On June 15, former Portland Police Officer Joseph Wild pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of
telephonic harassment and 41 counts of official misconduct in Multnomah County Court. Wild
allegedly made sexually explicit calls from his cell phone during his regular shift to three female
Portland police officers who were in training at the state police academy. Further, a 16 year old girl
reported receiving phone calls from a man claiming he had had sex with her but she did not recall
any sexual contact. The phone calls were eventually traced to Wild's cell phone and it was
discovered he had taken the girl to a facility for missing juveniles after receiving a call that she was
intoxicated. Wild's cell phone records included an additional 50 calls during a two month period to
a number belonging to a 14 year old girl. When interviewed, she said she had received numerous
phone calls from a man who had made sexual statements that frightened her to tears. Wild also
called a survivor of domestic violence who told detectives that she had received phone calls from an
unknown man threatening to "come to her house and rape her." On another occasion he
called to tell her he was in her basement during a time she and her daughter were home alone. It
was determined that Wild had made eight calls to this woman during a 27 minute period.
When interviewed by detectives on May 4, Wild admitted to calling the female officers and not
stopping when requested to do so. He was arrested June 12 and held in Multnomah County Jail on
$132,500 bail--increased to $250,000 after his indictment. During Wild's arraignment, Portland
Police Association President Scott Westerman "indicated the union had no particular role in the
allegations" but showed up in court "to show Joey a friendly face" (Oregonian,
June 16). Facing termination, Wild resigned August 4 (Oregonian, August 5)
Subsequent to the 84 count indictment against Wild (since raised to 102 counts), Chief Rosie Sizer
"pushed for the ability to give polygraph tests to police applicants." Sizer also indicated she
has been "working closely with police psychologist David Corey... since 2007 to strengthen a
personal questionnaire given to all applicants, intending to identify any deviate [sic] sexual traits
that could foretell problems." The use of a polygraph would have to be approved by the State
Legislature, which has rejected the idea twice (Oregonian, June 23). Courts do not admit
polygraphs because they are notoriously unreliable.
On June 19, Portland Copwatch (PCW) sent an e-mail to Chief Sizer and the five City
Commissioners in response to the arrest of Officer Wild. The memo pointed out that this was at
least the fourth Portland officer charged with sexual misconduct in the last few years (see
PPR #43) and that the Bureau should also be looking as
seriously into gender
discrimination as they are at racial profiling. The letter also indicated that officers who have been
fired and charged are always guilty of lying, cheating, stealing or sexual misconduct, but never
excessive force. We requested that PCW be apprised of any progress of gender parity issues and
holding officers accountable in questionable deadly force cases. As of the date of publication no
such information has been forthcoming.
Back to top.
Lake Oswego Lets Rapist Cop Keep Working
Beginning on May 21, the Lake Oswego Review ran a lengthy series following up on a complaint
against Terry Timeus, now chief of police in West Linn, and Darryl Wrisley, currently a lieutenant
with the Lake Oswego Police Department. The allegations were that in 1992 Wrisley, who was then
with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, had sexually assaulted a woman while on duty, and
that Timeus, a long-time friend, had helped Wrisley to salvage his career. Wrisley denies the
allegation, and a grand jury did not press criminal charges subsequent to an Oregon State Police
investigation. Documents obtained by the newspaper show that after its own internal investigation,
the sheriff's office concluded that the woman had told the truth about the sexual assault. Wrisley
was subsequently fired but during many months of grievance and arbitration processes, he was
eventually offered a deal to end his employment and was given $20,000, a letter of recommendation
and an agreement to seal the investigation. The Sheriff's Department stands by its original findings.
Despite all the findings, Wrisley continues a career in law enforcement. He was also arrested for
assault and drunken driving in 2000 but was still able to retain his job. According to the Review, an
investigation found "little reason for concern."
Back to top.
