Policing in Portland: A Community Conversation
This symposium is part of Policing Justice, which is on view at PICA from February 23 – May 19, 2024.
This symposium will bring together panels of local community leaders for discussions on the history of police violence and racist policing in Portland, ongoing attempts to hold police accountable and reform policing practices, and burgeoning efforts to radically reimagine public safety in our communities.
Lecture by Alex Vitale: “Community Centered Public Safety: The Movement for a Police Free Future”
Friday, March 8, 6:00 p.m.
PSU, Shattuck Hall Annex
Reception to follow
Free / Open to the public
No reservations are required for this evening.
Even after the backlash against the call to “defund the police,” cities across the country are investing in a wide range of alternatives to policing that are showing strong results in improving public safety. Cities are hiring more school counselors, creating civilian crisis response teams, and building out community based anti-violence initiatives. Tensions remain over the degree of community control, but there is now ample evidence to encourage more efforts in this direction in keeping with some of the core demands of the movement in 2020.
Day of Panel Discussions
Saturday, March 9, 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. (doors open at 11:00 a.m.)
PICA, 15 NE Hancock St.
Free
Reservations are strongly recommended for each panel due to limited seating. Click on the "Get Tickets" button to select the free panels you'd like to attend. There will be overflow listening areas in PICA's main space to account for additional guests. If you cannot attend this event but have a reservation, please email boxoffice@pica.org to let us know! If reservations become full online, limited seating is available at the door, so please come early to be added to our waitlist. Thank you in advance.
Introduction from the curators Nina Amstutz and Cleo Davis
Saturday, March 9, 12:15 – 12:30 p.m.
Panel 1: “What's Wrong with Policing in Portland?”
Saturday, March 9, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Moderator: Mac Smiff
Panelists: Robert Mackey, Jo Ann Hardesty, Dr. Juniper Simonis, Rian Dundon, and Carissa Dez
This conversation — among longtime advocates for policing reform and journalists reporting on policing — will explore Portland Police Bureau's racism, violence, and other misconduct, both historically and during the 2020 uprisings, when thousands of people came together to protest those historic injustices, including PPB's repeated killing of our most vulnerable citizens and over-policing our unhoused neighbors.
Panel 2: “Police Reform and Accountability: Where Are We?”
Saturday, March 9, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Moderator: Candace Avalos
Panelists: J. Ashlee Albies, Dan Handelman, Elliott Young, Jo Ann Hardesty, and Katherine McDowell
This conversation — among local civil rights attorneys and other police watchdogs — will cover attempts to hold police accountable for wrongdoing and reform policing practices. The panelists will discuss lawsuits against PPB and settlements paid by the City of Portland, as well as provide updates on the Police Accountability Commission and Portland Street Response’s ongoing battles with the current City Council.
Panel 3: “Reimagining Community Safety”
Saturday, March 9, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Moderator: Amber Boydston
Panelists: Tristen Edwards, Sterling Cunio, Sarah T. Hamid, Chris Riser, and Kayin Talton Davis
This conversation — led by nonprofit leaders and other visionaries from our community — will consider alternative ways to promote community safety without relying on police, such as mental health and addiction treatment, housing abundance, and restorative justice practices.
Ubuntu by Sterling Cunio
This will be a brief performance following the third panel.