PAC - February 2022 Recap

Public Notice
Published

March 2022
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Dear Portlanders,

The Police Accountability Commission met several times in February, continuing its rapid pace of work as it starts the process of developing an investigatory and disciplinary structure overseeing the Portland Police Bureau to replace the Independent Police Review process. You can learn more about the Police Accountability Commission at www.portland.gov/police-accountability.

February Summary

In December, the Police Accountability Commission created two sub-committees, one on bylaws and internal processes and the other developing a community engagement framework. This started the Organizational Phase of the Commission's work, which includes the development of values and principles to guide the commission and compare its output to, a scope of work and agenda that determines the topics under consideration and when they will be discussed, bylaws for internal governance, and a framework that outlines how the commission will co-create the new police accountability system with communities, in particular those most affected.

The month began with a private community-building session to develop better working relationships between commission members as we collaborate remotely in challenging times.

The Sub-Committee on Bylaws and Internal Processes met on February 12, consolidating suggested text to a single document and beginning to work their way through the text as they get closer to recommending a complete set of bylaws to the full commission for their review and approval in March.

The Sub-Committee on Community Engagement Framework met on February 24. Text suggestions from sub-committee members were consolidated into a single document and then discussed and adapted in detail. With a few notes for full commission discussion and review attached, the document was recommended on to the full commission for their review in March. The sub-committee then discussed public comment structure, to maximize participation from the public in the commission's work.

Finally, on March 3 the full commission met to discuss their values and principles document and make adjustments to text, as well as to develop an agenda document that will guide the commission's work after the Organizational Phase ends.

March and Next Steps

The Organizational Phase of the PAC's work will continue through March 2022, and the commission has already begun by holding a bylaws work session on March 5.

There are two groups of meetings during the rest of the month of March. First, there will be (up to) three Bylaws Work Sessions to allow the Sub-Committee on Bylaws and Internal Processes to achieve its primary goal of recommending draft bylaws to the full commission:
•    PAC (Sub-Committee) Bylaws Work Session:
Saturday, March 5, from 1-4 PM on Zoom
•    PAC (Sub-Committee) Bylaws Work Session:
Thursday, March 10, from 7-9 PM on Zoom
•    PAC (Sub-Committee) Bylaws Work Session:
Saturday, March 12 from 1-4 PM on Zoom

In the later half of the month, the full commission will hold (up to) three meetings to allow for discussion, public comment, and eventually decision-making on all four goals of the organizational phase (a Values and Principles document, an Agenda and Scope, a set of Bylaws, and a Community Engagement Framework):
•    Police Accountability Commission:
Thursday, March 17 from 6:30-9 PM on Zoom
•    Police Accountability Commission:
Thursday, March 24 from 7-9 PM on Zoom
•    Police Accountability Commission:
Thursday, March 31, from 6:30-9 PM on Zoom

As more information is finalized for each meeting, it will be posted at the links above. This includes a Zoom link for members of the public to observe the meeting, agenda items for the meeting, and other documents. Meeting reports will also be posted at this link after the meeting. More meetings will be announced as they are scheduled via this email list and at the website: https://www.portland.gov/police-accountability/events.