2002 report details discontent at Portland Police Department

PORTLAND – A nearly 3-year-old assessment of the Portland Police Department that was just made public contains harsh comments from the ranks about Chief Michael Chitwood and other top brass.

But officials say much has changed since early 2002 when the department was awash in discontent, the city was defending the police against a series of brutality lawsuits and officers felt a sense of frustration.

The report was prepared by former Portland Police Chief William McClaran, now a consultant and law enforcement instructor, who heard complaints from officers and relayed them to the chief without naming their source.

Officers said Chitwood was more concerned with his own image than the department and that Deputy Chief William Ridge was arrogant and vindictive.

Many of the complaints revealed feelings of betrayal when the city agreed to a landmark $600,000 settlement in an excessive force case brought by Vincent Dorazio for injuries he allegedly suffered at the hands of two officers.

McClaran’s report said that officers were worried that citizen complaints, no matter how innocuous, could be used against them in the future, and they feared they could be sued personally and placed at financial risk for confrontations that arose on the job.

“Many said they were doing as little as possible, being reactive as opposed to proactive in an effort to protect themselves from liability exposure,” McClaran wrote.

Chitwood said the anger and personal attacks were a sign of the times.

The city tried to keep the report confidential, but a judge ordered it released after the police officers’ union sued to obtain a copy under the state’s Freedom of Access law.

In making the report public Friday, City Manager Joe Gray and Chitwood spoke of the changes that have taken place since the officers vented their frustrations.

“This is a better department than we had in 2002,” Chitwood said, citing management changes, increased training and new equipment. Union officials, meanwhile, say there is still progress to be made.