Message-ID: <20106025.1075840222406.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2000 20:31:00 -0800 (PST) From: rosalee.fleming@enron.com To: mayorkatz@ci.portland.or.us Subject: Re: e-Katz: Chief Kroeker Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: Rosalee Fleming X-To: "Katz, Mayor" X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Kenneth_Lay_Dec2000\Notes Folders\All documents X-Origin: LAY-K X-FileName: klay.nsf Please remove from distribution. "Katz, Mayor" on 11/09/2000 08:29:39 PM To: "Katz, Mayor" cc: Subject: e-Katz: Chief Kroeker Over the past week I have heard from many thoughtful and concerned citizens about their opinions on Chief Kroeker. About an hour ago, I held a news conference to release the statement below in response. I wanted to make sure you were able to read it in its entirety. You are a part of my e-Katz list because of your work with me or my administration. To be removed from the "e-Katz" distribution list, simply reply to this e-mail with your request. If you have multiple e-mail addresses you use, please include a name and/or company, otherwise we may not be able to locate the correct entry to remove. For more information on the Katz administration, visit our website at http://www.ci.portland.or.us/mayor. Statement Regarding Police Chief Mark Kroeker "I take my responsibilities as police commissioner very seriously. I have reviewed this situation with care. I want to thank those who provided me feedback either in person, over the telephone or through e-mail. "The performance of any individual in my administration ultimately rests with me. I want to apologize for the concern, pain and fear caused by the taped comments made years ago by Chief Kroeker. His taped comments in no way reflect my own personal beliefs. "My community and staff discussions, along with reading all the e-mails and transcripts of all my telephone messages, helped distill my thinking on this issue to one key question: Can Chief Kroeker separate his personal religious views from his professional conduct? "I have determined that he manages his duties without bias and will continue to do so. His performance has met my expectations. He is leading the bureau in a fair, respectful and inclusive manner. He is moving our law enforcement efforts to a higher level of community policing. Therefore, I have asked Mark Kroeker to stay on as Chief of Police. He has my strong support to continue. "The law provides that all city employees have a right to their personal religious views. I have a responsibility to review their employment status if their actions, as a result of their personal views, impair their ability to perform their professional responsibilities. "Many of the arguments raised asking me to dismiss Mark Kroeker because he is "out of step with Portland" could be used in other Oregon communities to fire more liberal public officials who are "out of step" with their community's conservative majority. My 30-year fight for tolerance goes both ways. "Chief Kroeker will have to rebuild trust with many of our citizens. He assures me he is prepared to do so. He told me he would rather help undo the damage, help me promote tolerance and acceptance of all people, than just walk away. "He commits to a strong and sustained positive dialogue with Portlanders who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, including those on his staff. He has already begun outreach efforts and will continue to do so. "He said he will redouble his efforts to promote respect and acceptance of all Portlanders and be steadfast and fair in his enforcement of the law. "He agrees to work with the Cascade Aids Project to serve as a spokesperson to educate citizens about the fact that AIDS is not a "gay disease." "He will continue to seek advice from the City Council, the Bureau's Sexual Minority Roundtable and others to guide additional efforts. "He agrees to take all this on with all his heart. "In the process I hope he and we all learn from this experience. I will work to turn this negative situation into a positive one: to expand our sense of tolerance; to promote the notion that regardless of a person's personal or religious beliefs, one can be an effective public servant; and to deepen the acceptance of all Portlanders. "As Mayor, I will do my part and more. I hope you will join me."