A major mayoral candidate has finally come forward with a statement calling out a state arbitrator’s ruling that Ron Frashour, the officer who was fired in November 2010 for shooting and killing the unarmed Aaron Campbell, should be reinstated.
In a press release (pdf) laying out her public safety goals, businesswoman Eileen Brady said she supports Mayor Sam Adams’ decision to challenge the arbitrator’s decision.
We also must redouble our community policing efforts. No matter where you live or visit in Portland, your safety will be my priority as mayor. But the reality is that a mayor and the police can’t do it alone. Effective community policing depends on a basis of mutual respect and strong partnerships between the police and the community members they serve. I support Mayor Sam Adams’ decision to have the City appeal the recent ruling by an arbitrator regarding the termination of the officer involved in the fatal shooting of Aaron Campbell, who was unarmed.
The other leading candidates, Charlie Hales and Jefferson Smith have so far been quiet on the ruling. The Mercury has asked for comments from both campaigns, and we’ll update this post when we get them.
That’s not to say all the other mayoral hopefuls have been quiet. Cameron Whitten, an Occupy activist, was front and center at yesterday’s Albina Ministerial Alliance rally, even holding the megaphone, at one point, for Portland Copwatch’s Dan Handelman.
Update 3:40 pm:
Following our request for a comment, Charlie Hales said this:
“I believe that officer Frashour should have been fired and that it was correct to fire him. And I don’t think we should be using deadly force against unarmed citizens. I think the citizens of Portland expect as much from their leadership. And yes, I do support Sam Adams’ challenge to the arbitrator’s ruling.”
Update 3:50 pm:
Jefferson Smith says he agrees with the mayor’s move from the beginning and continues to support what he’s doing. “What we’ve got to focus on is not what happens after an incident like this, but what we can do to avoid them,” says Smith.
Like Brady, he’s in favor of the mental health crisis center and supports the slated officer training facility. “I have sympathy for officers dealing with budget cuts,” he says. “It’s our responsibility that they have the right tools.”
“If we’re going to be able to address gang activity, we need to increase trust between law enforcement and the community. We all have a stake in ending the cycle of violence.”
I’VE TOTALLY GOT TONS OF RESPECT FOR THESE POLITICIANS TAKING A POPULAR STANCE ON A NOT VERY DIVISIVE ISSUE. SHOWS TRUE BRAVERY.
It was on Brady’s part, since it puts her crosswise with the police union. It was pretty easy for the rest of them to jump on board after.
I don’t respect Brady, but I will commend her for this
Candidates for office saying politically popular things after waiting more than 24 hours since the news broke. I am so excited for this election, y’all.
I was flirting with voting Brady untill that piece in WW.
I’m not sure any candidate should get credit on this one. It is pretty obvious and hard to imagine anybody running for office in Portland saying, “No, I think he should be reinstated.” This is not a real political or policy issue.
Brady was still the first to respond, even after taking the time to receive & incorporate community input for a broad policy statement on public safety that was already in the making: the paragraph above is only a fragment of a comprehensive position which also sets strategy for reducing police violence on the mentally ill.
The officer training facilty is a bogus solution to addressing police misconduct and should be abandoned, however. By ordinance City Council ordered PPB to implement a detailed Plan to Address Racial Profiling in 2009. The city auditor identified deficiencies in handling cases of assault on women in 2007. When pressed as to why these training goals were never addressed, you’re likely to hear it due to lack of money. Now millions of dollars are available. Surprising, given a Nazi sympathizer (Kruger) offers PPB Leadership Training and the department defied Mayor Adams – as a unit – over firing Frashour. We need to spend that money developing civilian oversight and curbing $8,000,000 in payouts.
Brady’s decision here is brave and demonstrates why I believe she’ll make an excellent Mayor of Portland. The Police Union will, no doubt, respond by withholding an endorsement for her and favor a White-Male to serve as our next Police Commissioner. I want her to be Portland’s top Public Safety Official.
I don’t mind whiny teachers (“we have to work w’ kids 167.2 days per year”), or whiny bureaucrats (“boo hoo I’m only going to be able to retire on $$$$ per month if they reform PERS), but I can’t respect the idea of whiny cops. You signed up for a gig that could get you killed & that requires you exercise “deadly force”. There’s an unwritten rule that oughta get written: don’t shoot a fleeing, unarmed black man in the back and expect to keep your job.
It’s a privilege to get paid to serve the public. If you don’t want to run into burning buildings or face death, don’t be a cop. If you die in the line-of-duty I’ll be among the first to salute & raise a glass to you & sure your survivors should be provided for. But DON’T SHOOT A FLEEING, UNARMED BLACK MAN IN THE BACK & EXPECT TO KEEP YOUR F@#*ing JOB. Am I clear?
Franklieb, I was not because I was aware of a lot of the facts in the WW piece before it came out. I can’t respect or trust someone who either flat out lies about their backround or seriously embelishes it