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Rose City Copwatch |
PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate Release
Rose City Copwatch Calls on Community to Identify Killer CopPortland -- After two days of media controversy, Rose City Copwatch held a press conference today publicizing their "Scott McCollister Photo Contest." Rose City Copwatch member Melissa Wade restated the aims of the contest and reiterated that the group is not advocating violence. "We believe that the people of Portland have a right to know who their police are," Wade explained. "Identification is the first step toward accountability." Wade also contrasted the secrecy surrounding police misconduct with the scrutiny brought to standard crime. "Every day in the paper, Portlanders can find photographs of people the police have arrested, suspects they are seeking, and offenders being released into the community. But when a cop murders an unarmed woman they take care to keep his picture out of the media. His face is a secret because what he has done is so shameful. And by hiding him in their ranks, all Portland police come to share his shame." Rose City Copwatch announced the contest on Monday, February 16, as volunteers distributed over 300 posters throughout East Precinct. The group is offering one bag of groceries ($40 value) to the first person who can provide a verifiable photograph of Scott McCollister. McCollister first came to public attention last year when he shot and killed Kendra James, an unarmed African woman. He was suspended for five months for showing poor judgment, but he has not been disciplined for the shooting itself. He recently returned to work at the East Precinct. -- END -- |
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