Portland 
Copwatch - a project of Peace and Justice Works

 

Site Navigation

Home
About us
People's Police Report
Shootings & deaths
Cool links
Other Information
Contact info
Donate
 

 

Another Sheriff Hits the Dusty Trail

Following in the footsteps of his disgraced predecessors, Multnomah Sheriff Dan Staton announced in May he would resign on August 16, two years earlier than planned. The position was filled by former Portland Police Chief Mike Reese, whom Staton appointed as his undersheriff in June. An election to permanently fill the position will be held in November, though the County Charter Review Committee recently voted to put forward a ballot measure on whether the position should be elected or appointed.

As noted in PPR #68, Staton became Sheriff after his predecessor, Bob Skipper, was forced to resign when he was unable to pass two required certification tests, with Skipper having taken over for ethically challeged Bernie Giusto. So, the pattern continues.

Staton had been accused of many things, also outlined in our last issue: a $300,000 settlement for a female deputy's claims of sexism, threats and background checks on members of the Charter Review Committee supporting the appointed Sheriff measure, and other accusations of threats, retaliation and bribery. The final blow seemed to come with the purchase of a car outside established procedures. To say it was "tricked out," is an understatement. The $33,623 Dodge Charger R/T had a sunroof, satellite radio, leather seats and polished aluminum wheels (Willamette Week, May 18). The furor caused Staton to transfer the car to a "first responder."

With all the accusations, lack of support from County Commissioners, and calls by deputies' unions and newspapers for him to step down, the writing was on the wall and Staton retired. Given the history of Multnomah County Sheriffs, one wonders how Reese will fare. After all, Reese stepped up as Chief the day Keaton Otis, a 25 year old African American man, was killed by 32 police bullets (PPR #51). He exonerated the cops and skipped appoint-ing a black Assistant Chief to hire his band buddy, businessman Mike Kuykendall.

  People's Police Report

September, 2016
Also in PPR #69

Police Shoot At, Miss One
  Other Oregon Shootings--2 Per Month
DOJ Staff, Board Ask for Divorce
Chief Shoots Friend, Steps Down
Review Board Faces Changes
Police Oversight Report Has Less Info
May Day 2016: Small Police Presence
Sheriff Staton Hits the Trail
Profiling: "Gang" Arrests, Stop Data
Cops Plan More Homeless Sweeps
Training Council Recommendations
Mayor Secretly Negotiates Contract
PPB Policy Review at Slow Crawl
Updates PPR 69
  • PPB May Let Cops See Body Cam Footage
  Police Use Pole Cameras
  Copwatchers Receive Settlements
  Entrapped Man Appeals Terror Ruling
Legal Briefs: Evidence, Phones, Cops
Quick Flashes PPR 69
  Officer in DUI Flips Car in Crash
  Cop Sprays Dog Walker
Rapping Back #69
 

Portland Copwatch
PO Box 42456
Portland, OR 97242
(503) 236-3065/ Incident Report Line (503) 321-5120
e-mail: copwatch@portlandcopwatch.org

Portland Copwatch is a grassroots, volunteer organization promoting police accountability through citizen action.


People's Police Report #69 Table of Contents
Back to Portland Copwatch home page
Peace and Justice Works home page
Back to top