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Rapping Back #13: Searching for Nuggets of Wisdom in the Mountains of Portland Police Officers' Writings Could the Contract Be Part of the Problem? (Contractual Constipation) On the front of the November Rap Sheet, Portland Police Association (PPA) President Leo Painton complains about the Police Bureau's doling out of discipline. He points to a 5-part memo from Chief Moose which is now four years old explaining that the General Order regarding discipline is being rewritten. The five points are: (1) The chief sets the standards for discipline; (2) The General Order (GO), once written, will go through the proper channels; (3) Discipline will not be based on previous Chiefs' use of discipline; (4) "Serious discipline" will result from violations of the Standards of Conduct concerning "conformance to laws, truthfulness, use of force, discrimination and sexual harassment;" and (5) The new GO will not affect cases already processed. Painton sarcastically points out that no case has been pending for four years, and also explains that discipline seems to be handed out differently depending on who you are. He wonders if that is why the rank and file looks at policing as "just a job." However, Painton's glib analysis fails to consider that all Police GOs, particularly those dealing with discipline, have to be run by the PPA and conform to the police union contract. Since this contract has very strict provisions regarding release of information on discipline, allowing for union and legal representation, and limiting the powers of City Council and PIIAC (see related stories in this issue), it is possible that Painton's own hard-line approach is part of the difficulty in rewriting the GO. M-16s OR BANANA GUNS In his November monthly column, this time titled "M-16s or Bean Bags," Rap Sheet editor Loren Christensen jumps right at us with a criticism of our last newsletter ("Portland Police Patrols Get Bananas," PPR #12). In our newsletter, we pointed out that the supposedly less-than-lethal beanbag guns, meant to knock down suspects, could be deadly if used improperly. "Remember all the whining those cop watchers did a couple of years ago about police departments getting enhanced firepower to keep up with the criminals sophisticated weapons? In spite of the fact that we were recovering all kinds of high-tech automatic weapons off gang-banger and hard core criminals, the frowning, hand-wringing cop watchers were claiming that statistics didn't support our need for improved weapon technology." An article elsewhere in the Rap Sheet reports that army surplus M-16s being transferred to the Los Angeles PD. Christensen quotes a Portland officer, who complains: "Hey, L.A. gets ... M-16s, we get beanbag guns." Christensen hopes that someone is considering getting more sophisticated firepower. "Of course we will have to contend with the sniveling from the cop watchers. And snivel they will, from their nice safe abodes, while outside on the mean streets, Portland officers will maintain vigil to keep them safe." REHABILITATION IS POSSIBLE FOR "CAREER CRIMINALS" In a bizarre, lengthy article beginning on the cover of the August Rap Sheet, a man who was paralyzed by a Portland police bullet in 1985 ends up being thankful that his spine was shattered by Portland Police Officer Herschel Lange. Six years after the incident, he was able to enter rehab and get off of drugs. The article ends with a reunion between the man and the officer who shot him. The article is called "I'm better off now without my legs!" Author Loren Christensen, who also edits the Rap Sheet, usually has no kind words for "career criminals." But maybe there is hope for those convicted of crimes. Christensen reprinted -- in both the August and September issues -- information from a poll regarding the recent domestic violence gun law. The law prohibits anyone convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses from carrying a gun, including military and police. The poll cited in the Rap Sheet was paid for by the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) and, surprise, shows that 61% of people favor an "official use" exception to the law. (There is no indication of exactly how the question was phrased.) The argument given by William Johnson, General Counsel to NAPO, is that the law "makes no allowance for rehabilitation or reconciliation." Hmm. If we're going to apply this philosophy to gun-carrying agents of the government ญญ who have the ability to choose who lives and who dies, and who have previous histories of doing violent harm to their immediate loved ones ญญ surely there can be more slack cut for non-violent offenders of civilian persuasion. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO... SGT. MICHAEL BARKLEY? In PPR # 8 (Spring 1996), we wrote about Sgt. Michael Barkley, a multiple shooter cop who was indicted on charges involving missing money. PPA Secretary Treasurer and fellow shooter cop Tom Mack wrote in the October Rap Sheet that Barkley was being "thrown to the wolves," not having had a trial since May, 1996. Barkley, accused of a crime but not convicted, has been on leave without pay this whole time. Wagging a figurative finger at the courts, the public, and some members of the bureau, Mack writes, "You should be ashamed who have taken part in this." Well, let's not get too sanctimonious about people whose lives are ruined by mere accusations of a crime. This is something that happens on a daily basis in my neighborhood to poor, working class men, usually people of color. "What is so scary is that [the DA and the courts] are the very organizations/bodies whose purpose is to enforce the constitution and protect the rights of all people." Yup. We still think a little push in the right direction and Tom Mack would be a great civil rights activist. ANOTHER HONORABLE MENTION We always enjoy being highlighted by the Portland Police in their newsletter. In the November issue, Christensen prefaces his review of The Anarchist Cookbook thus: "Those dweeb cop watchers who scrutinize every word written in the Rap Sheet and then twist them around to fit their more-pious-than-thou agendas will love this next review." He explains that it is only one small chapter that deals with "blowing things up" and the rest has to do with surviving in this society. The book was written 25 years ago and is still a good seller, he points out. Nonetheless, since Copwatch is an organization devoted to using non-violent tactics, and since rumors abound that the Anarchist Cookbook may actually have been penned by someone sympathetic to or inside of the government in hopes that "violent revolutionaries" would bring harm upon themselves, we're sad to say that the dweebs here at Copwatch can only hope for reviews of more enlightening materials in future issues, such as The Joy of Cooking.
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![[People's Police Report]](/PPRHEADER.GIF)
January, 1998
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Portland Copwatch Portland Copwatch is a grassroots, volunteer organization promoting police accountability through citizen action.
People's Police Report
#13 Table of Contents
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