After a year of investigation and delay the Portland City Council-appointed Citizen Review Commission met last night to review the case of Matthew Klug.
After 45 minutes of self-indulgent delay, the CRC bumbled through its agenda before conceding they had little to add to the Portland Police Bureau’s exoneration of two Portland police officers’ rough take down and multiple Tasering of Klug. It’s likely CRC members used the wrong Taser policy to judge Klug’s case, and city attorneys sitting in the room failed to advise them otherwise.
What happened to Matt Klug is of interest to people with mental illness, and perhaps of interest to people interested in justice, because the scenario approximates what happened to James Chasse. We addressed Chasse in the documentary film, Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse. His brutal death propelled a national conversation about police harm to people with mental illness.
Fortunately Klug wasn’t killed by cops. But in ten years of advocacy and introspection it’s hard to discern any reform by Portland’s police in their routine harm to people with mental illness. The Federal suit, US DOJ v. City of Portland has had no measurable effect (it may, but the PPB and DOJ shifted metrics, or failed to collect them, so it will be years to see benefit). Independent efforts to reform police or provide additional services to people with mental illness to reduce acuity have been marginal and misguided.
Here’s a blow-by-blow of the May 4, 2016 hearing. Klug lost.
We'll live tweet the upcoming PDX CRC meeting in about 30 minutes.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 4, 2016
We're going to try to figure out a conclusion to "what happened to Matt Klug" tonight – https://t.co/AwAhdlMGkY
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug, a PDXer with a mental illness and epilepsy, was roughed up and Taser'd repeatedly by PPB officers in 2014. pic.twitter.com/IBAQITVnFO
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC Chair Malone is absent tonight. Commissioner Ramos reads the new ground rules – be civil. Everyone was on good behavior last month.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
30 minutes in and the CRC is trying to figure out which way is forward from the meeting on protocol last week. Paperwork is shuffling.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Lone MSM camera is packing out. They got their b-roll.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
PPB & DOJ is in the house! Quorum and minutes approved.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Independent Police Review will comment first. Complaint was referred to IPR by City Risk office; had Klug filed suit against the PPB.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
IPR: PPB Internal Affairs had not opened an investigation.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Matt Klug is speaking: Sgt. apologized after colleague Taser'd him repeatedly.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: Watch the video – it's illegal conduct. https://t.co/9qCf0V13Pd
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug describes incident; bike v car in downtown PDX. Car followed him. He tried to engage. Bunch of people in the car.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: After Tasering "Witness A" declined to press charges. Klug went to jail overnight; no complaint the next morning.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: I was charged again 42 days later (because I filed a suit against PPB).
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: They manhandled me. Came out of cars with weapons drawn. Never had anyone point a weapon at me before. I was trying to de-escalate.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: One of the officers sparked his weapon in my face. I freaked out.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: They didn't try to cuff me between rounds. Taser report says it was activated 6 times.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: (gives an innumerated list of documents; status of the case, lawsuit, Taser report, stipulation of case dismissal, DOJ inquiry).
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC seems to be unfamiliar with the larger issues of Klug's case. Eyes are glazing over. Klug's testimony is strong.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
The CRC and cops watch Klug's video for the first time. https://t.co/9qCf0V13Pd
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Internal Affairs has done additional interviews with witnesses and reviewed PI interviews with witnesses. Driver of the car was unavailable.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
IA: Taser report was reviewed and Taser expert is here tonight to explain.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
IPR has no comment on Klug's case.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
PPB – Sgt. A says Klug was aggressive and put his hands in his pockets (a threat) so force was necessary. PPB exonerated Sgt A.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
PPB – Officer B Taser'ed Klug to gain compliance. Klug resisted so was Taser'd repeatedly. PPB exonerated Officer B.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
PPB Taser trainer says Taser worked well on Klug.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
PPB Commander Bob Day compliments CRC for showing Klug's case to PPB for 2nd review. "no denying this took place." Just an accident tho.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public testimony: Tasers shouldn't have accidents.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: Fortunately the judge "no complained" this young man otherwise he'd be facing 20 years.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: the bicyclist should not have been stopped, much less Tasered or arrested.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: Tasers shouldn't have accidents; is the officer being charged (with assault)?
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: How many volts did this Taser emit? What made the officers feel they needed to use a Taser?
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: the timeline of the verbal de-escalation; did officers attempt to "talk down" Klug?
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: disturbed by the idea a Taser can be exonerated for having an accident.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: what is the training PPB provides for "accidental discharge" of a Taser?
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: Tasers are not recommended to be used against people with epilepsy.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: PPB policy was to use the least force necessary. This was not that.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Public: is there anyone here with a weapon now? PPB: yes.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: I was shot with a Taser X2 – which the city chose not to purchase.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: (to the CRC chair) when were you told Citizen Witness A declined to press charges? There was no complaint. On what was I indicted?
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: PPB policies were violated multiple times. The Taser X2 was tested on me.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug's inner defense attorney has emerged. Asks for his complaint to be sustained by the CRC. They've never heard a stronger case.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
PPB has no rebuttal.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
IPR: We can consider the documents you have submitted. We don't know / understand the policy on Taser use you submitted.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC: Is there a city attorney who can advise us which policy was in effect? Crickets.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC has to make their decision based on the items in their file. The policy in their file is the wrong policy.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
IPR has no rebuttal. IPR will not accept Klug's document.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: I gave them the documents yesterday. The IPR had the documents.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC: Did we have an accurate policy when the case review took place?
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: do you (the CRC) know how this administrative process works?
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC: Sgt. A did not de-escalate. Didn't recognize PTSD episode. Why wasn't crisis team engaged? I don't understand why Taser was used.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
IPR: (makes an irrelevant comment).
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC: Officer says he wasn't thinking "mental health." If he had been how long would it have taken for crisis team to arrive?
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
PPB: both PPB officers at the scene are trained in mental health crisis.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC: to Klug – what were you doing throwing things out of your pockets?
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
Klug: I threw down my wallet and keys down on the sidewalk. I was scared shitless. I said, what did I do? They drew weapons on me.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC Commissioner Donegan: votes to affirm PPB finding.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC: now asking questions about PPB Taser policy.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016
CRC: votes 7-1 to affirm prior finding exonerating PPB officers use of force against Matthew Klug.
— Mental Health PDX (@MentalHealthPDX) May 5, 2016