Imagine Black Presents: Reimagining Public Safety Forum 2022

FORUM

FULL VIDEO | ASL & OPEN ENGLISH CAPTIONS | 01:47:52

Imagine Black welcomes 2022 City Commissioner Position 2 Candidate Alanna (AJ) McCreary, Position 3 Candidate Jo Ann Hardesty, Position 3 Candidate Chad Leisey, and Position 3 Candidate Dale Hardt for an intimate discussion about the future of public safety in the city of Portland.

This forum unapologetically centered on Black issues. This forum is for the entire Black community, especially members who feel disengaged from politics. By watching the discussion, you will learn about the candidates and hold space for candidate accountability. 

This forum is narrowly focused on public safety. It offers a unique chance to hold candidates accountable to Black Portlanders' specific needs and demands. 

This forum is not an endorsement of any candidate. All candidates running for the City of Portland Commissioner Position were invited to participate.

Misinformation

Please note that a few candidates shared multiple statements during this forum that were not factual and racist.

We encourage each viewer to review the links shared below and learn more about the prison industrial complex, the long history of over-policing and excessive force on the Oregon Black community, and the supreme court case that ruled that homeless persons cannot be punished for sleeping outside on public property in the absence of adequate alternatives.

Slavery (Timestamp 1:08:35)

Candidate Dale Hardt made false statements that slavery has ended in the United States. Hardt's comments are not factual.

Supreme Court ruling on the houseless sleeping on public property. (Timestamp 1:27:07)

Candidate Dale Hardt made false statements on the Supreme Court ruling on houseless folk's right to sleep outside on the public property. Hardt's comments are not factual.

  • Press Release: Supreme Court Lets Martin v. Boise Stand: Homeless Persons Cannot Be Punished for Sleeping in Absence of Alternatives by The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (the Law Center) (December 16, 2019) 

    • ...the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition by the city of Boise to review the case Martin v. Boise (formerly Bell v. Boise). This leaves in place earlier rulings by the 9th Circuit that homeless persons cannot be punished for sleeping outside on public property in the absence of adequate alternatives. People experiencing unsheltered homelessness—at least in the 9th Circuit—can sleep more safely without facing criminal punishment for simply trying to survive on the streets.

Position 2 CANDIDATE ALANNA (AJ) MCCREARY

FULL VIDEO | ASL | 31:47

Photographs by Kayla Plummer

 

Position 3 Candidates Jo Ann Hardesty, Chad Leisey, and Dale Hardt

FULL Video | ASL | 1:16:04

Photographs by Aaron Robinson

 

Questions

Question 1: What is your definition of community safety, and what are your plans to reimagine public safety—and create a city that provides vital services (such as housing, health care, parks, and equitable access to food) to communities that need them in an effective, equitable, and sustainable way?

Watch Position 2 Candidate Response:

Watch Position 3 Candidate Responses:

Question 2: What is your response to the 2021 November vote? Do you support reducing the budget and force size of the Portland Police Bureau and reinvesting those dollars in non-police solutions to public safety?

Watch Position 2 Candidate Response:

Watch Position 3 Candidate Responses:

Question 3: How would you prevent excessive force on the houseless community, and how will you respond if and when these or similar ballot measures that harm the houseless community are being considered? What approaches would you take to provide for the holistic (physical and mental) health, well-being, job readiness, and housing of our houseless neighbors?

Watch Position 2 Candidate Response:

Watch Position 3 Candidate Responses:

Question 4: Knowing PPB's history of over-policing and disproportionately targeting Black Portlanders, do you believe the Focused Intervention Team is the best approach to reduce gun violence here in Portland? Would you support the removal of this team altogether? If not, how would you ensure that team does not replicate harm to Black Portlanders as its previous iterations have?

Watch Position 2 Candidate Response:

Watch Position 3 Candidate Responses:

Response: Yes, No, Pass?

Watch Position 2 Candidate Response:

Watch Position 3 Candidate Response:

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  1. Will you pledge not to take contributions from the police, prison, and incarceration industry, not to seek their endorsement, and to publicly reject their independent expenditures?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Yes

    4. Dale Hardt: Yes

  2. Do you support legislation eliminating both lethal force and non-lethal force in lethal ways on people exercising their first amendment rights?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Pass

    4. Dale Hardt: Yes

  3. Do you support legislation to remove the shield of qualified immunity in Oregon?

    1. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    2. Chad Leisey: Yes

    3. Dale Hardt: No

  4. Do you support a ban on data-sharing and all forms of collaboration between ICE and City of Portland Bureaus — including PPB?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Pass

    4. Dale Hardt: Yes

  5. Do you pledge to oppose a City budget that expands, in any way, the capacity of the police force?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Pass

    3. Chad Leisey: No

    4. Dale Hardt: Pass

  6. Do you support non-carceral justice strategies for community safety?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Yes

    4. Dale Hardt: Yes

  7. Do you support zero tolerance legislation for police abuse of authority and abusive policing?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Yes

    4. Dale Hardt: Yes

  8. Do you support body-worn cameras as a tool, when properly enforced, to reduce misconduct and increase police accountability?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Yes

    4. Dale Hardt: Yes

  9. Do you believe that violations of property should never be equated with the violation of human life?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Pass

    4. Dale Hardt: Yes

  10. Do you support putting an end to the use of military-style equipment such as grenade launchers, long-range acoustic devices (LRADs), and other technologies designed for warfare by the Portland Police Bureau?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Yes

    4. Dale Hardt: No

  11. Do you support the ban of facial recognition, predictive policing technology, and other intrusive and discriminatory surveillance forms by the Portland Police Bureau?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Yes

    4. Dale Hardt: No

  12. Do you support the call to reimagine public safety and create democratic community control over safety and justice systems rooted in restoration and healing?

    1. Alanna (AJ) McCreary: Yes

    2. Jo Ann Hardesty: Yes

    3. Chad Leisey: Yes

    4. Dale Hardt: Yes

 

CREDITS

  • Moderator: Joy Alise Davis

  • Position 2 Candidates: Alanna Joy (AJ) McCreary

  • Position 3 Candidates: Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, Chad Leisey, and Dale Hardt.

  • Director: Ifanyi Bell Executive

  • Producers: Ifanyi Bell and Joy Alise Davis

  • Camera Operators: Dustin Tolman, Nate Miles, and Ifanyi Bell

  • Sound Recordists: Edgar Doumerc and Diana Suarez

  • Additional Camera: Samuel Kidoguchi

  • Aerial Photography: Ajit Singh

  • Editors: Jason Wilkinson and Nehemiah Booker

  • Motion Graphic Designer: Iana Amauba

  • Motion Graphics Sound Designer: Lucas DeLorenzo

  • Set Designer: Christine Miller

  • Public Relations: EARLY PR Agency

  • ASL Interpreters: Naomi Blue Nieves Driver, Rosalind R. Hyatt, Priscilla Umana, and Jeneen Hampton

  • Voice Over Talent: Laine Kelly

  • Locations: Louiza Event Space, Grace City Portland Church, and North and Northeast Portland

  • With Special thanks to: (In Alphabetical Order): Aliesha Talley, Andrés Oswill, Arielle Hutchison, Ashley Weatherspoon, Babatunde Azubuike, Callie Riley, Carlos Kareem Windham, Carolyn Haygood, Chabre Vickers, Damarcus Hunt, Danielle McCoy-Jackson, Erin Kothari, Erin Waters, Jahleila Ibe, Jamar Summerfield, Jasmine Casanova-Dean, Katie Sawicki, Kayla Moore, Lakeesha Dumas, Lisa Alexander, Lucas Smith, Mac Smiff, Michael Hepburn, Michelle Yemaya Benton, Mireaya Medina, Miss'ipi Chef LLC, Native American Youth and Family Center, Onesha Cochran-Dumas, Nate Alexander, Nikki Paxton, Nichole Thompkins, Quavé Ussin, Quinneisha Hall, Richard Johnson, Rosalie Lee-Washington, Seemab Hussaini, Shaina Pomerantz, Slylee Jomron, Solamon Ibe, Theresa Alexander, Thomas Millbourne, Trevor Irish, We Out Here Magazine, and Vanessa Alexander. Sponsors: Imagine Black and Northeast Health Foundation

  • Music: “Three Cord Bond” by Propaganda, “Champagne Living” by Drae Slapz, and “Ink in My Pen” by Drae Slapz.

Electoral Justice Project, Action AlertImagine BlackPortland/OR