Dear Friends,
If you agree that #BlackLivesMatter, you can do something about it right now—today, in less than five minutes!—by picking up the phone and calling your state legislators.
A key local police reform is possible now, but we only have a window of the next couple days: so this is URGENT. See below for more info on:
What Senate Bill 1604 is
How you can help
Why I think we need it
Senate Bill 1604: Portland needs full control of its police force
Right now, when the police chief and mayor decide to fire or discipline a Portland police officer, too often, that discipline doesn’t stick. That’s because the police union has gained too much influence over the state labor arbitration system, making it a deeply biased system, which frequently overturns sound disciplinary decisions.
Senate Bill 1604, championed by state senator Lew Fredricks, and the People of Color Caucus, would help change this, so that police can more easily be held accountable when they make mistakes, perform poorly or act inappropriately. Supervisors, elected civilian mayors, and city councils will have more of an ability to control their police force.
But law enforcement unions seem again to be trying to stall-out Senator Fredrick’s bill.
How you can help right now
This week, in the state legislative session underway, state lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 1604.
Please call your state legislator and tell them to pass Senate Bill 1604. Click here to find out who your legislators are and how to contact them.
Let’s call b*llsh*t on a key systemic backroom whitewasher of police injustice
I experienced firsthand how Portland city government lacks control over our own police officers. As Mayor, I fired and disciplined police for mistakes or misconduct—but too often, saw my decisions overturned by state labor arbitrators, even when the cases involved police shooting and killing innocent people.
Why? Because the police union had so much control over the state arbitration system that it could prevent police officers from being held accountable.
We have the best opportunity in years to call b*llsh*t on the bastardized state labor arbitration system and its de facto backroom whitewashing of local police injustice.
Pass SB 1604 will help unlock needed reforms of the Portland police bureau
In 2010, community leaders, my colleagues, and I invited the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division's, to investigate the Portland Police Bureau and help us reduce its use of deadly force. To reduce Portland police use of force, in 2013, the Justice Department required that the City create a local police disciplinary guide. It started one but it is not enforced.
Senate Bill 1604 would help unlock and improve local police disciplinary standards that can be based on our community values -- not the state arbitration system -- and be enforceable.
Today we can act on our commitment that #BlackLivesMatter
Please call your state legislator and tell them to pass Senate Bill 1604. Find out who your legislature is and how to contact them by clicking here.
Yours,
Sam
Mobile 503-421-8925
P.S. This is an old campaign website. I’m no longer a candidate City Council, but my passion for making Portland better continues--and this old campaign website will be updated soon!