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Mayor's Plan Not Up to Speed for Effective Civilian Review Board

On November 17, Mayor Vera Katz announced her long-awaited proposed revisions to Portland's Internal Investigations Auditing Committee (PIIAC). While City Council acts as PIIAC, eleven volunteer Citizen Advisors actually hear appeals made by complainants unsatisfied with the Internal Investigations process.

Unfortunately, PIIAC's Citizen Advisors only use information from the police in considering a complainant's case. POPSG presented a carefully researched plan to City Council in June 1993, when 30 other groups and individuals spoke in favor of a stronger review system.

Based on POPSG's plan (and a ten-point outline for effective civilian review which we have also endorsed), we created a comparison chart to help readers visualize inherent problems with the Mayor's proposal. City Council is expected to vote on the Mayor's proposal Wednesday, January 5, 1994 at 9:30 AM. The address is 1220 SW 5th Ave. at Jefferson.

10 Requirements for Effective Civilian Review

(1) Complaints of police misconduct are investigated by independent (non-police affiliated) investigators, to insure the process is unbiased.

-->The Mayor's Proposal
(1) There is no independent investigation. The Police Bureau continues to investigate itself.

(2) A civilian review board (with no police members) makes findings based on the outcome of the independent investigations.

-->(2) PIIAC (which is not prohibited from having law enforcement membership) makes findings based solely on a review of information supplied by the Police Internal Investigations Division.

(3) Board members are appointed by City Council based upon recommendations from established community based organizations.

-->(3) Citizen Advisors are appointed by neighborhood coalitions, representing a narrow band of the community.

(4) The Board reflects the community in ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and economic background.

-->(4) No standards insure that PIIAC reflects the community's diversity (language in PIIAC's charter suggests Council strive to pick advisors who reflect this diversity).

(5) Intake of complaints occurs outside the Police Bureau in locations easily accessible to all of the public.

-->(5) Intake is done in neighborhood coalition offices--an improvement over the current system but still insufficient.

(6) The Board has the power to compel police testimony and the presentation of evidence in order to insure complete and thorough investigations of misconduct claims.

-->(6) PIIAC Citizen Advisors have no power to compel testimony or the presentation of evidence, except through City Council in "extraordinary circumstances."

(7) A system of unbiased mediation addresses misconduct complaints of a more minor nature. It respects the citizen's right to a fair hearing while reducing the number of full-scale investigations necessary.

-->(7) A mediation process is established in which the police union participates in selecting, training, and evaluating mediators. If mediation fails because an officer refuses to cooperate, a citizen may not pursue an IID complaint.

(8) The Board reviews misconduct claims as well as police general orders, police policies, and police training. Civilians are given the opportunity to address issues of their own concern.

-->(8) PIIAC is expected to review cases, policy issues, and training. But the Advisory Committee is reduced from eleven members to seven and staffing only increased by one half-time position. Public hearings are recommended but what issues are appropriate for testimony is unclear.

(9) The Board recommends discipline and makes public how each recommendation is handled by the command structure of the Police Bureau.

-->(9) PIIAC (City Council) recommends either to sustain an IID finding or to return a case for further investigation. One Citizen Advisor attends meetings of the Police Bureau's committee that decides on disciplinary measures.

(10) All aspects of the process -- the investigations, the Board's findings, and the Police Bureau's responses -- are part of the public record.

-->(10) Most aspects of the civilian review process remain inaccessible to the general public.

First Quarter, 1994
Also in PPR #1

Portland Copwatch
PO Box 42456
Portland, OR 97242
(503) 236-3065/ Incident Report Line (503) 321-5120
e-mail: copwatch@portlandcopwatch.org

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

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