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Police Rename Crowd Control Policy to Address "Public Order"
Directive Updated While 2020 Review Still Incomplete;
Portland Copwatch Sends Suggested Changes

The contractors hired to conduct an external review of Portland Police crowd control training, tactics and policies in the wake of the 2020 protests are not expected to have their report done until January (see DOJ article). That did not stop the Bureau from putting forward their Crowd Control policy ("Directive") for review in October. Portland Copwatch (PCW) made extensive comments on the new draft, now called "Response Public Order Events [sic]." To our amusement, they plan to rename the Rapid Response Team as the "Public Order Unit," or "POU." PCW also commented on eight other policies posted from August to November, none of which are of imminent importance.*

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) required the city to conduct an outside review because the Bureau's own assessments (yes, there were two) were self-congratulatory and didn't adequately address the fact that officers were not being held accountable for their actions at protests or for their faulty reporting. There is no clear part of the revised policy that emphasizes officer accountability.

PCW commended the Bureau for moving issues around Use of Force down from its previous prominent location of the first procedure section, instead emphasizing people's right to assemble under the First Amendment. The draft now also instructs officers to "consider" when they're using chemical weapons near "hospitals, schools [and] uninvolved community members," but as PCW noted, doesn't prohibit their use. Amazingly, probably because of the case of former Officer Scott Groshong, who pleaded guilty for hitting a shoplifting suspect with his patrol car (PPR #87), the Bureau includes a prohibition on hitting people with cars.

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In December, the PPB reposted Directives on communication with Members of the deaf co mmunity and people who use English as a second language, personal appearance, the Employee Assistance program, and police detention facilities.

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While many of these ideas are positive, the new policy also proposes to keep in place the Bureau's right to have officers identified by a number rather than a name. The lack of nametags is one reason so many complaints about the 2020 protests could not be investigated-- people were not able to identify the officers.

It also gives officers the right to shut down parts of the city in an "emergency," fails to prohibit police from giving contradictory orders (a common problem), and continues to not address how the Bureau's airplanes are used in relation to protests.

In all, the policies continue to inch forward with some aspects that may be helpful to the community, but still favor the police by including explicit or implicit ways to harm people with impunity.

* They were on Leaves of Service (now "Leaves from Service"), changed assignments after "critical incidents," the process to update Directives, the Employee Assistance Program, Personal Appearance, use of the PPB's fitness room, a new policy on Conflict Resolution (among cops), and the ride-along program. If you want to see PCW's comments on any of these policies email us at copwatch@portlandcopwatch.org.
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January, 2023
Also in PPR #88

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.

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