Dear Portlanders,
The Police Accountability Commission continued its Powers and Duties Phase of work in November, approving sub-committee co-chairs and discussing definitions of terms the City Council required the Commission to develop. Two of the three sub-committees met for the first time to develop the functions of the new system. In November, the PAC also held its first two events solely devoted to community engagement!
You can learn more about the Police Accountability Commission at www.portland.gov/police-accountability.
November Summary
Over the month of November, the PAC and its sub-committees held three public meetings and a two-part community listening session.
The full commission met on November 10, discussing how the Commission would fulfil the City Council's requirement of defining terms like "accountability" and "independent judgement." The Commission discussed whether to request further amendments to the City Charter, opting to postpone that conversation past November's meetings. The Commission also approved three of the six sub-committee co-chairs for the Powers and Duties Phase.
The Sub-Committee on Officer Accountability (formerly known as the Sub-Committee on Individual Accountability) met for the first time on November 21. This sub-committee is working on developing the process the new oversight board will use to address misconduct complaints against individual PPB officers, including complaint intake, investigations, findings, discipline, and appeals, as well as additional options such as mediation.
The Sub-Committee on Access to Information held its first meeting on November 28. This sub-committee is working on developing how the new oversight board will receive the information necessary to do its work, including access to police records, use of subpoena power, the ability to compel testimony, and additional tasks such as data transfers and access to body camera footage.
The third PAC sub-committee for this phase, the Sub-Committee on Structural Oversight, scheduled its first meeting for December 1.
Additionally, the PAC held its first listening session, a two-part event including a fully-virtual listening session on November 3 and an in-person event at St. John's Community Center on November 17. These were the first of many opportunities for community members to speak directly to commission members and ask questions about the PAC's work, as well as to give their views and input into the community-led process of developing a new police accountability system, including a new community oversight board, for Portland police.
Get Involved!
The PAC website includes a page with more information on how to get involved in the commission's work, including how to watch meetings, give public comment during meetings, and give written public comment to the PAC as well. Written public comment is circulated to the commission in advance of each meeting.
Specific meeting dates will be announced as they are scheduled via this email list and at the website:
Full Event Calendar
Thank you!