March 26, 2005
Head Of Independent Police Review Heading To Denver
Sets Stage For Debate Over Portland's Program
At least three news outlets today reported that Richard Rosenthal, head of the Independent Police Review here in Portland, indeed has opted to relocate and create a similar program for the City of Denver.
Over in a Rocky Mountain News article it says that Rosenthal "delivered the news to his boss Friday afternoon that he had accepted Denver's offer," while in a Denver Post piece Rosenthal cites "professional opportunity" as the reason for his move. It also indicates he may turn to the Police Assessment Resource Center for a study on police shooting policies similar to the one they performed for Portland.
And of course there's a story in today's Oregonian as well, which reports that Rosenthal "will move to Denver to set up a police review program as soon as he is replaced as Portland's director of the Independent Police Review Division." The Denver Post article had said simply that he and Denver's mayor had "yet to determine when Rosenthal will begin work in Denver."
While the Post and The Oregonian make reference to some of the community criticisms Rosenthal has faced in Portland, the News article doesn't. In addition to the expected comment on that issue from Dan Handelman of Portland Copwatch in The Oregonian, email sent around today from Handelman adds this: "We have an opportunity on hand to push the Independent Police Review Division to be a more open, transparent, and citizen-based process."