View source for Portland, OR Addressing Racial Profiling

'''Type''': Resolution

'''Status''': Adopted on 1/4/06

'''Source File''': http://www.nwcrc.org/RPC%20Resolution%20final.htm

'''Text''':

'''WHEREAS''', the City of Portland is a thriving, diverse community that welcomes all nationalities, races, genders, and sexual orientations; and

'''WHEREAS''', the City Council believes that any disparate treatment because of a person’s race, nationality, immigration status, gender, age, or sexual orientation is wrong; and

'''WHEREAS''', the community counts on equal and fair treatment and protection from its police force and city leaders; and

'''WHEREAS''', Portland Police Bureau stop data for 2005 show that African-Americans and Hispanic/Latinos are overrepresented in citywide stops compared to the overall Portland population; and

'''WHEREAS''', African Americans, Latinos, and Asians are more likely to be searched during a traffic stop than whites; and

'''WHEREAS''', data also indicates that when conducting searches, police officers are actually less likely to find illegal items (drugs, weapons, contraband) with African Americans, Latinos, or Asians than with whites; and

'''WHEREAS''', the Portland Police Bureau is committed to serving  all Portland residents and visitors with respect and professionalism, regardless of skin color, nationality, race, gender, age, or sexual orientation; and

'''WHEREAS''', the Portland Police Bureau is concerned about the vehicle stop data and is sensitive to the concerns and opinion of the community; and 

'''WHEREAS''', the Portland Police Bureau and City Council seek to partner with the community to improve communication and relationships in an effort to remove racially biased policing from the practices of Portland Police; and

'''WHEREAS''', the community seeks to partner with the Portland Police and the Portland City Council to eradicate this; 

'''BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED''' that the Portland City Council establish the Racial Profiling Committee to monitor data collection, review internal policies, and work with the community for their input to elimination of racial profiling; and

'''BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED''' that the Committee shall include representatives of police, community organizations, advocacy groups, community corrections, the faith community, business community, and youth; and

'''BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED''' that this Committee shall be co-chaired by a member of a community organization and a member of the Portland Police Bureau; and

'''BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED''' that the Racial Profiling Committee will become a standing committee of the Human Relations Commission to provide for on-going support. 

'''BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED''', this committee will prepare a report to City Council once a year to recommend city-wide strategies to address racial profiling.

[[Category:City Governments]]
[[Category:Civil Rights]]
[[Category:Portland]]
[[Category:Oregon]]
[[Category:Resolutions]]