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Police shootings down but disturbing

Police shootings were down from 14 incidents in 1992 to 6 incidents this year. One incident we count is not considered a shooting by police. It involved rubber "batons" which broke Johnny Sentano's arm in a botched drug raid on SE Liebe Street. The police claim that air-propelled weapons are not considered firearms. Of the six, we know that two incidents involved repeat shooters. Lewis Patrick Clark, a man reported to be suicidal, was shot in a Portland park after allegedly pulling a gun on police. Michael Barkley, one of the policemen who shot Marie Lyn Sandoz, the suicidal woman hit 22 times at the U.S. Bank Tower in Dec. 1990, also shot Clark.

Duane Anthony Shaw, 20, was shot while boxed in by police when stopped in traffic at 92nd and Glisan. He was allegedly backing up toward an officer when 13 shots were fired at him point blank, miraculously missing his 15 year old passsenger. Nine bullets killed him. Dan Parks, one of the officers who shot Shaw, was involved in a similar incident in 1988 when he and another officer shot a suspect 4 times each with shotguns. That suspect allegedly tried to run over two officers with his car. (Portland Police Firearms Discharge Report Jan. 1988-Feb. 1992)

While police shootings are the most serious cases of possible police misuse of force, they are not automatically sent to Police Internal Investigations. Instead, they are given to the homicide division. Officers are put through a grand jury process and in nearly every case, cleared of criminal charges. We hope that police management, recognizing patterns in these shootings, is reviewing officer histories, bureau policies and training methods. As citizens, we want to feel safe when confronted by public safety officers.

  [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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