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Portland Pays Through the Nose Again in '93 for Improper Police Actions

According to the Risk Management Department, which handles lawsuits against the city and city employees, Portland paid out an average of $130,000 per year in 1989-91 to resolve police misconduct charges. Using Risk Management figures, we calculate that the 1992 figure was around $150,000. We know of over $85,000 spent in 1993 on just five cases, which leads us to believe that the cases we don't know about will make this a record year for the 5 year period.

April 8, 1993: Robert Luxton, "Muffin Man"
Police mistook him for someone else, then used excesssive force arresting him at a protest in Sept. 1991
$25,000

April 13, 1993: Herbert Jones
Police followed him to his home in Laurelhurst, came inside, handcuffed him in his living room, and maced him in the face.
$22,500

June 8, 1993: Officer Dawn Urban
Other police harassed her after she turned in a fellow officer for falsifying reports about a sale of cocaine to an informer.
$25,000

July 30, 1993: Donald Hunter
Police treated him roughly and rudely when stopping him on a jaywalking offense.
$10,000

October, 1993: Robert (no last name given)
Officers threatened to use physical violence at a stop for riding a bicycle on the sidewalk with no lights.
$ 6,700
Total known paid 1993:
$ 89,200

While there will always be mistakes made, this level of expenditures to resolve cases of police misconduct is unacceptable. An effective route for citizens to challenge police policies and training problems would bring these figures down significantly, help create a better police force, and save the city a substantial amount of money.

  [People's Police Report]

First Quarter, 1994
Also in PPR #1

• Nat'l Police Accountability Week '94
  • National Conference Held in Dallas
• Portland Pays Through the Nose
    for Improper Police Actions
• Copwatch Completes One Year of Intake
• Police Shootings Down but Disturbing
• Mayor's Plan Not Up to Speed
    for Effective Civilian Review Board
  • 10 Requirements for Effective Review
• Rapping Back #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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