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Rose City Copwatch |
STATEMENTMonday, April 12, 2004 Rose City Copwatch Statement concerning the Release of Photos of Killer Cops McCollister and SeryHello, my name is Emily Dawson and I'm a member of Rose City Copwatch. Yesterday, volunteers from our organization installed over 1,000 posters in areas of north and northeast Portland. These posters show killer cops Scott McCollister and Jason Sery beneath the tagline, "Getting Away with Murder." This represents the conclusion of our contest to acquire a photograph of Scott McCollister, the Portland police officer who killed Kendra James in May 2003. As we expected, the community pulled together to identify this killer when the police bureau refused to do so. Of course, this achievement was quickly eclipsed by the most recent police shooting. Two weeks ago, James Jahar Perez, an unarmed African-American man, was gunned down by the police during another routine traffic stop. The people of Portland demand to know: why has killing unarmed people of color become a routine for the Portland Police Bureau? How many fathers, brothers, mothers, daughters and friends will be lost before the Portland Police change their routine? Three years ago on April 1, Jose Mejia Poot was shot to death by Jeffrey Bell. What was Officer Bell's punishment? The Police Bureau gave him a medal. One year ago on May 5, Kendra James was shot to death by Scott McCollister. Officer McCollister's punishment? A five-month suspension. Two weeks ago, on March 28, James Jahar Perez was shot to death by Jason Sery. What will happen to Officer Sery? Will he, too, be exonerated? Awarded? Slapped on the wrist? Will he be re-armed and returned to patrol Portland streets, perhaps to kill again? We demand justice. Jason Sery must be immediately fired from the bureau and indicted for murder, just as Scott McCollister should have been one year ago. And this must be the first step in a thorough reform of the Portland Police Bureau, because these killings indicate something far worse than a few bad cops. They reflect the racism and violence that define the culture of policing. We as a community must stand together to confront and abolish these injustices. -- END -- |
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