News The Mental Health Association of Portland tomorrow will take its pleas regarding the death of James Chasse Jr. directly to the City Council. Jason Renaud, head of the nonprofit advocacy group, says there's a perception that the police have enjoyed impunity since Chasse, who suffered from schizophrenia, died in police custody in 2006. "The message delivered is a brutal beating and death of ...   More

News The Rev. LeRoy Haynes joined mental-health advocates today in calling on the police who arrested James Chasse Jr. to resign. Haynes, representing the Albina Ministerial Alliance of North and Northeast Portland, likened Chasse's 2006 death in police custody to the earlier police shootings of Kendra James, James Jahar Perez and Jose Santos Victor Mejia Poot. Quoting Martin Luther King Jr. that ...   More

News Seeking to crack down on possible sick leave abuse, the Portland Police Bureau recently "clarified" how officers should ask their bosses for sick days. The move has caused eye-rolling by some cops who see management taking a nanny-state approach. A Sept. 14 memo (PDF) from precinct commanders reminds cops that "sick time reporting will be made in a personal conversation between the member and ...   More

News The Portland police union has lost another high-level member with the resignation of Central Precinct Officer Daryl Turner from the union's executive board. Turner declined a request for comment on why he abruptly left the Portland Police Association's 13-member board earlier this month. Sgt. Scott Westerman, the head of the union, also declined comment on the reasons for Turner's departure. Turner ...   More

News Here's one thing I learned after attending a human trafficking panel earlier this week: Portland is a prime spot for traffickers who thrive off of an endless product - other people. Here's one other thing after attending the symposium Tuesday night put together by Oregonians Against Trafficking Humans, Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel and Clark County Soroptimists: More than 50 percent ...   More

News Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer has signed a letter of proposed discipline for the cops who arrested James Chasse Jr., despite a public disagreement with Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman over the punishment he recommended. Officer Chris Humphreys and Sgt. Kyle Nice got letters on Wednesday proposing 80 hours of unpaid leave for their role in Chasse's 2006 death in police custody. Sizer's signature ...   More

News Two weeks ago we noted that two high-ranking Portland cops had applied to be the new Canby police chief. Well, the results are in today, and Assistant Chief Bret Smith has accepted the job. Smith, a 28-year veteran of the Portland Police, "was selected for his integrity, leadership abilities, experience and professionalism," according to a news release (PDF) from the City of Canby. The ...   More

News Here's some video from a training this past weekend by the Portland Police's mounted patrol unit. The idea was to do some crowd control training with a few dozen volunteers acting as sign-waving protesters complete with fire and smoke bombs. Looks pretty tame compared to an actual Portland protest, and I think the sign urging the arrest of Sharon (I'm assuming a reference to Ariel Sharon) is ...   More

News East Precinct police officers were told today at roll call that Christopher Humphreys, one of the cops involved in the death of James Chasse (photo above), was involved in a use-of-force incident recently in East Portland. Reports are not entirely complete, but apparently there was a struggle between an officer and a teen-ager and Humphreys fired a beanbag round at the teen-ager from a distance ...   More

News City Commissioner Randy Leonard tells WW his No. 1 priority in 2010 will be increasing oversight of discipline in the Portland Police Bureau. Leonard says he's working to bring before the City Council as soon as possible amendments to the city code. Leonard's chief of staff, Ty Kovatch, says Leonard is working with City Auditor LaVonne Griffin-Valade, Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman and ...   More