POLICE WANT NO EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR SHOOTER COPS

In August, Copwatch received a copy of Portland Police Bureau's General Order 345--Early Warning System. If implemented properly, this G.O. goes a long way toward intervening in the cases of corrupt, beater and shooter cops. The G.O. lists the criteria for police to be called in for a special review if the officer's behavior might "undermine or adversely affect the achievement of bureau goals."

The criteria include: Two sustained IAD complaints within 12 months; two tort claims filed against them within 12 months; criminal activity or allegations of domestic violence; and three accidents in city vehicles within 12 months.

In October's Rap Sheet, both editor Loren Christensen and Officer Rich Braskett indicate that they pretty much agree with all of these criteria, but there is one more which sticks in their collective craw: Two incidents of use of deadly force within 12 months. Braskett, who was involved in the fatal shooting of Aaron Rahmaan in January (see PPR #14) and another incident a few months later (we're still researching this one), wrote a lengthy article complaining that after special counseling and investigations for each incident, now he has to undergo scrutiny "because I came to work and did my job."

It is important to note that Christensen, who echoes Braskett's charges of unfair persecution, actually wrote a passage against using deadly force. "I remember shooting at a guy once and thinking as I pulled the trigger, 'This is wrong.' I had all the right in the world to shoot the guy, but all the built-in issues involved with taking a life--moral, ethical, religious, legal--streaked across my little brain at the speed of light. These thoughts are part of the horrific act of pointing a gun at another human being and pulling the trigger. It's part of being a good human being."

Nonetheless, his article implies that the fear of having to go through a special review by the Bureau might make officers hesitate one second too long in deadly force situations. We say, all the better reason to have these reviews.

While firearms training and use is part of an officer's job, the fact that it is not (for now) a daily occurrence is exactly why it needs to be looked at with more scrutiny than other forms of police action, "justified" or not. If an officer pulls the trigger twice within a year, there may indeed be something going on inside that officer which makes him or her unfit for duty. We read so often how police's lives are torn up every time they "have to" shoot someone, and yet Braskett describes killing one person and wounding another as "doing his job." Strange facts emerge from Braskett's article, such as in it he claims that Rahmaan shot at him and his partner, Doug Matthews, before they shot and killed him. But the original story in the Oregonian reports that the officers said Rahmaan was rushing toward them with his gun drawn--no mention of shots fired. In fact, Braskett says (dramatically) that he hit the ground and rolled away to avoid the gunfire. Then, in the second shooting, he complains he had to wait around to walk detectives through the incident. "Damn, does a vest and belt start getting heavy after a shooting. We were both thirsty and I was quite hungry." Gee, we wonder how the person who got shot was feeling.

All this seems very important in light of PPA Secretary-Treasurer Tom Mack's November column, indicating that there have been over 20 police-involved shootings in 1997-98. Mack claims that 70% of deadly force encounters are resolved without shots fired. By our count that means that there were only about 66 deadly force encounters in the last two years. While Mack's point is that police are at great risk and should have better pay, we think this shows that the risks are exaggerated, the incidents involving officers shooting guns are rare, and the part of G.O. 345 involving shootings should stay the same as it has been written.

Rap Sheet Prints Surprising Info

An article by Robert Landauer of the Oregonian, reprinted in its entirety in the August Rap Sheet, criticizes the DARE program for being ineffective. The article quotes Barbara Cimaglio of the Oregon Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse programs saying "Stand-alone, short-term programs [like DARE] are not as effective as comprehensive community-based programs that involve parents, schools, and communities together." It quotes the study by Dennis Rosenbaum of the University of Illinois, Chicago, which said "Kids in the suburbs who participated in DARE actually had significantly higher levels of drug use than [those] who did not get the DARE program." The fact that this article was run without comment makes us think that maybe the Rap Sheet is beginning to see the light.

On the next page of the same issue is an article denouncing the privatization of prisons in Florida. Among other things, the article implies that a Florida criminal justice Professor who pushes for privatization may have "financial ties to corporate forces which are pushing for privatization." The Florida Police Benevolent Association is fighting privatization. While they may have reasons different than those of progressive activists, it is important to find issues like privatization where the police and those in the grassroots may actually agree with one another. It is possible the police can make the jump from "people who don't have our training shouldn't be taking our union jobs" to "corporations shouldn't be running the criminal justice system for profit."

The Rap Sheet lists a pamphlet, "The Truth About Prison Privatization," which is available through John Burpo, NCPSO, 400 West 14th St, Austin, TX 78701.

Cops Turn Against Captain for "Donut Shop" Comment

Unfortunately, we missed this one when if first happened. Earlier this year, Captain Pat Nelson of the PPB was interviewed about the traffic ticket quota system that had been revealed in the Rap Sheet. Nelson apparently said "It's the only way I can keep my officers out of the donut shops."

Officer Greg Taylor wrote a letter to the editor indicating that a citizen had filed an internal affairs complaint because Nelson's actions violated conduct and courtesy General Orders. According to a letter from IAD, also printed in the Rap Sheet, Captain Bill Bennington investigated whether the comments made by Nelson demeaned the force, and found no problem--so he declined to do a full investigation. [Incidentally, at some point in the last year Bennington told members of the "police review board" (PIIAC) that there would be no more partial investigations before IAD declined to investigate.]

Taylor says that this finding means "It's ok to publicly insult and demean your troops." That's a reasonable conclusion to draw since most IAD findings mean it's ok to harass, verbally assault, and beat up civilians.

Shooter Cop Forced to Undergo Anger Management

Scott Westerman, the officer who won an award for shooting a mentally disturbed woman at point blank range, was ordered to undergo anger management and was under criminal investigation earlier this year. Tom Mack wrote a plea for the Bureau to lay off Westerman in the August Rap Sheet. The next month, Mack reported Westerman was back on the streets as of August 13th after 8 months of "bureau harassment."

FINAL NOTE: Bye, Bye Leo

We want to wish a fond farewell to Leo Painton, who was recently replaced by Greg Pluchos as President of the police "union." While the October 27 Oregonian announced that a low turn-out left Leo behind 153 votes to 132, a source in the PPA tells us that nearly 3/4 of the membership voted, and the actual vote was 531 to 132. Ouch.

Leo, we will miss your finger-wagging, your defense of shooter cops, and your generally cheery disposition.