Police Union Protests Staffing
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Here’s the scoop ‘Grimm’ actor delivers to lines at Sellwood gelato shop — SEE PORTLAND LIFE, B1 PortlandTUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 • TWICE CHOSEN THE NATION’S BEST NONDAILY PAPERTribune • PORTLANDTRIBUNE.COM • PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND THURSDAY Police union protests staffi ng ■ Staffi ng By JIM REDDEN out the precincts. By operating be- these low levels violate the and officer safety are rose from 582,130 to 592,120. The The Tribune low minimum patrol staffi ng levels, contract between the city maintained at previous number of dispatched calls in- levels for the Bureau has increased work- and the union, which re- levels.” creased from 191,956 to 206,724. patrols are The union representing Port- load and decreased levels of offi cer quires that mandatorily In its 2013 Annual Re- Mayor Charlie Hales’ offi ce de- land police offi cers fi led a labor safety,” reads the grievance, which negotiable working condi- port, the bureau says the clined to comment on the griev- ‘dangerously grievance last week over what it was fi led on June 16 with the city. tions be maintained. ratio of officers to 1,000 ance. The City Council adopted low,’ says calls “dangerously low staffi ng According to the grievance, “This is a continuing vi- residents has dropped next year’s budget without adding complaint levels” for patrols. staffing levels are below mini- olation,” reads the griev- from 1.72 in 2009 to 1.59 any additional offi cers on Thurs- “The Portland Police Bureau is mums at various precincts during ance, which requests that that year. Over the same day. fi led with consistently operating below mini- portions of the day, afternoon and “safety related minimum period, the number of citi- The city has 20 days since the TURNER city mum patrol staffi ng levels through- night shifts. It also states that patrol staffing, workload zens living in Portland See PROTEST / Page 2 SHOW Multnomah of board says no SOLIDARITY to new super Parkrose, Malheur superintendents are passed over By SHASTA KEARNS MOORE The Tribune After a four-month search process, the board of the Multnomah Education Ser- vice District voted last Tues- day evening not to choose a superintendent from the two TRIBUNE PHOTO: SHASTA KEARNS MOORE fi nalists it had identifi ed. Multnomah Education Service “The board at this point has District Interim Superintendent selected not to chose a new su- Jim Rose (left) shares a laugh perintendent from our candi- with Malheur Education Service date pool,” board Chairman Bernie Giusto said at the regu- District Superintendent Stephen lar board meeting, attended by Phillips at a June 12 fi nalists’ fewer than 20 people, including meet-and-greet. the three board members-elect who take offi ce July 1. ly felt a rush to pick a new su- Board member-elect Siob- perintendent before the new han Burke, who had previously board took offi ce to avoid leav- STORY BY Portland released statements announc- ing them with unresolved lead- JULES ROGERS ing her opposition to Parkrose ership. School District Superintendent “I’m happy to reimpose the AME church ABOVE: A nun Karen Fischer Gray’s candida- load to the new board, and n Sunday, at the Beth- sets up roses cy, declined to comment. good luck,” Spellman said with el African Methodist and 10 candles Board member-elect Ste- a laugh, adding that the will- vigil honors Episcopal Church of to be lit during phen Marc Beaudoin said he ingness of interim Superinten- Portland, the Rev. Ter- Sunday’s service supported the board’s decision. dent Jim Rose to stay on added O in honor of the ry McCray Hill could be heard “I think it’s a good outcome, to his comfort in leaving the Charleston proclaiming, “The doors of the Charleston Nine. all considered,” Beaudoin said, post unfi lled. Rose, previously church are still open” — an an- LEFT: The Rev. noting that the new board the second-in-command, will shooting nouncement made at nearly ev- Terry McCray might have different ideas of remain in the top spot until the ery service. Hill gives a how to conduct a future search, new board completes its search “It was regularly spoken at sermon about such as expanding it outside in 2016. victims Emanuel Church of Charleston, respecting the state. “What we might be Gray, Parkrose’s superinten- known to us as the ‘Mother’ of fathers’ houses, looking for at that time might dent, and Stephen Phillips, su- African Methodism in the Deep be it as a be different than what this perintendent of the Malheur South,” said McCray Hill, who’s growing child or agency and this board was Education Service District, had been with Bethel AME since while practicing looking for in the past few risen above five other appli- last fall and had spent time in months.” cants for the job, vacated by faith. Outgoing board member TRIBUNE PHOTOS: Kevin Spellman said he initial- See AME / Page 2 JULES ROGERS See SUPT. / Page 2 Vision Zero: ‘Commit to changing behavior’ By JENNIFER ANDERSON The Tribune City’s ambitious plan promotes Getting to Vision Zero is a personal quest for city leaders. As Commissioner safety for pedestrians, cyclists Nick Fish mentioned in his testimony last week just before the City Council ap- office when the phone rang traffic deaths. proved the Vision Zero res- and she heard she lost her VISION ZERO “To me, it’s kind of lost in olution, both he and Com- husband.” Vision Zero is a city-approved res- all the blood and gore,” she missioner Amanda Fritz Fish writes more about his olution and plan to move toward says. have lost someone close in experience in an essay pub- zero traf c-related fatalities and As a mother, Sheffer wants a traffic incident. lished in Street Roots on Fri- serious injuries in the next 10 all drivers to be mindful when At age 11, “I lost my moth- day. years. they get behind the wheel of a er,” Fish told the Tribune af- No matter how much heart 6,000- to 8,000-pound vehicle. ter Wednesday’s session. city leaders invest in the am- “We should be looking at ev- “She was killed in a car acci- bitious plan, it will come ful. If we could all do that, we eryone around us, but we’re dent at the foot of our drive- down to public buy-in — a cul- wouldn’t need enforcement.” such a self-centered society, way (in rural upstate New tural mind shift, city leaders As a private citizen, Sheffer we’re pretty much saying ev- York). She left four children. say. says, she’d like to see the city eryone else isn’t as impor- That’s one of the reasons it “We need an attitude adopt a positive message tant,” when drivers are im- was especially meaningful to change,” Portland Police Sgt. campaign rather than a nega- paired or distracted by food me personally to have had the Kelli Sheffer says. “Every- tive one with shock value, or cell phones or the radio, TRIBUNE PHOTO: JONATHAN HOUSE chance to support Amanda one’s going to need to partici- like billboards in New York she says. “We can do all the Cyclists kicked off Pedalpalooza earlier this month. As more people (Fritz) during her struggle. I pate, being aware of what’s City — another Vision Zero take to the streets by bike and foot this summer, city leaders are was sitting next to her in her around you and being mind- city — that show victims of See VISION ZERO / Page 3 urging more mindful behavior by all. “Pamplin Media Group’s pledge is to Portland Tribune deliver balanced news that re ects the JORDAN RULES stories of our communities. Thank you — SEE SPORTS, PAGE B1 for reading our newspapers.” Inside — DR. ROBERT B. PAMPLIN JR. OWNER & NEIGHBOR A2 NEWS The Portland Tribune Tuesday, June 23, 2015 Protest: Officer/ resident ratio declines ■ From page 1 are now forced to be reactive, causing safety issues for the of- grievance was filed to respond, ficers responding to calls as well after which the Portland Police as for the community at large,” Association has another 20 days the June 16 message said. to respond. If the grievance is Before the grievance was not resolved by the city and the filed, Turner sent another email union, it could go to arbitration. to PPA members saying that In an email message about the number of sworn officers in the grievance to Portland Police the bureau had dropped by 150 Association members, Presi- positions over the past 15 years, dent Daryl Turner faulted the resulting in many shifts that City Council for authorizing on- are now dangerously under- ly five new sworn positions in staffed, increasing the risks to the budget that takes effect on officers and city residents. July 1, saying that “doesn’t “As summer begins, the rank come even remotely close and file Portland Police Bureau enough to solving our staffing is faced with the daunting task problems.” of policing the city while being “The PPB’s primary function dangerously understaffed and as a law enforcement agency is overworked,” Turner said Fri- to respond to calls for service, day. investigate crimes, and engage Turner also noted the recent with the community. In the past spike in gang-related violence, — with adequate staffing — of- which he says is soaring to “re- ficers were able to fulfill that cord proportions,” in the June mission in a proactive manner. 12 message. However, with our current staff- ing levels, these same officers [email protected] Supt.: Both candidates welcome to reapply ■ From page 1 dent’s departure, the percep- triBUne PHOTO: JULes rogers tion that she did might have Parishioners stand up and feel the Holy spirit during a hymn sung by the 10 person choir, accompanied by a drum set, a piano and an organ at the board’s sudden decision to had a role in the board’s deci- Bethel AMe.