Dear Folks,
One of the petition's proposals was for non-police first responders, but today Mayor Ted Wheeler will try to push through a proposal for police as first-responders. The timing is also suspect since the mayor knows that Commissioner-elect Jo Ann Hardesty would oppose such a move. Please let your city commissioners know how you feel. Let's not get bamboozled, again.
Message from Portland's Resistance:
�Red Alert� Mayor Ted and Portland Police have another "emergency ordinance" they want to push through City Council this week. Even experienced community advocates are scrambling to address a last minute memorandum that is up for a vote on Wednesday, Dec 5 at 2pm. We urge you to make your voice heard now by contacting Portland City Councilors, especially potential swing votes Commissioners Nike Fish and Chloe Eudaly, urging them to vote no on 1251.
As the details become more clear, you may notice some familiar dynamics about this memorandum:
1. was negotiated in secret without community input
2. requires an "emergency vote" before Jo Ann Hardesty takes her seat on January 1st
3. involves the Portland Police Association (led by Daryl "Portland is a cesspool" Turner) getting what they want with no benefit to the community
4. steps all over the intent of previously negotiated agreements
5. shows police that they, have the power to amend contracts after they've been signed, a benefit they have routinely denied the public
This new agreement is item 1251 on Wednesday's City Council session, and will amend the Police Union Contract that was bitterly negotiated under Mayor Hales and signed in late 2016 after community activists were shoved out of City Hall and attacked by police on the street. If three commissioners vote yes on Wednesday, 1251 will formally amend the 2016 agreement, benefiting police interests and locking in concessions less than a year before new negotiations begin. When the 2016 contract was negotiated, agreeing to hire and train these non-sworn (unarmed) cops were seen as a concession by the police union, something nice they were going to do in exchange for not handing over any other concessions - such as giving the Citizens Review Committee the ability to review police killings based on available evidence. PPA and the Mayor have agreed that these non-sworn cops will do little more than sit behind desks and go to community meetings under the command of armed officers.
We urge you to again summon the will to fight a surprise Mayor's Ordinance: let City Council know that this ordinance fails the Portland community who fought hard to negotiate the 2016 contract. The 2016 contract has not been fulfilled and should be delayed until the Portland community gets more of what we need.
Contact:
Commissioner Nick Fish: nick@portlandoregon.gov 503-823-3589
Commissioner Chloe Eudaly chloe@portlandoregon.gov 503-823-4682
Commissioner Amanda Fritz: Amanda@portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-3008