Don’t Shoot Portland invites “Whole City” to a Private Meeting with Mayor
Monday, December 08, 2014
Don’t Shoot Portland was formed after the death of Michael Brown—an unarmed African-American teenager in Ferguson, Missouri shot by police officer Darren Wilson. The recent non-indictments delivered by grand juries in the death of both Brown and Eric Garner—choked by a Staten Island policeman—have led to a series of protests and marches throughout Portland.
The meeting was originally set up between Don't Shoot Portland spokeswoman and organizers Theressa Raiford, the police and the Mayor. But Monday afternoon Raiford invited 1,000 people to the meeting via Facebook. By Monday afternoon, there were about 30 people who said they would attend.
The Mayor's office was initially surprised by the development when informed by GoLocalPDX, but then said the more the merrier.
“If they want to hold a rally, they are welcome to do so,” said Dana Haynes, spokesman for the mayor. “But the Mayor will meet with Ms. Raiford and the other leaders of Don’t Shoot Portland.”
Pressure for more reforms at the Portland Polcie Bureau have been mounting.
Two weeks after a Missouri grand jury exonnorated Darren Wilson, a report released by the city's Independent Police Review Division, Portland Police Bureau officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths, called for a set of 21 changes at the police bureau. These recommendations included an end on a 48-hour ban on interviewing police officers involved in the fatal use of force. The report caused a major dust up at a Dec. 3 city hall presentation.
Since that time, Don’t Shoot Portland has sought to meet with Mayor Hales, who also serves as Portland Police Commissioner.
“After the most recent marches, the Mayor extended an invitation to meet with the leaders of Don’t Shoot Portland,” said Haynes. “They will probably be surprised that there is not that much difference between the mayor and themselves as they might think.”
Raiford said she was wary.
“We were informed that Mayor Hales was attempting to hold a series of meetings with various individuals involved with this movement. Instead of a number of meetings, he should just meet with all of us," Raiford said. "So we’re telling those in Portland that care about this issue to come and invite everyone, parents, brothers, and your mailman. Come and join us.”
Raiford listed a number of goals she wanted to achieve in this meeting.
“We seek to extend the amount of time available to review the recommendations on the report on officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths. We would like to have an additional six months of community dialogue, and then also provide an addendum to the report," Raiford said. “We also seek improved civilian oversight over police shootings and in-custody deaths and remove this oversight from the Independent Police Review Board, the Portland Police provides oversight of. This oversight power needs to be in a structure without a mandate to avoid prosecution of police officers for the violent acts they commit.”
Regardless of the outcome of this Tuesday’s meeting, Don’t Shoot Portland said they would continue with their work.
“Wednesday is Human Rights Day, and we are traveling to Salem to bring this message to a State Judicial Committee meeting," Raiford said. “It needs to be clear that this is not just a local issue, but a state and even a national issue as well.”
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