Police Union contract negotiation listening session offers hope for change but also illustrates the limitations of bargaining

Monday night, Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty hosted a listening session on the upcoming police contract negotiations.

The meeting was open to the public, soliciting community response to the state of policing in Portland.

As the contract negotiations near, leaders of a national police reform campaign urged the Mayor and commissioner to push for reforms that would restrict the use of deadly force, hold officers accountable for misconduct and allow for greater civilian oversight. Activists from Black Lives Matter and Campaign Zero gave presentations at the invitation of Commissioner Hardesty.

KBOO’s SJ Oxendine attended the event, and spoke to Mayor Ted Wheeler, who also acts as police commissioner, about the negotiations with the Portland Police Agency, or PPA. Comments from Deputy City Attorney Heidi Brown, Unite Oregon's Andrew Riley and mayoral candidate Sarah Iannarone.