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KBOO
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Air date: 
Mon, 09/24/2012 - 6:30pm to 7:00pm
Will DOJ report change how police encounter persons with mental illness?

U.S. Dept. of Justice Report on Portland Police Bureau's Use of Force Against Mentally Ill Persons

Mental Health Association of Portland’s Chris O’Connor, reports on the U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division’s highly critical report of Portland Police Bureau. Specifically, “Encounters between Portland Police Bureau officers and persons with mental illness too frequently result in a use of force when force is unnecessary or in the use of a higher level of force than necessary or appropriate, up to and including deadly force."

The report, released this month, comes almost 6 years after the death of James Chasse, the man with a mental illness who was chased and taken down by Portland police on suspicion of urinating in public. He died soon afterward, with an autopsy revealing multiple broken ribs. The city ultimately paid his family $1.6 million.

Chris O’Connor is a criminal defense attorney and a MHAP board member.

DOJ Report:  http://images.bimedia.net/documents/PPB+Letter+of+Findings.pdf

Mental Health Association of Portland: http://www.mentalhealthportland.org/

 

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