12/02/2002

By CARL CLICK and ABE ESTIMADA, KGW Staff

Mayor Vera Katz is standing by Portland police chief Mark Kroeker, despite calls by some members of the Hispanic community that he step down immediately.

Some Hispanic leaders are outraged that Kroeker awarded medals to two police officers who shot and killed a Mexican national, Jose Santos Victor Mejia Poot, in April 2001.

Poot was shot when he charged police officers at the BHC-Pacific Gateway hospital with a metal bar. Earlier attempts by police to restrain Mejia, including the use of pepper spray and non-lethal bean bags, failed.

Portland police chief Mark Kroeker speaks to reporters on Monday. (KGW Photo)

“(Katz) expressed some feeling for where we’re at, but she did not change her point of view, of course,” said Gale Castillo, executive director of the Hispanic Chamber.

Until their meeting with Katz, Hispanic leaders had called for a change at the Portland Police Bureau through news conferences and demonstrations. Monday's meeting was the first face-to-face discussion between Katz and Hispanic community leaders.

“That would be where we ended, with an agreement to disagree,” said Serena Cruz, a Multnomah County commissioner.

Mayor Vera Katz. (KGW Graphic)

A Multnomah County grand jury cleared the officers of wrongdoing, and the police department is training more of its officers to deal with people with mental health issues and as well as more training on the use of less lethal weapons, the mayor said in a statement released Monday afternoon.

“Although I will not ask Chief Kroeker to resign, we both recognize the anguish this has caused some members of our community and the family of Mr. Mejia Poot,” Katz said. “My role and the role of the chief is to be responsive to our community while being supportive of our police officers, who, in the line of duty, face danger each and every day.”

Kroeker, who first met with Katz on Monday morning to discuss the awarding of the medals, said he welcomes dialogue. The two met again Monday afternoon for their regularly scheduled, monthly meeting.

The chief blames this controversy on an Oregonian newspaper column written by Steve Duin that he said he believes is inaccurate and inflammatory. Duin was not available for comment.

“I sat down with the Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on the anti-incitement committee, and we heard how inciting language in the news media can incite people to take harsh positions and ultimately lead to violent acts, and this is a great example of that,” Kroeker said.

Kroeker said he will meet with the newspaper’s editors and demand a retraction of the column.