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Review Board: A Shame Officers Didn't Help Robert Delgado Get Medical Aid, Oh Well
Second 2022 Report OK's 5 Shootings,
Finds 2 Cops Out of Policy for Protest Actions, Details Hunzeker Case

The second Police Review Board Report of 2022 was released quietly on December 20. It covers five shootings which were all found in policy by the majority-cop Board, two of three cases where officers were found out of policy for force against protestors, and the incident where the former Police Association President spread false information about Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. The Board did express concern about how long it took for the police to get medical aid to Robert Delgado, blaming it on the fact the officers used a "less lethal tool" (weapon) to shoot the dying man because they had no ballistic shield on site. Too bad, so sad... no mention was made of Delgado's being in mental health crisis or how that relates to the US Dept. of Justice Agreement.

The other cases were of David Dahlen (no admonishment for the officer who fired at his moving car in apparent violation of policy), Darren Carr (who drove away after being wounded), Robert Michael Townsend and Joshua Merritt (both also in crisis, not mentioned). Another incident, in which Tai Anh Tran was boxed in and took his own life, was reviewed as a death in custody. Turns out three two officers sprayed pepper spray into his car.

Meanwhile, two people who were reporting on 2020 protests, on an unidentified date and on September 23, complained of excessive force. One was pushed with a baton while they were trying to comply with a dispersal order. The PRB found it out of policy; the Chief gave the officer one day off without pay. The second was pepper sprayed even though they posed no threat; that officer also got one day off without pay. The Board said a third complainant who had an officer swing a baton at their back was not subjected to excessive force. However, Chief Lovell found the officer violated the "Satisfactory Performance" policy, leading to Command Counseling a Letter of Reprimand.

The Report's 10th case details deliberations about Officer Brian Hunzeker's retaliatory efforts to discredit Hardesty by releasing an unfinished investigation about a hit-and-run (PPR #86). Only one Board member suggested firing Hunzeker, which Mayor Wheeler eventually did. All three officers involved had their names in the media, yet the only name used in the Report is Hardesty's.

NOTE: The name of Michael Townsend appeared incorrectly in the print edition (as "Robert"); the third officer in the Tran case bumped his car with a "G3 armored vehicle," but did not use a chemical weapson; and the third protest case officer received Command Counseling, not a Letter of Reprimand. PCW regrets the errors.

January, 2023
Also in PPR #88

Portland Copwatch
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