I respect our law enforcement officers. They risk their lives. They make split-second decisions in life-and-death matters. They work hard on behalf of all of us.
I am also disturbed at the recent trend in shootings by the Vancouver Police Department:
• Feb. 5: Forty shots fired as police chase Erkinson K. Bossy into Portland. It appears from the photos that Mr. Bossy is of African-American descent.
• Feb. 20: Police kill Clayton Joseph. Mr. Joseph was brandishing a knife in a domestic violence incident. Mr. Joseph was of Micronesian descent.
• Feb. 28: Police kill Michael Eugene Pierce, who was armed. It appears he was suffering a mental health breakdown.
• March 7: Police kill Carlos M. Hunter during a traffic stop. Mr. Hunter is African-American.
Each of these incidents sound scary, and that the suspects (victims?) acted in ways that would cause law enforcement to take action. Together they present a pattern that alarms me. What role does race play here? Could police have de-escalated any of these situations? As a 60-year-old white woman, I don’t worry about getting stopped by the police; people of color do worry, with good reason. I call on Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle and Police Chief James McElvain to investigate these questions.
