The Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Minority leaders are calling for creation of an external review board to investigate allegations of police misconduct after a city employee complained he was the target of racial profiling.
Cortez Jordan, 25, complained he was stopped by police while four white friends were not as they were leaving a Eugene nightclub late at night over the Labor Day weekend in September.
Police Officer Wayne Dorman said he stopped Jordan on suspicion of carrying a weapon in his waistband, based on the way Jordan was walking and holding his right arm.
At a news conference Tuesday, black and Hispanic leaders took turns criticizing a police department investigation into Jordan’s complaint.
“Racial profiling happens, it’s always happened, and it’s going to continue to happen until we find a way to externally review police actions,” said Guadalupe Quinn of Educacion y Justicia Para la Raza, a local social justice group whose name translates to Education and Justice for Our Community.
“It’s obvious that the police cannot police themselves,” Quinn said.
Mayor-elect Kitty Piercy said she is a longtime advocate of external review boards, and believes one may be necessary here “to regain the trust of the community.”
“Come January, you know you have a partner here,” said Piercy, who takes office Jan. 3.
Police Chief Robert Lehner said he is not opposed to external review boards, but the cost is a factor. Also, some review board models would require a voter-approved change to the Eugene city charter, he said.
City Manager Dennis Taylor said the police investigation into Jordan’s complaint was thorough.
“I know that people in our community, especially young African American and Latino males, believe they will be stopped disproportionately and illegally,” Taylor said.
“That’s not been proved one way or the other, but I do know a substantial part of our community feels that that occurs,” he said.