From our friends at Portland Copwatch-

Hello Occupy friends and others in the community:
The Citizen Review Committee’s Crowd Control Work Group is holding a special meeting next Wednesday, August 8 at noon to hear testimony from people who have experienced police violence or other misconduct at protest actions. Unfortunately they scheduled it at 12 noon when many people may be at work; they meet at the office of Troy & Rosenberg, P.C.
2105 NE Cesar Chavez Boulevard, Suite 270, NW corner of Tillamook and CC Blvd (39th). It will go till 1:30 PM 1PM.

If you or someone you know would be willing to talk about your experiences to this all-volunteer group, which is attached to but able to make policy recommendations independent of the “Independent” Police Review Division, can you let us know? And also, let us know if it’s ok to share your name and/or contact information with the Work Group chair, Rodney Paris.

Feel free to circulate this email widely– the Crowd Control Work Group has only met three times but they’ve heard from us about batons, horses, bicycles, “kettling,” pepper spray, lack of identification, and other various issues, but they hear from us all the time. They want to hear more first hand experiences from a wider variety of folks.

Thanks

dan handelman

As always, Portland Copwatch has our back. Here’s the latest news from them.

Hi
The main and original purpose of this email was to let folks know about the Community/Police Relations Committee meeting coming up this Wednesday, July 18; also, it turns out on Thursday the 19th at 2 PM, the Human Rights Commission will give its annual report to City Council and the Office of Equity and Human Rights will present their work plan.

However, it is with some urgency (and queasiness) that we also report to you that the City has seen fit to make a decision to push away the protestors who have been outside City Council for over 6 months (including Cameron Whitten, who’s been fasting for 6 weeks for various homeless causes). Their tactics will be to enforce Sit/Lie ordinance’s provisions and to “power wash the sidewalk” which means, of course, soaking people who refuse to move. What’s next, unleashing the dogs? It’s rumored that the first washing will happen early Monday morning (tomorrow to me, likely today to you reading this).

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2012/07/13/police-to-start-enforcing-sidewalk-rules-against-hunger-strikers

As it happens, the Sidewalk Management Committee is meeting Monday afternoon at 3:30 PM in the Portland Building, room B (SW 5th and Madison/Main).

The agenda, interestingly, includes the protest–but as usual with this committee, the discussion is coming after the decision apparently has been made:

> 1) Sidewalk Obstructions reports

2) Report on newspaper box condo pilot
3) Review Council positions on concerns expressed by protesters outside
City Hall; discuss potential solutions.
4) How are traveling summer houseless visitors affecting Portlanders who
live here outside year round?
5) Street performers – how is the summer going?

So, go, give ‘em heck if you can.

Meanwhile, CPRC is meeting at the Miracles Club this month (thank goodness, not the police precinct). They’re accepting public input on the traffic stops data that were released last month (and we wrote about, showing that people of color are searched twice as often as white people who are stopped, but are found with contraband less than 80% as often). It’s odd that the public comment section is framed for this topic, I hope that doesn’t mean the CPRC is not prepared to discuss it.

–dan handelman
–Portland Copwatch

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
Community and Police Relations Committee

Committee Mission: To bring together members of Portland’s diverse communities and its police officers to improve community and police relations, further an authentic community policing culture, and promote dignity, understanding, and respect in police and community interactions.

Committee Composition: The Community and Police Relations Committee is an ongoing committee of the Portland Human Rights Commission.  Membership is comprised of 5 Human Rights Commissioners, 5 community representatives, and 5 Police Bureau members representing different ranks within the organization.  All members are appointed by the Human Rights Commission.

Proposed Meeting Agenda
July 18, 2012    4:30 – 6:30 pm
Meeting Location:
Miracles Club
4200 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Portland, OR 97212

Meeting Objectives: By the end of the meeting we will:
*       Get to know and understand one another better
*       Learn about Miracles Club and its work for communities in recovery
*       Take part in a work session to inform the work of the Sub
Committee on Building Community by Understanding the Diversity of
our Cultural Experiences
*       Receive ideas from the public about the Traffic Stops Data and
related disparities
*       Propose topics for future meeting agendas
*       Share reflections and learning

1.    4:30 – 4:35     Welcoming and Introductions

2.    4:35 – 4:40     Receive Minutes and Approve Agenda

3.    4:40 – 5:00     Miracles Club – Community Organization Highlight

4.    5:00 – 5:45     Committee Work Session: Informing a Training Approach
* Hear brief update on Seattle Training from the Sub Committee on Building Community By Understanding the Diversity of our Cultural Experiences
* Committee discussion: ideas and options for a successful training approach

5.      5:45 – 6:10     Public Comment
*       What ideas and solutions can you offer after hearing the Traffic
Stops Data Presentation
*       Other comment

6.      6:10 – 6:15     Next Steps / Suggested Agenda items

7.      6:15 – 6:30     Committee Reflections