HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item - 2020-11-17 - Number 7. - D. Irving Comment Mayor and councilmembers,
With bold leadership, Lake Oswego could be at the forefront of addressing systemic racism,
especially in its police force. It could—and, given its history, should—provide a model of
assertive antiracism for other cities in the metro area and beyond. But the statement you have
in item 8.3, as written, is not the statement of a city taking bold and urgent action.
Instead, it cautiously notes that system racism "needs to be evaluated"—not rooted out and
eliminated. It aims no higher than identifying how police might better "collaborate" with
people in the community. It proposes a series of community dialogs to get feedback on what
people expect, but not what they have experienced. And it provides no specific guidance on
how the city will ensure adequate participation and representation in those dialogs, or how it
will use the testimony it receives.
I realize that this is an opening statement, not the final word, and that the intent is to provide
some direction without pre-supposing all of the answers. But, as the staff report says, a well-
articulated statement needs to lay out the issues and clearly describe the desired outcomes. If
those outcomes go beyond just improved collaboration and better police procedures—if, as I
hope, the city really wants to do the hard work and take a stand against systemic racism—then
it needs to say so, in no uncertain terms.
Thank you,
Doug Irving
1931 Woodland Ter.