That's pretty outrageous stuff. If you read that article, it's obvious that we have a severe case of ends-justify-the-means policing here in PDX.

(And, of course, my favorite part of that article is that the name of one of the cops in the incident is Officer Ho.)

My favorite part
"Four different officers each wrote in their reports that they thought they heard the sound of a bolt-action rifle being readied to fire."

I can just imagine all four cops with their ears to the door listening for this. I would maybe believe a shotgun because the sound can be heard and it is distinctive but never a bolt action rifle.

I am waiting for a situation when the police barge in and are then shot by some scared $&*!less armed citizen. It is never a good sign when the public feels they need protection FROM the police.

"I would say I’m comfortable with how the officer did it in this case, but I’m not sure it’s the best thing to do in the future."

Are you kidding me? This is absolutely ridiculous. I never thought much about the police being the enemy, but this force is starting to appear severely out of control. Mayor Tom better get those skeletons out of his closet so he can clean house. Whatever they've got on him must be good for him to keep ignoring the jack-boot attitude of our cops. Especially up here in North Portland.

I am waiting for a situation when the police barge in and are then shot by some scared $&*!less armed citizen.

Unfortunately, I can guarantee that will end with a dead or wounded citizen.
Scared or not (and the PDX cops scare the hell out of me), if they indentify themselves, and you point a gun at a cop, you will be shot, and deservedly so. Not opening the door is one thing, (and I dont think you have to), but pointing a gun at a cop is just not smart in any case. And shooting a cop... good luck staying alive after that with others around.

It is never a good sign when the public feels they need protection FROM the police.

Sure seems like its getting that way around here...

Unfortunately, I can guarantee that will end with a dead or wounded citizen. Scared or not (and the PDX cops scare the hell out of me), if they indentify themselves, and you point a gun at a cop, you will be shot, and deservedly so.

And based on the way things work around here, even if they do not identify themselves, their report of the incident will say that they did, all their buddies on the force will affirm that they did, and the grand jury will look the other way.

All Mayor Potter has to do is show the cops any old "Dragnet" show.

"Just the facts, pal, just the facts, thanks."

It works well, especially when the suspect is still alive.

As for Tom cleaning out his closet...don't
bet on it! However, "rumor" has it that a
good number of disgruntled folk at the Cop
Shop are going to do it for him! It'll be
a PUBLIC DUMP like we've yet to see here in
PDX. So, dear disgruntled folk, get busy
and get to pitching the junk outta Tom's
closet...we're interested in what falls out
and it's relevancy to his jerk-knee defense
of these disgusting brutes at PPB/PPA.

Any further comment on this "rumor"...???

^Considering how effectively scandal played out in the recent election, I'm afraid whoever has the junk on Potter will wait until the heat of 2008 to unload whatever secrets are out there. Two more years of this brutality by our police is deathly scary.

I hope a suitable candidate willl step up to Potter. I can't imagine voting for him again, Vera is even starting to look like a peach!

I think the only person who could defeat Potter in Portland right now is Big Earl.

If I were Potter, I'd orchestrate getting all the dirt out now. People will probably forgive him his girl pals if there's time to do so -- and if that's all it is.

Two words: Nathan Thomas.

If The Big O actually had any TALENT working there, any talent at all, they would dig through the archives, like I did, and find the story of young Nathan and the BLUBBERING cops who promised to train, train, train so they would handle the next "nut of the night" properly, i.e. so he doesn't like, die.

The PDX Police Bureau promised the city and the Thomas family "thorough constant training" and did not folow through.

Which means, lawyer Jack, that the agreement the family signed with the city not to sue is invalid.

See you in court, Mayor Potter!

Based on the story, the only wrong thing here is the box checked "reported to be armed". And it turned out he had a gun inside.

Unfortunately, cops get bogus calls like this one but treating a call as bogus from the outset can result in getting a cop killed and/or the city being sued.

The cops didn't need probable cause to enter the apartment. Community caretaking's emergency justification applies here. [See Oregon v. Bruce Christensen, where defendant was charged for marijuana by Officer Blunt. Seriously.]

The homeowner refused to consent to entry. He had a history of violence. He was arrested for homicide and felony assault with a gun in separate incidents. Any 911 dispatcher worth squat will look up the homeowner's background on a call like this, then relay that info to the cops since cops aren't in their cars to look it up themselves. Odds are, despite what the Commander said, high that the officers knew this info. Even if they didn't know the homeowner's rather nasty background, the cops handled it by the book.

Damn right the cops should take safety precautions against a guy who may have a bleeding body inside, refuses to grant entry and has killed a man before. It's a shame it happened to the homeowner but the story's facts indicate cops doing their jobs properly in dealing with him. The only malfeasor here is the person who called 911 with false information.

The only problem identified by the article is how cops fill out the reports. This is an administrative issue. That cop had no need to falsely justify his actions--they were totally justified to begin with.

People are simply trying to pile onto the police while the getting's good. Just because Chasse was wrongly killed doesn't mean every situation is bungled. The Portland Police Bureau has plenty of issues. This incident isn't one of them.

The only problem identified by the article is how cops fill out the
reports. This is an administrative issue. That cop had no need to falsely
justify his actions--they were totally justified to begin with.

But he did falsify them. He lied through his teeth. Not the first time in the PoPo. Very unprofessional. The fact that he felt needlessly scared or guilty is hardly in his favor.

Any 911 dispatcher worth squat will look up the homeowner's background on a call like this, then relay that info to the cops since cops aren't in their cars to look it up themselves. Odds are, despite what the Commander said, high that the officers knew this info.

If that were the case, you know we'd be hearing about it. So don't be making stuff up. It's just like the night Kaer shot Young to death -- the guy may have had a record, but no one told the officer before he started firing away.

"Any 911 dispatcher worth squat will look up the homeowner's background on a call like this,"

Not that I have ever heard. and I come from a family of law enforcement. Also, NOT a homeowner he was an apartment renter.

It is sad that a minority of poorly trained/ poorly recruited police are soiling the name of the the hard working people truly trying to better their community.

and it is not just an admin issue. putting false information and swearing your name to at my job would result in termination. Should be the same for the men in blue.

Anahit...the bottom line is that you could care less if officers rampage through an apartment building and start kicking in doors without probable cause in violation of the constitution. If the cops saw a trail of blood leading up to the door of the guys apartment, or an eye witness told them they saw the wounded guy go in there, then yes they have probable cause to enter under exigent circumstances This gentleman had arrests for violence related issues in the past, but was never charged for a crime in connection with either incident. It wasn't like he had an outstanding warrant for armed robbery or something.

When an individual gives the police permission to enter his home or otherwise voluntarily allows the police to conduct a search of any kind he essentially waives his constitutional right to be free of unreasonable search and seizure. A dirty cop can plant false evidence at that juncture and there is almost nothing the individual can do about it. Apparently, this guy had been arrested in the past for major felonies, and was ultimately not charged with anything, so I doubt that he views the police in a trusting manner such that he would allow them to roam around in his residence without provocation. There have been too many cases of innocent people serving years in prison for crimes they didn't commit to place a blank check in the hands of potential dirty cop when there is no reason for it. The fact that the police lied about the incident later on simply confirms that this guy had good instincts at the outset by refusing entry into his home.

The only problem identified by the article is how cops fill out the reports. This is an administrative issue. That cop had no need to falsely justify his actions--they were totally justified to begin with.

Lemme guess, if you did nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about, right?

Ah, the vitriol. I love the tubes.

Jack, you and I don't know the motivation--if any--as to why the "reported to be armed box" was checked. You can assume it's intentional and he "lied through his teeth" but you and I don't know that. It could've simply been a bleary-eyed night shift guy trying to finish his paperwork before going home. I was wrong on one point (see just below) and you can be too.

Travis, it was apartments so I stand corrected. Thank you for pointing that out. Consequently the RPI (the homeowner) wouldn't show so it's unlikely they knew his history. Like I said originally, it didn't matter and it was still handled by the book. With homes, dispatchers frequently look up the RPI's history when knowing the cops are out of their cars and gathered on a call like this. Despite your relatives' jobs, it's still the case in Portland but I've no idea how other places do it.

Kevin, thank you for attempting to villify someone with whom you disagree (saying "[I] could care less if officers rampage through an apartment building and start kicking in doors without probable cause in violation of the constitution.") Yes, I'm all for constitutional violations! However, there's a problem with your argument: this isn't a probable cause issue. Look up "community caretaking" to learn more.

Dave, I concur.

Again, the Bureau has plenty of issues. This incident isn't one of them.

Look up "community caretaking" to learn more...I would but I don't have ready access to those old Gestapo field manuals you seem to be refering to. The last time I checked, the Fourth Amendment prohibits warrantless searches unless the police reasonably believe that an emergency exists. Kicking in doors in the middle of the night based on an anonymous phone call and nothing else, not even a drop of blood from a supposed gun shot wound, is hardly reasonable. If they really wanted in they should have gotten a warrant.

He called 911 on his phone. They would know who he was that way, and would have run him to find his history. The idea that this was some way to justify what was already completely justified is silly. But you can make a conspiracy out of anything.

If anyone wants to go for a ride-a-long so you can see what a bunch of steroid fueled bullies we all are in person, let me know. I'm not going to sit and debate with someone whose mind is already made up, but I'd let you see what a real night is like.

In the meantime, I'll just keep doing the right thing, and save the jumping to conclusions to the rest of ya.

I'll check my Gestapo field manual... Ah, here it is:

"133.033 Peace officer; community caretaking functions. (1) Except as otherwise expressly prohibited by law, any peace officer of this state, as defined in ORS 133.005, is authorized to perform community caretaking functions.

(2) As used in this section, “community caretaking functions” means any lawful acts that are inherent in the duty of the peace officer to serve and protect the public. “Community caretaking functions” includes, but is not limited to:

(a) The right to enter or remain upon the premises of another if it reasonably appears to be necessary to:

(A) Prevent serious harm to any person or property;

(B) Render aid to injured or ill persons; or

(C) Locate missing persons...."

In Oregon, we call this the Oregon Revised Statutes. It's the law of Oregon and apparently the Third Reich. Your beef is with the Oregon Legislature. Kevin, you may be onto something as they're the only state that has codified the community caretaking exception to the warrant requirement.

There's no evidence here the officers handled the call improperly. There is, however, evidence that one of the hundred boxes was improperly checked.

what a bunch of steroid fueled bullies we all are in person

Only a relative few. But when the rest of you do your thin-blue-line, brotherhood-of-strength, conspiracy-of-silence, none-of-us-can-do-any-wrong act, you all look like chumps. Stop protecting the guys who need to go on desk jobs. And dump that arrogant Robert King -- find a better politician to run the union, and make him get a real job for a while.

Most of us aren't looking for a fight with the Portland police. I generally support law enforcement. But you bring it to us, several times a year. After a while, you deserve the heat you're feeling right now.

one of the hundred boxes was improperly checked.

Is that it now? The form's too complicated? What a punk answer that is.

Lied, lied, lied. That's the problem. Deliberately lied. Part of a pattern. Serious concern.

Jack, you'd be wise to check how many people have been fired or forced to resign in the last few years because fellow officers wouldn't work with them anymore and called them out. Or check and see how many are on the "10-2," right now for one reason or another, such as untruthfulness or lack of integrity. But hey, if it isn't right next to your cereal and written by Maxine Bernstine, why would you bother?

Although I appreciate your keen observations on my chumphood, I'm gonna stick with my dozens of positive contacts with citizens every day to evaluate myself by.

But hey, if it isn't right next to your cereal and written by Maxine Bernstine, why would you bother?

oh snap.

Although I appreciate your keen observations on my chumphood, I'm gonna stick with my dozens of positive contacts with citizens every day to evaluate myself by.

If you want to be a hero, do something about Thumper Humphreys, will ya?

So let me get this straight...someone made a bogus call to 911, and no apartment # or names were mentioned.
Cops show up, and pick this guy's door how? Random? On top of that, they didnt know his name, his history, and didnt know he had a gun in the home. (Then lied on the report afterward about it.)

This was all justified how?

You know what, cops show up at my door with automatic weapons, and I didnt know what was going on, I may not answer the door either.

I can't believe that I fell for Tom's lies
when he was campaigning for his run for PDX
Mayor, but I did hook, line and sinker. I
will NOT fall for him or his lies again, as
he is a lame-duck has-been as far as I am
concerned.

A lot more people are upset with him than is
realized. For instance: being retired, I do
talk a lot with my fellow tenants, and none
sign his praises anymore. Last summer when
he was earning "goodie points" by carrying
Wheels on Wheels meals to various people in

our complex, we all wondered if it was for
"real" or for "show"...you know, as "image"
enhancer type of stunt!

Now, we're all convinced that that was all
it was, and next time he shows his face at
some people's doors delivering hot meals,
he may find it thrown back in his face as
reward for his dupliciousness and lying.
He is NOT the respected man or revered as
he may have thought himself to be, as now
he is viewed as just another PoPo white
trash dude that'll tell any lie or do any
act of depredation and excuse it all as it
being part of the "stresses of the job" of
being on PPB. If that is their excuse, here
is simple remedy...quit the f**king job and
find another one!

A lot more people are upset with him than is realized.

Doesnt matter. He has a "D" next to his name on the ballot, and thats how people vote now. Based solely on party. Otherwise, how can you explain the election of the governor? King Lame Duck himself? I mean c'mon...how could someone possibly look at the condition this state is in, and honestly re-elect that man?

And people like Potter know this. So he feels that he can do whatever he wants. Welcome to Blue Oregon.