Activist Says Officers Who Sided with Darren Wilson Should Be Fired

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Cornelius Swart, GoLocal PDX Director of Content

A prominent member of Portland's African American community said Tuesday that three local policemen should be fired after they declared solidarity with the Missouri cop who shot an unarmed teen in Ferguson.

The statement just before thousands marched through downtown Portland Tuesday evening to protest the decision by a grand jury not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the killing of Michael Brown.

A storm of controversy erupted Sunday night, after three Portland police officers - Officers Chris Barber, Rich Storm and Rob Blanck - posted images on Facebook of a police badge with “I am Darren Wilson” written across it.  The posts were taken down, just hours before a Missouri grand jury chose not to press charges against Wilson for the shooting to death of 18-year-old Brown on Aust. 9.

“I think the discipline should be that they should lose their badges,” said Richard Brown, a long time activist in the African American community.

In Sept., the US Justice Department instructed the Ferguson police not to wear "I am Darren Wilson" wristbands similar to the one seen strapped across the Portland police bage on Facebook.

While some in Portland’s black community have expressed anger at the incident - activist Teresa Raiford Mazique said Monday she was “disgusted” by the images - Brown's comments stand out.  He’s made his mark in the community as a man who’s tried to build a bridge between the African American community and the Portland Police Bureau.

Raised in Harlem, Brown moved to Portland in 1976. For over two decades he has positioned himself between the police and the black community. Since the early 1990s Brown has immersed himself in police procedures and culture. He’s sat on the Citizen’s Crime Commission, the Police Chief’s Forum and he’s taught at the Western Community Policing Institute in Monmouth, Oregon. He even sat on a committee that reviewed police promotions to sergeant.

In the past, Brown has created events like Hope and Hard Work, where police officers, detectives and city officials come together with black residents to collectively solve neighborhood problems. 

But Brown didn’t mince words Tuesday. He said the action taken by the officers in posting the “I am Darren Wilson” images was a betrayal of their duty.

“It flies in the face of the oath they swore to uphold,” said Brown. “I don’t think their code of ethics gives them the leeway to do things like that.”

It’s hard to dismiss Brown’s comments as hyperbole, or as an isolated point of view. While State Representative Lew Frederick (D) came short of calling for the officers' resignation, he voiced his total lack of confidence in their ability to do their jobs without bias.

“All I can say is, I don’t want them working in my neighborhood,” said Frederick, who represents North and inner Northeast Portland in Salem. “If that is their attitude, I can’t trust that they will treat me well.”

Just moments earlier Frederick gave a speech from the steps of the Portland Justice Center to the thousands gathered there to protest the grand jury decision in the Darren Wilson case.

“’Protect and Serve’ - I yearn for a world in which we can all believe it,” Frederick boomed to the crowd.

Outgoing Portland Police Chief Mike Reese was watching the demonstration from across the street at Chapman Square. He appeared to be at a loss for words when Brown's and Frederick’s remarks about Barber, Storm and Blanck were relayed to him. 

“I have great respect for Lew and Richard,” Reese said finally. “Hearing feedback from the community is important.”

Reese said the conduct of the officers was under review, and that he wouldn’t speculate about what, if any, disciplinary action might be taken.

“We don’t comment on personnel matters that are under review,” Reese said.

That said, anger continued to boil Tuesday after Monday's announcement from Missouri that there would be no criminal charges following the death of Michael Brown.

Violence swept across the country, with riots in St. Louis and Los Angeles and clashes in Seattle.

The Facebook postings by the three Portland police officers were taken down Monday at the order of outgoing Chief Reese. Both Reese and Portland Mayor Charlie Hales condemned the posts, with Hales stating “Their actions do a disservice to the hundreds of Portland Police Officers who are building relationships and partnerships with the community every day.”

The mayor’s office did not respond to GoLocalPDX’s request for further comment in time for this story.

On Tuesday, the demonstration at the Justice Center was largely peaceful. Police and community leaders had been planning the events in the run-up to the grand jury decision.

A group of protestors, however, briefly blocked a portion of an Interstate 5 ramp on the city’s central eastside and then a section of the Morrison Bridge.

Incoming Police Chief Larry O’Dea told KGW-TV that he thought Tuesday night’s protests were a successful example of the police and community working together.

“It was a great event for police and community leadership coming together,” O’Dea told KGW. “My number one priority is to build trust with the community.”

Related Articles

• Roy Jay: Portland Can Do it Better Than Ferguson
• Activist “Disgusted” Over Portland Officers’ Solidarity With Ferguson Cop
• Social Media: Protesters Clash With Portland Police

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