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Copwatch Followup Yields Depressing Results

Portland Copwatch volunteers recently went through 1993 files and followed up on complaints initiated last year. Many complainants had moved or were unavailable, but we did reach nearly 1/3 of the callers. With very little exception, we found that people had run up against bureaucracy at Internal Investigations or at City Hall which made them want to "put it all behind them."

We urge victims of police misconduct to come together and change how things work. The system often makes victims feel as though they have done something wrong, but that is usually not the case. In the same way people play down Rodney King's beating by pointing out his criminal and drug record, people assume victims of police misconduct "deserve it." But we all have the same civil rights, even those with criminal records. Nobody deserves to be treated rudely, roughly, or unfairly by agents of the government.

Portland Copwatch continues taking informational calls, and has compiled a list of lawyers for callers to contact if they desire.

We plan to expand in 2 ways:

1. Help people through the process of filing with IID (appealing to PIIAC if appropriate); point them to lawyers who can help them file a lawsuit; or help them make issue of their case in the media (the Seattle Model); and

2. Get out on the streets to "Copwatch" with clipboards, scanners, camcorders, still cameras, and copies of the ORS and the General Orders. (the Berkeley model)

One reason we haven't yet begun these programs: we need committed volunteers. If any of the above interests you, call us and we'll let you know when we begin organizing!

  [People's Police Report]

Second Quarter, 1994
Also in PPR #2

• PIIAC Reforms Stall in Starting Gate
• Portland Pays Shooting Victim $100K+
• A Police/Sheriff Merger:
    What About Accountability?
• Portland: Community Policing
    Capital of the U.S.?
• Report on National
    Police Accountability Week
• Copwatch Followup
    Yields Depressing Results
• Rapping Back #2
  

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.

People's Police Report #02 Table of Contents
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