Portland names police oversight board, testing reform promises
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
The Portland City Council appointed its long-awaited police oversight board last week, nearly five years after voters demanded its creation.
Why it matters: The new board marks a critical moment for Portland, testing its resolve to deliver on police reform and rebuild community trust, which has long been strained.
Context: In 2020, Portland voters overwhelmingly approved the Community Board for Police Accountability to investigate police shootings and misconduct, as well as the ability to impose penalties.
- Yes, but: When finalizing the proposal in 2023, the previous city council scaled it back significantly, cutting membership down and giving final disciplinary power to the police chief.
- It was then sent to the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure it aligned with Portland's excessive force settlement.
- Plus: As part of a bargaining agreement with the police union, members of the board can't have a bias for or against law enforcement, a definition that the City Council was unable to come to a conclusion on before implementation.
By the numbers: Out of 121 applicants who applied earlier this year, the City Council appointed 21 members to the board, plus six alternates.
- To prevent turnover all at once, they were appointed to staggered one-, two- and three-year terms. Future members will serve three-year terms.
Zoom in: The members of the committee represent Portlanders from varying backgrounds. For example, several ran for city council or worked for a lawmaker in the past, like Terrence Hayes, Karly Edwards and former Alaskan mayor Bob Weinstein.
- Others include a global nonprofit leader, a housing advocate, a civil rights attorney, a union organizer and a physician.
What's next: The board's first big to-do will be to hire a director.