Vacancies, lack of staff vex Portland police oversight panel
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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The mayor of Portland, Oregon, has proposed that the city’s community police oversight committee go on a two-month hiatus to figure out how to fill nearly half of the group’s vacancies and hire more staff. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the idea comes five years after the predecessor of the Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing was disbanded due to lack of training for its members, lack of city support and dwindling membership. Similar problems now affect the the current panel. The 13-member group has only seven seats filled. There’s a lack of city staff to support or facilitate its meetings. Some members appointed to the group complained of a lack of training before they began their service.