Bend ‘listening session’ on police brings calls for citizen review panel, more training
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Several participants in the city of Bend’s online listening session on police issues Saturday morning urged the city to create a truly independent police review commission, reflecting the city’s makeup, and with the authority to fully investigate any cases of possibly improper actions.
But the scheduled three-hour session lasted about one-third of that time, as perhaps a dozen showed up to participate.
The city has a police advisory board, but the first participant in the online session, Michael Funke, said it’s likely 99 percent of residents don’t know it exists, and it’s not really a forum for people to raise issues or express complaints.
“I would suggest we need to have a whole different approach: a community police review board with oversight powers and responsibilities, that reflects the full diversity” of the community, Funke said. He suggested it should “even have the power to command the police chief and others by subpoena if necessary, to testify when complaints are made,” to assure transparency and accountability. And he said “there are a lot of good models” around the country.
Some participants also urged the city to follow the model set by the CAHOOTS team in Eugene and not respond with armed police to people in mental health or other crises, but instead to send crisis workers (counselors)and medical personnel, in order to reduce confrontations that could, in extreme situations, become fatal encounters.
Caleb Campbell, who raised the issue and the CAHOOTS model, stated, “Community policing is not a new concept, and it’s about time Bend got on board.” Another speaker later noted that she was told the city has indeed moved in that direction in recent years.
The city had set aside three hours, from 9 a.m. to noon, for people to gives their views and address issues such as accountability, police presence in the community, and what the police role should be in transient/homeless and mental health issues, as well as city council involvement in policing policies.
Erika McAlpine, director of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Laboratory at OSU-Cascades, served as third-party moderator, reminding all that the session was one for the city to gather feedback and not for two-way dialogue or to provide answers to people’s questions, which would come later in the process.
But the session ended in less than half the time, because there was no one else who was on hand to speak. In fact, several people were able to speak two or three times, clarifying their earlier statements, to make sure they were accurately noted, as the taken notes were showed on the screen (and translated), even having a chance to comment on each other’s statements.
One man who said he was arrested last November outside 10 Barrel Brewing Eastside said he’s written a blog about his treatment and complained that police are too anxious to “slap handcuffs (on people) and want to put them in jail.” He later wondered aloud if police have a quota to make so many arrests.
Moey Newbold was one of several speakers to note recent high-profile incidents in Bend (and elsewhere) and call on police to be better trained in implicit bias.
“We just don’t want to have people killed or brutalized by the police, with implicit bias or otherwise,” she said. “That’s what people are asking for, and it shouldn’t be contentious. I think people don’t want police to use unnecessary force.”
Another speaker who follows local protest/rally organizers on Instagram called for not just more transparency, but better communication with the public.
“When I see incidents, I want to know Bend police are taking it seriously, and there response," she said. I don’t know how to get that info.”
But there was a foray into another popular Bend debate topic: fireworks. Joette Storm said many residents “feel allowing fireworks at a time of extreme drought is not only dangerous, but reckless.” She said neighborhoods have met with police but “somehow the feeling is, police don’t really care enough about this – they push it off on neighborhoods. We are supposed to turn our neighbors in.”
It wasn’t all criticism, and maybe that was part of the reason the three hours did not fill up on a Saturday morning.
“I’ve never encountered anything but professional behavior by the Bend Police Department,” Carl Shoemaker said.
But another speaker who has attended several protests, in Bend and Prineville, said it seemed Bend police did more to protest counter-protesters and “those who might support Donald Trump. Black Lives Matter protesters don’t get the same respect counter-protesters do.”
“The way someone expresses themselves it not a reason to not show them dignity,” she said. “When you see a stone wall of police who don’t look at you as a person, then they don’t feel protected.”
Beth Hoover said she knows “how dangerous it can be in Bend to be a person of color,” noting her son, a person of color, grew up in Bend.
“We need a police force that reflects the complexion of the community,” Hoover said, adding that she was “disturbed” when the five finalists for police chief were all white males, and that that apparently “didn’t raise any red flags” with city officials.
Storm later suggested that the very word “police” itself has taken on loaded, divisive connotations, and suggested a reworking of responsibilities in a “department of public safety” that incorporates mental health professionals, ”redefining what the police do."
“I do have respect” for police, she said. “I think being a cop is a tough job. I believe residents will support Bend in the mission of public safety.”
Another speaker said the call by some to “'defund police' is a horrible team. I want to see police restructured.” She said she was glad to learn they do send licensed counselors to deal with mental health crises. “If it’s true they are doing that in Bend, I want to applaud that.”
Foster Fell called for a “clarification of the relationship between local and federal law enforcement.” During the ICE bus protest, he said, “the protesters had a valid negotiating point” and rather than withdraw when federal officers arrived, they “should have stayed and tried to negotiate a way out of the crisis.”
Fell expressed concern about a “possible constitutional crisis” after the election results are known and suggested Attorney General William Barr could deputize police.
“Will local police departments be used against us, and against the Constitution?” Fell asked.
He also said he was “a little disappointed” to read Police Chief Mike Krantz’s statement after the recent Pilot Butte Park incident that gave little mention of a man seen and recoded pointing a gun at people but when into more details on the “civil disobedience” that resulted, blocking patrol cars.
On the other hand, Fell said, “I know we’re going through a transition – we’re all learning.”
The city said community input will compiled and presented in a report to the city council at a work session, tentatively scheduled for the end of December.
Yes , lets do stuff because a few people want it while the vast majority of people don’t.
Don’t know how they jam this crap through, but it always happens in liberal cities, just look at Potland…
What did they “jam through”?
They listened to people! And some of ‘em weren’t white! I heard some of them didn’t even own real estate!
Horrors!!
the term resident doesn’t only include property owners, it includes anyone living in the area. we abolished the whole lords, dukes, earls, and kings system a long time ago to include everyone as actual people
No, but most of them sure were ANTI-WHITE! I know because I joined the session.
a very few people were offended by the Blue Lines on the partol cars, the new chief ‘jamed through’ removing them to appease
Yup, he surevdid because that’s what wimps do. They pander to extremists to placate them, but fail to realize that when you give them an inch, they will want 10,000 miles. John Hummel, the worthless DA, also panders to radical Leftists for political gain.
Exactly! They only make events like this known within Leftists circles and marginalize the Conservatives so they don’t have a voice.
The anti-White, anti-American, Marxist Left are simply pushing for an armed response.
They want civil war!
Well, let’s oblige.
We don’t allow people to encourage or promote violence here, from ANY political perspective, as DT and others can tell you. So your comments may by and large be deleted. Plenty of DT’s get through, as he’s learned how to go up to the edge, most of the time.
I’m not encouraging violence, Barney, I am encouraging self-preservation!
You should know the difference!
The Left are the ones constantly spewing HATE and divisiveness and being allowed to do it time and time again with impunity.
There are millions upon millions of people like me that done tolerating the constant sedition, treason, and subversive tactics from the Left.
I know encouraging violence when I read it. And don’t ask or expect me to pick sides – there’s enough hate going all directions to be very sad and frightening. If your hated “Left” uses the same terms, their comments are deleted as well.
Threaten, encourage or promote violence, comments are gone. Feel free to go to Reddit, where moderators can enforce even firmer rules – and downvotes can make low-value posts disappear into relative oblivion.
Now that I know what “reck” is short for, your screen name is on the line as well. Please take your calls for civil war somewhere else.
Tank you.
You can inject whatever you desire into my statement. I am simply saying that the response to the Left’s madness is an inevitable one. They are the ones attacking those they disagree with, not us! Philip Anderson was attacked simply by trying to have a Free Speech rally in San Francisco just the other day.
Do you think that this is going to keep being allowed to go on without a response?
Do you think that the current state of affairs is sustainable for a Democratic Republic?
No, it’s not!
You want to label a defensive posture as promoting violence, but refuse to call out the instigators that actually are promoting violence, typical reaction in your line if work.
It’s time for folks like you to wake up and stop conflating the calls for what must be done as egregious acts of violence all the while domestic terrorists are allowed to attack those exercising their Constitutional rights.
That’s right Comrades! Remember that these tactics worked in 1933. The Nazi Brownshirts were the equivalent of today’s antifa. They used every opportunity to beat and terrorize the public. They promoted disbanding the police, then their members became the police force. It worked very well. Hitler was pushed into power and everybody lived in utopia. We can do it again Comrades! Keep pushing!
EXACTLY!
Portland has become SanFrancisco and Bend is becoming the New Portland. S.F.is now a tent city.
Then move.
take your sorry snowflake ass back to california BOY
Preach it!
Then…what will we do with all the sheep?
Feel free to leave 🙂
How about us feeling free to win the civil war you people want?
Now you’re talking.
It’s coming brother!
Talk is cheap.
Indeed!
I guess stay tuned.
12 people participated out of how many thousand that live in Bend?? The Bend Police do their job well and this is a non issue. But then of course we always let the few dictate to the majority of how things will go…..
Overall, I’m O.K. with BPD…..although I’d like to see more traffic enforcement.
Its working Comrades! Keep pushing issues that are not issues. Divide and conquer. Stir division, unrest, hatred, where there never was any before. Soon we will have our communist utopia! Keep up the good work Comrades! BLM, antifa, race bating…hooray!
And that’s how Trump won the election. 😉
Its hard and adangerous growing up in bend as a person of color….lol right, because of all the racism here
It’s hard and dangerous growing up White in a Lefty Orwellian dystopia too.
YesComrades! Nobody notices all the BLM and antifa members are all young, white, privileged people. Americans are so stupid. We will take over soon Comrades!
Vote Republican or get more of the same… Just saying….
You do realize the dems are in control of our state and local government right?
Put the kool-aid down and try to breath through your nose:)
You’re allowed an opinion…
You do realize that’s what Gus was saying, right?
The only thing Gus is saying is “white power” (and possibly “get off my lawn!”).
You’re the problem.
For fascists like you, I am indeed the problem.
how was Gus referencing white power?
Your response made no sense.
They don’t control your vote!
He means to start voting REPUBLICAN instead of DEMOCRATS!
What was so difficult to comprehend about that?
Yup
Most people in Oregon aren’t voting Republican. Just saying…
We know this!
There’s over 4 million people in Oregon, yet barely 1 million vote!
Most of Oregon leans more Conservative, yet they refuse to vote!
You cannot complain about the Democrat Supermajority if you cannot get off your apathetic butt and vote!
This victim mentality is getting out of hand. I certainly hope none of the people at this meeting that were complaining ever need the assistance of a cop otherwise they’re complete hypocrites. Especially after screaming at the cops and calling them names. My biracial son grew up here and never was profiled or treated poorly by police. This whole racist narrative is getting tired. Bend has some of the nicest cops I’ve encountered. Maybe your kid is a troublemaker.
Upvote^^^
Spot on!!!
the racist narrative’ is all they have. The hate the Police and want them defunded
I was there and complained about only one issue and I am a Conservative. This is what I complained about:
https://10barrelhatestrumpsupporters.info
Most of the callers were obviously radical anti-White Lefties creating issues out of none-issues.
I couldn’t tell you how many times I heard disparaging sentiments towards White people and this is coming from self-described, “Anti-Racists”.
European Americans are under attack today, make no mistake about it.
“I am certain other Lefty compulsive lying misandrists in the Marxist state of Oregon […]”
If this guy goes on the stand in his own defense, he’s screwed. Let your lawyer do the talking, don’t talk to police, and definitely don’t make a big webpage about it.
I’ve been all over this country and have never been attacked for being a European American. But maybe I’m just better at it than most people.
When you get handcuffed, thrown in jail, and a lousy DA like Hummel decides to push forward with bogus charges based on those lies, I think I would be very angry as well.
Apparently, you seem to think that your experiences should be used to define and displace everyone else’s experiences, right?
How narcissistic of you!
Maybe you should read the Police report where it clearly shows the person literally lied about this individual. Now why would they do that if they weren’t in fact an anti-Trump misandrist?
If the person is screwed because they’re angry about their mistreatment that obviously was done out if spite in response to his political leanings, then the system is broken and you simply validated my points.
12 people…..geez. Maybe throw this in the trash and chalk it up to a waste of time. Let cops do their jobs. Thank you Bend PD!!!
Upvote ^^^
Pretty much! But the cops ne guy arrested outside of 10 Barrel should be addressed.
Here’s that website that covers this incident:
https://10barrelhatestrumpsupporters.info
So 89,988 people or so don’t think much of Li’l John’s plan, huh? Bummer
Police Oversight Committees can be a good thing, but they often come with their own set of complications. Trust is a two way street, and while people should trust their police to be transparent, officers on the street need to trust who it is evaluating their actions. Too often, the persons who apply to be part of such groups are people with past run-ins with law enforcement and an axe to grind.
If Police arrest citizens based on complete lies as mentioned on the website beliw, then there should be an axe to grind:
https://10barrelhatestrumpsupporters.info
For some people, there is such little faith or trust in the police that things like this are easy to ignore as useless. Or easy to ignore sorta like that survey for public input about mirror pond or any others they have failed to advertise and then gone back to claim that no one had an issue with what was presented. If you don’t know what’s wanted from these public servants at this point….you are lying. No need to attend.
Agree
“We need a police force that reflects the complexion of the community,” Hoover said, adding that she was “disturbed” when the five finalists for police chief were all white males, and that that apparently “didn’t raise any red flags” with city officials.”
–
Why should it raise red flags ? I guess she didn’t stop to think that maybe the reason the finalists ended up being white males is because they were the most qualified applicants
at the end of the process…
It’s ridiculous to complain about racial inequalities and then turn around and basically imply that they should have included non-white female candidates, solely because of the color of their skin and their gender…
–
Does she think that Bend should do the same thing that Portland recently did and hire
a token black female police chief just because she isn’t white or a male ? Anyone that thinks she was hired strictly because of her qualifications is either blind or in denial,
and if she was hired primarily because of her gender and the color of her skin, that
would be considered discrimination and racist against other candidates…
I will admit that BPD had* (under Porter) taken steps forward. The crisis center is a good (yet minimal) example of a beginning. I hope that momentum continues but I have not seen that so far under Krantz.
I haven’t either. I’m concerned about why he was the final choice. I would have liked to see someone from our own police force fill that position…unless they are all rookies.
It’s outrageous the low level of education our police force requires.
“But another speaker who has attended several protests, in Bend and Prineville, said it seemed Bend police did more to protest counter-protesters and “those who might support Donald Trump. Black Lives Matter protesters don’t get the same respect counter-protesters do.”
–
That’s a bunch of crap. Respect is earned, not given… From what I’ve read, the BLM protestors have been treated very fairly, especially considering their conduct and failure to obey police commands.
If the blm supporters want respect, then they need to start changing their behavior and attitudes, and the first thing that they should do is end the protesting, violence and destruction in Portland, and start acting like adults instead of low life dirt bags…
Upvote ^^^
If you want to avoid excessive force, then simply comply. It’s that easy.
No, if a cop gives me an unlawful or unjustified order, I’ll tell him or her that’s not the foundation America was built in, and decline to comply.
well, if you chose to resist arrest be perpared for the consequences, thanks
If Police give an unconstitutional order, then they should prepare for the consequences!
Perhaps instead of being a bootlicker you can join the right side!
If I choose to resist arrest, it’s with good reason. The implied threat of unjustified violence that you describe is a wrong that’s been tolerated by bootlickers like you for too long.
I am not advocating for “unjustified” violence!
What is up with you all on this thread insinuating that I am?
Hey, if you like cops overstepping their bounds, then by all means have at it.
Thete should be consequences when LEOs violate Constitutional liberties, plain and simple. If you, like Barney, want to inject something like “violence” into that, that’s your prerogative.
Consequences can take many forms, not just violence.
No one wants violence!
However, the Founders also did not intend for us to be prostrate either in the face of encroachments on our liberties!
If it can be addressed civilly, I’m all for it, but if nit, well, then I’m all for that too.
It’s not up to me, it’s up to those in power.
It’s pretty hard to follow the relationship between a comment and the responses on this site, but if you look at the lines on the left-hand side, you’ll see that I was responding to 2pei, not you. 2pei is talking about, and tolerating, the unjustified violence that so-called law enforcement officers are apt to use on those who dare to refuse to comply with illegal “orders.”
Evidently you haven’t seen how that works out for people.
What an outrageous statement.
If an officer wants to stop me and demands/asks for my ID…I want to know WHY.
If YOU want to give up your constitutional rights, I guess that’s o.k. for you. However, doing so affects everyone’s rights.
And, if I’m walking my dog, I don’t have to show my ID unless they tell me WHY they need to see my ID.
When I’m walking my dog, I certainly don’t carry my purse.
And, crime committing or not…nobody should expect ‘EXCESSIVE’ force.
‘Reasonable’ force is fine under certain circumstances only.
“Excessive’ means beyond what is reasonable.
Absolutely correct! Well stated!
Michael Funke…….yea, ok. That guy would like zero Police in Bend
“Black Lives Matter protesters don’t get the same respect counter-protesters do.”
Get used to it. Black lives are the last thing they really care about.
Although at the last Redmond rally I saw a lot of malnourished young white hipsters apologizing for all the slaves they owned.
They didn’t apologize for all the black men thrown in prison for life by Clinton or Obama… weird, huh?
they don’t get the same ‘respect’ because they quickly turn lawless and violent with the Police
Barney Fife (no, not Lerten) is very sensitive during the listening session.
The Bend Police don’t enforce the Laws now what makes you think they will You have people parked the wrong direction of flow of traffic parked on or across sidewalks trash cans on sidewalks blocking wheel chairs & sight impaired The y park in front of Fire Hyd’s & Mail boxes Excessive speed on all streets & the Park Way This City has gone to Hell The City Code enforcement don’t enforce any Code’s or Law’s
Dude, you need an editor to go through your comments before posting. You may have something important and worthwhile to say but the way it reads put’s people off.
In the meantime, for the past 5 months actually, the Central Oregon Black Leaders Assembly (COBLA) and its founder/president, Riccardo Waites, has been meeting with Sheriff Shane Nelson, Prineville police chief Dale Cummins, and most recently Bend police chief Mike Krantz.
In doing so COBLA/Waites have mitigated potential violence at the early demonstrations in Prineville and Bend, become trusted advisers regarding social justice / law enforcement issues, entered into discussions (most recently with Chief Krantz) regarding internships for COBLA members at the local police departments, offered recommendations to increase BIPOC recruiting for sworn police professionals at these agencies, and more.
So while 12 people showed up at the City sponsored meeting to share their narratives on better policing, the Central Oregon Black Leadership Assembly has been hard at work mitigating, mediating, building bridges, advising, and proving itself as a reliable, positive, and forward-thinking non-profit organization regarding Policing.
KTVZ-21 and other local Media might want to contact Mr. Waites/COBLA and share this progressive approach to community partnership and action on this topic. We all might learn something.
Part of the problem for the less than expected participation may have been the timing–Saturday morning on a beautiful sunny autumn day–and the difficulty these days in advertising forums for civic engagement. The entire hour and a half discussion is on tape and available on the city’s website. Positive and productive ideas were expressed–and quite civilly. The facilitation was quite good and the entire event felt welcoming of any and all points of view. Participants were permitted to follow up on their and others’ comments, unlike city Council meetings during which public participation is now curtailed to 2 minutes, and rarely held during the 7 P.M. time slot in which it is traditionally scheduled.
We have embedded the entire recording in our story as well.
More training is a great idea. Pandering to the loudest malcontents and giving them so much as the time of day is a terrible one.