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Portland City Council appoints 27 members to the Community Board for Police Accountability, a governing body of community volunteers tasked with independent police oversight, as directed by voters in 2020.
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Marking a significant milestone in implementing Portland’s voter-approved community-led police oversight system, Portland City Council appointed 21 members and six alternates to serve on the newly formed Community Board for Police Accountability (CBPA) Wednesday night.
Background and oversight system structure
The new oversight system, established by Ballot Measure 26-217, was overwhelmingly approved in November 2020 by 82% of Portland voters. The measure amended the City Charter to create a new model for police accountability granting disciplinary authority to civilians and centering community voices.
Following two years of public engagement and recommendations from the Police Accountability Commission, the City developed a process for implementing the new model with review by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) pursuant to the DOJ settlement agreement.
Together, the 21-member CBPA and the Office of Community-based Police Accountability (OCPA) will comprise Portland’s new oversight system—an independent accountability structure designed to:
- Investigate misconduct by sworn Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers and supervisors promptly, fairly and impartially
- Impose discipline when appropriate
- Recommend reforms to PPB’s policies, practices and directives—placing community concerns at the center of reform
Community Board for Police Accountability
The Community Board for Police Accountability is a governing body, not an advisory board. The board will make findings on allegations of misconduct and determine disciplinary outcomes when warranted, and influence the policies and directives within the Portland Police Bureau—with a focus on community needs and concerns.
Board selection process
The City of Portland received more than 120 applications from community members interested in serving on the CBPA. A 10-member Nominating Committee—including representatives from each of the four Council Districts, the Citizen Review Committee, the City’s Office of Equity and Human Rights, Portland Police Bureau unions and the Portland Police Bureau—reviewed and scored eligible applications.
The Nominating Committee advanced 40 candidates to City Council for final review and appointment. From those, Council selected 21 members and six alternates.
Initial terms are staggered to ensure board continuity over time. In the future, members will be appointed to 3-year terms. Alternate members are required to complete all training and must be prepared to step into vacant positions as needed to serve the remainder of any vacated term. Both board members and alternates may be reappointed by Council.
Board members and alternates
| NAME | TERM |
|---|---|
| Madeline Carroll | 1-year term |
| Karly Edwards | 1-year term |
| Corinne Frechette | 1-year term |
| Trish Garner | 1-year term |
| Terrence Hayes | 1-year term |
| Pete La Raus | 1-year term |
| Natisha Pratt | 1-year term |
| Kyle Ashby | 2-year term |
| Gillian Herrera | 2-year term |
| Shelley Maddox | 2-year term |
| Jesse Neilson | 2-year term |
| Timothy Pitts | 2-year term |
| Schuyler (Hugh) Halsey | 2-year term |
| Bendikt Springer | 2-year term |
| Murtaza Batla | 3-year term |
| Justice Brooks | 3-year term |
| Ash Jimenez | 3-year term |
| Tida Lane-Howe | 3-year term |
| Tim O'Donnell | 3-year term |
| Dina Ross | 3-year term |
| Charlene Westley | 3-year term |
| Jason Ashley | Alternate |
| Todd Bateman | Alternate |
| Sara Citrenbaum | Alternate |
| Harry Sheehan | Alternate |
| Erica (Atticus) Sommerfield | Alternate |
| Robert Weinstein | Alternate |
Read the report to Council to select and appoint CBPA members
Next Steps
All board members and alternates will undergo background and eligibility checks and extensive training in preparation for their responsibilities. One of the board’s first official tasks will be to recruit the Director of the Office of Community-based Police Accountability, who will then hire staff to carry out the Board’s work.
Learn more about the Office of Community-based Police Accountability
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