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Rapping Back #45: Twisted Words Link Topics With Lawmen's Totally Worthless Logic
Language Games #1--The Name Game:
Use of Force: PPA on New Portland Policy and Guest Opinions Chief Rosie Sizer's new Use of Force policy calling for officers to use the "least amount of force necessary" upset the rank-and-file of the PPA. (However, as we wrote in PPR #44, by eliminating the "continuum of force," the ambiguous new rule actually makes it more likely that cops will use any amount of force they think "necessary.") PPA Vice President Daryl Turner, writing in the May Rap Sheet, said that after a presentation by Bureau brass and the City Attorney, "I [and others] walked away... even more strongly opposed to the new policy." Turner complains that figures showing the percentage of use of force per officer were sent to the precincts (see "Sizer's Sizeup," in this issue). Supervisors were required to talk to "targeted officers," but the Bureau did not consider this "counseling." No PPA representatives were called until the Association got wind of it and sent a memo to all the cops on the list. Turner claims that 75% of the PPA opposes the new policy. They hope to ensure officers don't end up as "sacrificial lambs for the city of Portland, cop haters, or, even worse, the American Civil Liberties Union... [which has] supported and represented cop killers during their long existence."
VP Daryl Turner's column in the June Rap Sheet explained officers' concerns about use of force incidents leading to supervisory talks. Use of force in mental health holds was originally included in their arrest data, but later removed (see article in this issue). So, using force on those with mental illness doesn't count? In another take on use of force, a column by Sgt. Dean Scoville of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department considers how profanity can be used instead of physical violence (May Rap Sheet). Scoville scoffs at those who look down on swearing, saying profanity is the "sign of an unlimited vocabulary." Rather than use four letter words, some officers "enlighten their quarry with 50,000 volts via a Taser... and I say more AC power to them." (Doesn't the Taser run on DC current?). Scoville claims that profanity mitigates use of force: If an officer shouts "Drop the f***ing gun or I'll shoot," a suspect may believe that he will end up "having more than one orifice in [his] ass if VerboCop has to make good on his word." Scoville does admit that profanity is not always good, and can precipitate force, noting that backing off can show an officer has control. However, he argues against police being as "gentile [sic] and polite as the cops in 'Demolition Man' [a movie where violence was outlawed], we'd get our asses kicked like 'em too. ... It would be great if cops used a G-rated vocabulary, [but] things would probably go to shit if they did." Adding another twist to the mix is conservative African American columnist Thomas Sowell, who in the July Rap Sheet complains that headlines about Sean Bell, the black man shot 50 times by New York Police on the eve of his wedding, were biased. It was "spin" to say Bell was "unarmed" because he was driving a car (which Sowell calls a "deadly weapon"). He also objects to counting bullets, because "Nobody counts bullets in life and death situations... Keep firing until you are damn sure it is safe to stop." He claims studies show that most shots miss, even at a 6 foot distance. How reassuring. Sowell also is astounded because he sees no moral difference between one bullet and dozens. The next time a civilian pumps his victim with 50 bullets, see what the right wing commentators have to say. Sowell then uses quotation marks to emphasize his opinion that it's ignorant to assume officers being "'trained'" or operating under better "'rules'" can solve the problem.
Language Games #2--Imagining Future Blame: At a Crime Victims United news conference on the alleged lack of accountability for criminal youth in the Multnomah County Juvenile Justice System, Sgt. Mitch Copp, Vice President of the PPA, stated that no officer wants to be "forced to use lethal force against a juvenile," warning that might happen if offenders keep getting back out on the streets. Someday someone will be killed, says Copp, and "blood will be on the hands of Juvenile Services and County Commissioners" (Rap Sheet, June 2008).
It Sounds Like a Broken Record... Scratched CD... Corrupted MP3 File? Around Here For fear of boring our readers with the same repetitive complaints the Portland Police have been churning out in the Rap Sheet for the last year or more, we'll give you some new highlights and then use a score card to show numerous appearances of the same old song. In the June issue, Officer Thomas Brennan took a slightly new tack by imagining himself as Chief for 30 days. He says that there's currently a "chasm" between Chief Sizer and the officers, and nothing can remedy it. He accuses the current administration of imposing solutions "in search of problems (use of force, promotional process, etc.)" while they do nothing about court appearances, sleep deprivation, morale, or staffing. Brennan outlines his ideas for fixing these problems, including recruiting more from local military bases, in part because that "will attract more minority candidates." He notes there should be more treatment with compassion, dignity and respect--referring to how management treats officers, not how officers treat the public. (Interestingly he illustrates this point with a quote from Maya Angelou: "People will never forget how you made them feel." So true, Officer Brennan.) Examples of disrespect include the Use of Force and Performance Review boards, being transferred or passed over for promotions, being ticketed by "crazed lawyers" (a civilian gave an officer a citation for parking a patrol car illegally while getting lunch), and being "castigated" by the Mayor on a weekly basis. He suggests that the police should ask the Mayor and the community what they want, since they "Hammer us with countless levels of accountability." Do they want police to wait for backup to lower the amount of force needed, he asks, or arrest "evil doers" before they hurt the public? If so, your tally in the Employee Information System (EIS) goes up, a system Brennan calls "Paralysis by analysis." Brennan, who apparently shot and killed someone while working for a different agency on January 15, 2000, notes that officers do not take Use of Deadly Force lightly. He complains that only those who sit in comfortable offices "dare to criticize/second guess the split second decisions that have to be made to protect the lives of others." Interestingly, he also notes that the PPB leads its officers to believe that the "Feds" are waiting in the wings to impose a consent decree on the City.
So, here's a laundry list of such issues raised in the Rap Sheet (by no means comprehensive): --City government unsupportive/"anti-police": (Editorial endorsed by King, Copp, Froesch and Simpson, written by anonymous officer/June*1; Capt. Harvey/May; VP Turner/June*2; Officers Mike Stradley/June*3 & Jason Jones/August) --Media is biased against police (Capt. Harvey/May; Stradley/June--calls media "anti-police and anti-authority", Det. Peter Simpson/May*4) --Use of force policy is too restrictive (Editorial/June, Turner/June&August) --Salaries too low (Harvey/May; Stradley/June; King/July; Simpson/August; Officer John Grable/August) --Staffing levels are too low (Turner/June, King/July*5) This complaining makes no sense when you consider that the PPA got everything it wanted in its 2006 contract with the city, which expires in 2010--a process that has taken well over a year in the past sailed through last time. Countering all this is the lonely voice of Sgt. Liani Reyna (#28925). You may recall Reyna was disciplined several years ago after blowing the whistle on sexual hazing activities in the SERT team (PPR #26). Reyna has once again gained our respect by writing (in July's Rap Sheet) that she is "dismayed" at how the PPA presents Portland, which discourages new recruits from starting their careers here. She urges the rank and file to look at the glass as half full: Compared to smaller towns, Portland has it pretty good. Despite the politics, which she says are the same all over, Portland officers are spoiled--they don't have to do their own DUI or domestic violence investigations, get more vacation than average workers, and despite lower pay than some agencies, receive good benefits and health insurance. Recruits do not need 4-year degrees, and have a variety of specialty units they can join and promotional opportunities not open elsewhere in state. "Golly, is that so bad," Reyna asks, if the "hard chargers" are told to slow down to reduce complaints? Her one negative note: Accountability is based on who you know-- "for the 'chosen few' forgiveness is easily obtained."
Language Games #3--Seeking the Worst: Ken Chapman of Crime Victims United thanks the Police Association for taking part in a survey about juvenile justice. According to Chapman, "Police are the prime agents of change for delinquent youth." He encourages the PPA to send information about "disturbing incidents" in the juvenile system (Rap Sheet, July 2008).
Mixed Messages on Misconduct Officer Rob Blanck penned a piece in the July Rap Sheet called "Police Oversight Necessary?" He points to the incident where an attorney ticketed a cop as a sign that police have "Lost our trust to the citizens we serve." He then explains a complaint he received for traveling 30-35 in a school zone when allegedly not on official business. According to Blanck, computer records show 9-1-1 had been called by an "out of control mental patient" who didn't want to cooperate with state workers. The workers got her into their van, but she escaped, so Blanck explained the 50,000 volts of his Taser to her-- and she became cooperative. They affixed a mask to her (nice!) and took her to a state facility--through that school zone. Blanck claims the patient was thrashing around at the time, and he was threatening her again so he was not paying attention to his speed. Blanck sees complaints as a waste of time; citizens are only upset the police haven't developed a "pixy dust that makes people play nice." He ends by taunting, "Hey critics, you say we're hypocrites, we are such bores? Well we are hiring 100 a year, so come on in there's room for one more!" In June, Sgt. Cliff Bacigalupi similarly railed against an April Oregonian column. S. Renee Mitchell wrote about a man roughed up at gunpoint by police when they mistakenly thought he was a wanted felon, then arrested his wife and brother-in-law who yelled at them to stop. Bacigalupi calls the column "inflammatory," but admits that police conduct is news if an officer's action is "unlawful or unprofessional." He also expects media coverage of actions that are "heroic, honest and ethical." Pushing back on Mitchell, Bacigalupi says cops react to actions of "calculated, violent, uncooperative people," saying it is not honest to vilify the cop and make the suspect a victim. In his view, such articles create mistrust of police. Surprisingly, he says the article was a "disservice to people that may be actual victims of police misconduct."
Language Games #4--Better Locked Up than Educated
In August's Rap Sheet, Officer John Grable touts his qualifications to be PPA President: He says he has no sustained complaints, "which means I have been very lucky, I'm good at my job...or an extremely accomplished liar." With Robert King stepping down, this could be our future.
*1-As an example of the "cognitive dissonance"
displayed by the City and the Bureau, the editorial
says that Sergeants tell officers to "enforce order maintenance crimes while the Mayor allows a
few
hundred people to illegally block a sidewalk in front of his office." Mitch Copp also wrote a
letter
to the Oregonian (May 31) defending the PPA's negativity by blaming the "failure of
Police
Bureau managers and [Mayor Potter] to support and appeciate the line officers under their
command."
*2-Turner adds that community leaders point the finger at
police, including the "lion's share" of
blame for the state's "failed mental health system."
*3-Stradley claims "Management constantly listens and jumps
for those yelling the loudest instead
of those who make sense." He quotes a letter from retired officer Harry Swofford who says higher-
ups are "hypercritical about everything and more apt to believe the word of convicted felons than
that of professional police officers." Swofford adds that he sees a "Great police bureau being
dismantled by anarchists." The theme of Stradley's article: he no longer tells people to start their
police career in Portland.
*4-Simpson says an Oregonian article on police use of
resisting arrest charges (PPR
#44) "paints a picture that officers routinely trump up charges to cover our asses," calling the
article "a very slanted piece of garbage."
*5-King's comments, from a presentation he gave to the Citizens
Crime Commission (CCC),
included most of these talking points. The CCC subsequently lobbied City Council, which
reinstated money for a training facility, new police computers, and 26 new officers.
The Rap Sheet is available from the Portland Police Association, 1313 NW 19th, Portland OR 97209. The PPA's website is www. ppavigil.org. |
September, 2008
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Portland Copwatch Portland Copwatch is a grassroots, volunteer organization promoting police accountability through citizen action.
People's Police Report
#45 Table of Contents
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