Council adoption of resolution and next steps

Dear Portlanders,

The Police Accountability Commission was a group of twenty community members that developed and proposed a new accountability system for Portland police, including a new oversight board and a new investigatory and disciplinary system, to the City Council in September 2023. This email is a news update related to City follow-up on the PAC's work.

Council approves resolution authorizing City Attorney to send proposed Settlement Agreement amendments and City Code related to the community police oversight board, to the DOJ and District Court, as well as public comment period for one month.

On November 15, the City Council approved Resolution 37637, "Direct the City Attorney's Office to seek required approvals from the United States Department of Justice and the United States District Court, and comply with any mandatory collective bargaining obligations, for amendments to the Department of Justice Settlement Agreement and to City Code related to the Community Police Oversight Board". (Members of the public can view all the Key Documents related to the oversight board process, from 2020 to present.)

This approval included Council making amendments to the proposed City Code (shown in redline at the link above).

The resolution set up a process by which the City Attorney's Office and City Council would review public comments received (at [email protected]) from November 15-December 15 and determine whether or not to make changes to the Council's proposed text. If the text is unchanged, or if it is changed but remains "substantially similar," then the City Attorney's Office will send the documents to the next step of the process - review by the DOJ and eventually the US District Court - without further Council action. If instead the City Attorney's Office and City Council determine that additional changes are needed, the Council would need to vote to change the text of the proposed Settlement Agreement amendments and proposed City Code prior to DOJ and Court Review.

During the November 15 Council meeting, in response to public testimony (including from former PAC members) the Mayor asked the City Attorney's Office to hold a public meeting with former PAC members to discuss the changes from the PAC's proposed version of the City Code to the Council's version, and allow for meaningful input.

Next Steps

At this stage of the process, therefore, community members may therefore contribute in two ways:

1. Council will continue to collect and consider community input on the proposed Code amendmentuntil Friday, December 15, 2023 via email to [email protected], which will be received by all council offices and the City Attorney's office. 
2. Participation in the public meeting on Monday, December 4, from 5:30-8 PM
   (formal announcement to come in a separate email)

Additional information will be shared at the Mayor's Office website: https://www.portland.gov/wheeler/news

Additional information may also be shared at the PAC website as it is confirmed: https://www.portland.gov/police-accountability