Oregon PSR understands that racism is a public health crisis, and that police violence is killing Americans, especially Americans of color, at an appalling rate.
Structural racism and oppression of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities constitutes a public health crisis that overlaps with the epidemics of COVID-19, climate change, and violence. Police violence is a public health crisis that is the result of numerous policies and practices that uphold structural racism.
Oregon PSR will continue our commitment to work towards equity and social justice, and will increase our participation in the Portland Police Reform Network. We also encourage our members and supporters to follow and support local Black-led groups that we partner with, which include, but aren’t limited to: the NAACP Portland Branch and Springfield/Eugene Branch, Urban League of Portland, Portland African American Leadership Forum, Coalition of Communities of Color, Unite Oregon, and Don’t Shoot PDX.
We also encourage individuals to consider supporting these mutual aid resources which have been vetted by Don’t Shoot PDX.
Furthermore, Oregon PSR supports the demands of Portland African American Leadership Forum (PAALF) and Unite Oregon:
- Defund the police
- Reinvest into Black futures
- Protect communities from violence
Please take a moment to read through the visions and demands in full.
Tell the Portland City Council to support these demands.
Take Action by calling on the Portland City Council to cut funding for so-called "special units" that have been shown to be ineffective in the long term, target low-income and people of color communities for over-policing, and are part of the school-to-prison pipeline.
Oregon PSR Testimony on Portland Police Budget (11/3/20)
Police Violence Against the People of Portland webinar (9/23/20)
Oregon PSR Testimony in Support of HB 4208 Banning Police Use of Tear Gas (7/27/20)
Oregon PSR Testimony on Police Accountability Legislative Concepts (6/23/20)
Oregon PSR's Statement on the Murder of George Floyd
American Public Health Association Statement Addressing Law Enforcement Violence as a Public Health Issue.