In response to the information reported in the Oregonian by Maxine Bernstein regarding the civil settlement between the West Linn Police department and Mr. Michael Fesser, Senators Frederick and Manning and Representative Bynum call for additional investigations of the precipitating incident instigated by the West Linn Police Department and members of the Portland Police Bureau Gun Violence Reduction Team and Gang Enforcement Team.
It is apparent that there are double standards and a secretive method of enforcing the law in this case. This conduct set back years of work building trust and the relationship between our communities, law enforcement and the district attorney offices of Multnomah and Clackamas County. In addition to a loss of trust, there is the tarnish of criminal behavior engaged in by the investigators and officers involved in stopping, arresting and testifying against Mr. Fesser.
The Senators and Representative call for a full review of all cases involving those that engaged in the investigation of Mr. Fesser to ensure that there was not similar action taken against others, particularly citizens of color.
“This is more than a hunch. There seems to be a pattern of disregard and we must make sure it has not been the usual way of doing business, in West Linn or any other city or town in Oregon,” said Frederick, Manning and Bynum. “The magnitude of this case cannot be ignored. Civil rights have been violated and a brush-off inquiry occurred. We need, simply, accountability.”
Senators Frederick and Manning and Representative Bynum call for an impartial review by the Oregon Attorney General’s office and an investigation be conducted by the Department of Justice of all agencies and individuals involved. It is important that this is an independent review by the DoJ and not by either Multnomah or Clackamas Counties. This is to ensure that transparency and truth are guaranteed and not a check-the-box response.
Said the Senators and Representative, “We need to ensure that this is not the type of public safety Oregonians are getting. We need to have trust and procedures that represent the best result possible – processes that are fair and nondiscriminatory in nature or motivation for all Oregonians.”
