Site Navigation

RAPPING BACK #6
The antics of the Portland Police Association brought to you in quotes

Reviewing the Views of Our Community Police

INFILTRATION: What a goofy thing to do!

In an article about the 1970 riot at PSU, a female officer who, at the time, infiltrated the anti-war protestors states: "I was a naive 22 year old. I was fresh out of college and looked like a hippie with my long blond hair. And I sort of agreed with the protesters' cause. But my job was to listen and observe and call in several times a day to report what was going on."

The protest movement eventually took over the South Park blocks and, one fateful day, police moved in to tear down their makeshift hospital tent. The result was a melee including police batons, bottles and rocks.

Officer Rick Hegrenes (who was involved in the multiple exclusion orders at the October '94 Critical Mass ride--see PPR #5 and article in this issue) was also an infiltrator at PSU. "'The protesters were throwing blood all over everyone,' Hegrenes recalls. 'They threw it to make it look as if the police were hurting people. A lot of them just fell to make it look good for the news cameras. Then someone would smear blood on them. I've never seen so much blood.'"

27 students were hospitalized during the incident.

Oh my God! This is an Outrage!

In a front-page article noting the "Sudden change in IID raises some red flags," PPA president Jeff Barker hones in on an area of major concern: the detective sergeants at IAD will be given free parking spaces. The associated issues of a 3% pay increase and the fear of IAD becoming a "head- hunting’Äù outfit each get some attention, but the parking issue seems to be the one thing the PPA was able to get Chief Moose to change (by giving the Sergeants take-home cars) and therefore is given greater weight by Barker.

Endorsement by Implication

The Rap Sheet did not directly advocate the following four philosophies, but by printing them, there is an indication that there is some agreement:

1. In the February Rap Sheet, a piece entitled "Remember the sleeper hold?" offers an explanation for an increase in harm done during arrests since the choke hold has been done away with in most states. In 1985, Tony Stephenson was killed by officers applying the choke hold here in Portland. The most common alternative to the choke hold, says Dick Rovig, the article's author, is breaking bones with a police baton. Rovig states that the ban on the choke hold "inevitably" led to the Rodney King incident. POPSG has no statistics on the number of people whose bones have been broken with batons who might otherwise have been put in a choke hold, but there certainly have been other methods of compliance developed.

By publishing this article, the PPA seems to be endorsing a comeback of the choke hold. Rap Sheet editor Loren Christensen adds an editor's note, stating "Few police departments across the country use the carotid artery hold any more. However, judo practitioners put each other out all the time without incident." That may be so, but in those classes, both the choke holder and the choke-ee are expecting the move.

2. In the April issue, Christensen offers up a review of "The Armed Citizen Solution to Crime in the Streets: So Many Criminals, So Few Bullets." The title pretty much says it all, though Christensen also compares the author to Bo Gritz-like anti-government types, and "Tom Metzger without the racial epithets." Nonetheless, he says there is good material and gives the price and an address to get a copy. By giving over several columns to this book, including the chapter listings ("Choose Your Weapons"; "Armed Citizens in Action") Christensen as good as endorses the book.

3. Another police practice reprinted without context comes in the "Universal truths of police work" (from the Seattle Guardian) Example of listed items: #4. "Regardless of wind direction, (tear gas) will always blow back in your face."
Charming item #11: "If you have just punched out a handcuffed prisoner for spitting on you, you are about to become a star on eyewitness news." (Feb. Rap Sheet)

4. Finally, in quoting the modern introduction to a turn of the century book about bullet wounds, Christensen picked out this phrase as significant:

The book cites situations where people were not stopped by big bullets... "This will put into perspective the necessity for multiple shots and discourage the all-too-frequent 'excessive use of force' accusations whenever the gunfight loser ends up with more than a few shots in his body." (May Rap Sheet)

Editor as standup comic

Editor Christensen shows his mature side when using "humor". In the April issue, PIIAC staff person Lisa Botsko wrote a letter explaining that PIIAC reviews police investigations of misconduct complaints, and does not "Sit in judgment of police" as the Rap Sheet had stated in an earlier issue. Christensen's terse editor's note? "If PIIAC doesn't sit in judgment of the police, then bears don't go potty in the woods."

In the March issue, he pretends to be offended by the "Gang Green" t-shirts at the OSU Store, joking that it's politically incorrect and may insult sufferers of gangrene. To make his point about how "P.C." he is, he says "now I call the ugly woman who lives next door my 'photogenically- impaired neighbor. And when I talk about that long retired, cowardly runt of an ex-partner of mine I say that 'valor deficient Shetland-American ex-police officer."

..and more on political correctness, and other pests

From the Editor, May '95:

"Meanwhile, we have to keep a suspicious eye out for which assistant district attorney is chomping at the bit to advance his or her career by prosecuting a police officer; we have to tread carefully because of rumors there are spies sprinkled around the Bureau listening for insensitive officers uttering political incorrectness; we must be wary of members who are after upper mobility and are willing to use the heads of officers as stepping stones and the community policing concept as a ladder; and we must stay tuned for whatever nonsense the police watch dog groups are going to think up."

Thanks for including us! We were getting worried that we weren't on your list of concerns.

The Rap Sheet is published monthly by the Portland Police Association, 1313 NW 19th, Portland, OR 97209,

Second Trimester, 1995
Also in PPR #6

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 #6 Table of Contents
Back to Portland Copwatch home page
Peace and Justice Works home page
Back to top