Thread by @JoAnnPDX

[Settlement agreement statement continued]

It’s Tony Stevenson killed by a chokehold in 1985, where PPB officers responded by creating and selling t-shirts that read “Smoke “Em, Don’t Choke Em”.

It’s the 2003 killing of 21 year old Kendra James during a traffic stop.

It’s the 2010 killing of Aaron Campbell during a welfare check.

It’s the 40 fatal incidents at the hands of Portland Police that have occurred since Kenda James lost her life.

And now most recently it’s the killing of a teenager, Quanice Hayes.

Despite some of the spin out there, I am not anti-police. I am not a cop-hater. I have said over and over again police have a role in our society, but we need a different kind of policing that doesn’t view Portlanders as their enemy.

That doesn’t racially profile our Black and Brown communities. That doesn’t coddle white supremacists and right-wing extremists. That doesn’t brutalize our press and peaceful demonstrators. That doesn’t use chemical weapons on the people of Portland.

And ultimately, a police bureau that is held accountable when there is misconduct.

We are already in the process of rethinking our first response to 911 calls. The Portland Street Response is about sending help, not handcuffs. It’s about leading with compassion and thoughtfully resolving issues they encounter.

I hope Portlanders will join me in continuing to advocate for a robustly funded Portland Street Response, so we can bring this pilot project in Lents citywide next year.

I want to end with a call to action. If we want to truly hold PPB accountable in these kind of incidents, we will need a strong and empowered system of independent, community police oversight.

We need a system that Portlanders can trust whether it finds allegations of misconduct sustained or not.

Portland voters agreed & provided a mandate demanding police accountability when an overwhelming 82% of voters passed measure 26-217 to allow for the formation of this new police oversight board.

Right now, Portlanders can head to RethinkPortland.com to apply to help put the final pieces of that board together. The application is open for 5 more days, until March 15th.

In order for our new oversight board to be fully empowered, I’m asking those listening today to write your state legislators in support of Senate Bill 621, authored by State Senator Lew Frederick. We need the State to pass Senate Bill 621 to fully empower the new oversight board.

2021 is the year we must unequivocally prove that Black Lives Matter. Not just by repeating a slogan, but through action.

With your help Portland, we can do this. Stay peaceful, but be loud, be disruptive, and don’t be afraid to get into good trouble to keep up the pressure so we can have a system of community safety all Portlanders can get behind. [End Statement]