[pjw] ACTION: City Council needs to fix Joint Terrorism Task Force resolution

[Peace and Justice Works]

Dear PJW and Portland Copwatch supporters

For roughly 22 years, people in this community have organized against
the Portland Police Bureau's participation in the FBI's Joint Terrorism
Task Force. The plan in place since 2019, which is outlined in a City
Council Resolution, allows for case-by-case cooperation and requires an
annual report from the PPB to Council each January.

https://efiles.portlandoregon.gov/Record/12946365/

This coming Wednesday, December 14, the ACLU of Oregon will be
testifying to Council during a "Communications" slot-- three minutes
long, with no guarantee the Council will respond, at 9:30 AM.


1037
Request of Mariana Garcia Medina to address Council regarding the Joint
Terrorism Task Force resolution (Communication)

https://www.portland.gov/council/documents/communication/communication-m-4-mariana-garcia-medina

The main request is to fix the Resolution so that:

--the Portland Police include information about cases they send to the
FBI each year;

--that information should also include demographic data and outcomes;

and

--that regardless of Council policy on public testimony around Reports,
there will always be public testimony taken when the JTTF Report is
presented at Council.

Of course, we would also like to see the case-by-case language either
struck (with the understanding that if there is an actual attack on
Portland of any kind, the FBI and Portland Police will work together
without this formal arrangement), or at least fixed. We suggest that
Council remove the clause that says the investigations can be for
"threats of force including hate crimes," since sadly so many hate
crimes occur here but that shouldn't open the door for the FBI to
launch unaccountable "terrorism" investigations.

If you are so moved, we're hoping that Council will hear from grassroots
constituents in addition to the organizational representatives who've
been speaking about this for years.

You can send email to the Council by writing
cctestimony at portlandoregon.gov

Say it in support of agenda item 1037, regarding the Joint Terrorism
Task Force Resolution.

If you feel like it, blindcc us a copy or forward it after it's been
sent so we know you've done it.

Thank you
dan handelman
peace and justice works/portland copwatch

(sorry for duplication with those on the PCW list)