that it acts to shield police from scrutiny (5/21/01)

• Chief Foxworth replies to eight questions from Portland Copwatch (June, 2005)
  
• Portland Votes to Withdraw Officers
     from Joint Terrorism Task Force (April 28, 2005)
     Report and background information on historic 2005 vote
  

• Read a report on the Joint Terrorism Task Force (1/11/01)

  Background on the Portland Joint Terrorism Task Force (PJTTF)

• City Council passes "Terrorism Task Force" ordinance (11/22/00)

• Read the Majority Report of the Mayor's PIIAC work group,
    proposing a strong police review board (Oct. 30, 2000)
  
• Read our (1993- 1996) Proposal for an Effective Civilian Police Review Board
  

• See a list of the top 25 settlements for police misconduct cases,
      1993-2020 (REVISED 1/23/20)
  
• Portland Copwatch sent a respresentative to the first International
          Copwatch Conference in Oakland July 13-15, 2007.
  
• Report back on the National Conference on Police Accountability
         held at Portland State University, October 15-17, 2004.
• Read the Bike Rider's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
    (also available in .pdf format.)
  
• Print the Oregon Homeless Rights guide
    by Oregon Law Center (.pdf)
  
• Look at our Glossary last updated 2/3/15
• Download a "No Warrant, No Entry" flyer to post at your home.

• Look at older, but still interesting stuff on our archive page
  
• Visit our list of cool links
  

On This Page
* denotes recent New info

Portland Copwatch
PO Box 42456
Portland, OR 97242
(503) 236-3065
Incident Report Line (503) 321-5120 (voicemail/text) **
e-mail: copwatch@portlandcopwatch.org
(Click here for other email info)

Portland Copwatch is a grassroots, volunteer organization promoting police accountability through citizen action.

**-Texting added Jan 2020; please only send links for video/images.
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Last updated January 19, 2021