US Department of Justice Investigation of Portland Police: Analysis and Background

US Department of Justice Investigation of Portland Police:
Information, Analysis and Background

In 2012, the US DOJ found a "pattern and practice" of excessive force by the PPB, particularly against people experiencing mental health crisis.

A 180+ paragraph Settlement Agreement went into effect on August 29, 2014, but was essentially on hold while City Council appealed the judge's proposed order to hold annual hearings on implementation. Ultimately Judge Michael Simon agreed to a modified order to hold "Status Conferences" instead. (Note: The next status conference is set for October 25, 2016.)

As part of the Settlement Agreement, the City established the office of the Compliance Officer/Community Liaison (COCL) and the Community Oversight Advisory Board (COAB). Information on these bodies previously could be found at <http://cocl-coab.org>.

In August 2018, the City established the Portland Committee on Community Engaged Policing (PCCEP) which replaced the COAB and first met in November 2018. Prior to that time the COCL launched a new website at portlandcocl.com.

The PCCEP's creation was a result of the Settlement Agreement being amended in May, 2018, though the amended version has yet to be fully approved by the Judge as of May 2019.

COMPLIANCE REPORTS

NEW! PCW's analysis of the COCL's first quarter 2024 report:
Final Compiance Officer's Report Shows No Change, Anticipating New Monitor (7/24/24)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's fourth quarter 2023 report:
Compliance Report on Remaining US DOJ Requirements Reveals More City Mess-ups (5/14/24)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's third quarter 2023 report:
Compliance Officer Includes Lawsuit Data But Not Conduct that Led to It (2/18/24)

NEW! PCW's analysis of the COCL's second quarter 2023 report
notes bureaucrats shrug at PPB violence (11/12/23)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's first quarter 2023 report
finds 25 paragraphs out of compliance (8/16/23)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's fourth quarter 2022 report
downgrades performance of Police Review Board (5/10/23)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's third quarter 2022 report
gives unearned passing grades to cops (2/23/23)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's second quarter 2022 report
showing not much movmement toward compliance (11/10/22)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's first quarter 2022 report
which finds further noncompliance (8/22/22)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's fourth quarter 2021 report
which finds some progress but also backsliding (5/16/22)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's third quarter 2021 report
which shows little progress (2/16/22)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's second quarter 2021 report
in which they push back against officer wanting to ditch Tasers (11/10/21)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's first quarter 2021 report
in which they doubled failed compliance ratings (8/10/21)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's fourth quarter 2020 and USDOJ's 2020 reports
agreeing the City is out of compliance (2/27/21)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's third quarter 2020 report
finding PPB out of compliance on force, training (10/27/20)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's second quarter 2020 report
questioning use of force, urging hearing protestors (8/6/20)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's first quarter 2020 report
claiming continued full compliance (5/7/20)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's fourth quarter 2019 report and DOJ's annual assessment
still prematurely declaring full compliance (2/12/20)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's third quarter 2019 report
prematurely declaring full compliance (10/29/19)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's second quarter 2019 report on remaining issues (8/6/19)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's first quarter 2019 report on remaining issues (4/30/19)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's 4th quarter 2018 report on Accountability / Outreach (2/14/19)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's 3rd quarter 2018 report on Employee Info & Training (10/31/18)

PCW's analysis of the COCL's 2nd quarter 2018 report on Use of Force (7/27/18)

PCW's analysis of the DOJ's 2017 progress report to Judge Simon (pdf-1/12/18)
on progress and outcomes of the agreement.

PCW's analysis of the COCL's 1st-3rd quarter 2017 report (11/1/17)
on progress and outcomes of the agreement.

PCW's analysis of the COCL's 3rd/4th quarter 2016 report (4/24/17)
on progress of the agreement.

See PCW's analysis of the COCL's 1st/2nd quarter 2016 report (10/24/16) on the implementation of the Agreement.

Read Portland Copwatch's analysis of the COCL's 2nd quarter 2015 report on the implementation of the Agreement.

Read for yourself--

COCL's third/fourth quarter 2016 compliance report (4/3/17)

DOJ first annual assessment (9/10/15)

COCL first quarter 2015 report (7/10/15)

COCL second quarter 2015 report (Draft 10/1/15)

COCL first semiannual 2015 outcomes assessment (10/19/15)

NOTE: links to other COCL documents are mostly embedded in PCW's analyses, though as of April 2019 the COCL-COAB website has disappeared.

Back to top

Past info and analysis

ALL OUT FOR THE FAIRNESS HEARING!

Tuesday, February 18, 2014, 9:00 AM, Federal Courthouse, 1000 SW 3rd
Testify whether the DOJ Settlement Agreement is "fair, adequate and reasonable"
More info at the AMA Coalition website
including the Court's announcement of the fairness hearing and documents you can use to file testimony.

Portland Copwatch will hold an informational meeting about the DOJ Agreement on Saturday, February 8 from 2:30-4:30 PM at the AFSC office, 2249 E Burnside (following the PJW annual meeting) the AMA Coalition for Justice and Police Reform is holding at least 4 forums.

Read Portland Copwatch's testimony to the federal court on the "fairness" of the Settlement" (January 31, 2014):

pdf format (16 pgs)

text format (Intro + 11 sections with links)

COMMUNITY ROCKS THE FAIRNESS HEARING!
Dozens testified whether the DOJ Settlement Agreement is "fair, adequate and reasonable"

Read the court transcript

Below are links to official documents as well as analyses by Portland Copwatch and our allies related to the agreement.

DOJ Letter of Findings (dated 9/12/12)

The DOJ Letter of Findings of September 12, 2012 can be seen at:
http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/spl/documents/ppb_findings_9-12-12.pdf
(Here's a news release about the findings: http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/September/12-crt-1111.html)

The ACLU and other community partners, as well as the AMA Coalition (with PCW) released analyses of the DOJ Findings Letter on Sept. 27, 2012.
• ACLU/Community partners analysis
• AMA Coalition/Portland CW analysis

Back to top

DOJ Agreement with the City of Portland (adopted 11/14/12)

Read the 74-page DOJ / City of Portland Settlment Agreement adopted November 14, 2012.

Read Portland Copwatch's analysis calling US Department of Justice / City of
Portland Agreement "a plastic mallet to hammer in a problem nail" (10/31/12):
• 7-page Analysis in PDF format • Analysis in html (text) format (with links)

Read the AMA Coalition analysis of the final agreement (Nov. 13, 2012)

Back to top