The special session is over and a great deal was accomplished. I continue to be inspired by the opportunity to serve my community and serve with this outstanding group of Oregonians.
I hope you’ll join us to talk about the session just completed and the road ahead:
Town Hall March 6 with Reps. Frederick and Kotek, Sen. Shields
10 am to Noon at PCC-Cascade, Terrell Hall, Rm. 122
It has been fascinating to see how the media portray the session, as it often is when something you’re a part of hits the news. What I saw was a mixture of party-line votes, near unanimous votes, and votes in which party lines were crossed, both directions; in other words, about what I’d expect. I also saw hard work, civility and deep love for this State.
The bill I sponsored passed unanimously in both houses:
HB 3646 – Build America Bonds: Benefits Oregon by helping us invest in local communities and create more jobs. The bill allows the State of Oregon to take advantage of Build America Bonds (BABs) and expands the type of programs the Oregon Facilities Authority (OFA) may finance.
And thirteen more bills were passed just to support business and employment.
Now the campaign gets under way in earnest. I will be on foot in the district talking to voters in their homes and businesses, and attending as many community meetings as possible. There is a reason we campaign for re-election for each session. It gets us out talking to people in the district. This is not just a means to the end of being elected; it is part of the job of representing. I look forward to talking with you in the coming months.
And of course campaigning means money. Now that the session is over, the DONATE button is working again. Please help.
Lew Frederick
Lew and Rep. Tina Kotek Speak on the House Floor Regarding Police Incidents
in North and Northeast Portland
Lew rose to speak during the Remonstrances portion of the House floor session on Wednesday, February 17. Video is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXeJsHh2xr4
The text of his remarks is below:
A twelve year old I've known all his life told me several days ago that he no longer wanted to be a police officer. And he wanted me to know that he would not call police if he had a problem because he was not sure "If they would shoot him."
Our community’s trust in the Portland police was already limited. The two recent incidents (12 year old girl and Campbell) set things back more than two decades. The video showing the officer Humphreys stalking the 12 year old before shooting her, and the fact that Campbell was shot in the back confirmed for many that there is little respect for the community on the part of the police.
Portland's Black Community has felt under siege, and has seen the police as an occupying force for many years. Sizer and her predecessors have tried to build bridges. But the way the police union responded to the bean bag incident, as well as the repeated incidents, have undermined those efforts. And every time another member of our community dies and the use of force is characterized as “consistent with procedures and training,” our confidence in the system sinks even lower.
I am not surprised by Bernie's editorial. In fact I'm betting he wrote a much more inflammatory one and chose to tone it down.
I am also not as encouraged as I'd like to be by the response from the rank and file of the police union. A number of officers, black and white, have talked with me on the street and in the grocery store, very upset about the attitudes of their fellow police officers, but also very clear that they would be ostracized if they went public with their concerns. They've seen it happen before.
There is a belief among some of the rank and file that they can do whatever they want. While we all acknowledge the incredible stress and dangerous nature of police work, there is clearly a need to rein in the "cowboys" and get rid of the cowboy attitude. We are not just worried about the actions of the police officers; we’re also worried about their training and motivation. "Us vs. Them" is clearly a primary orientation in their training. I understand why and why it works. But I also understand that it sets up whole groups of folks as "Them." And ”Them” includes anyone with darker skin who is not wearing a blue uniform. Those with darker skin who do wear a blue uniform have to prove themselves every day. Those without a uniform are approached with suspicion and fear. And suspicion and fear lead to overreaction.
And let me just say one more thing: I realize that the day to day interactions of community policing are just not interesting to a many reporterjournalists. But the constant drumbeat of outrageous attacks and actions in mainstream media (news and drama series) do not help. If the primary narrative is that every encounter with police is a gun battle, it can only lead to escalated tension on both sides. It gets past the idea of being prepared for the worst and moves towards the idea that the worst is normal. That feeds on itself. It means that any encounter with a non-police person is seen as a threat. Any encounter with a police officer by a citizen is seen as a potential disaster. Neither helps bring tensions down.
Lew Frederick.
