Western States Center Calls for Resignation of Portland Police Association President Daryl Turner
Federal troops have been pulled off Portland, Ore. streets, but the community continues to grapple with the Portland Police Bureau’s use of excessive force against racial justice protesters. In response to these ongoing challenges, Eric Ward, executive director of Western States Center, called today for the resignation of a leading obstacle to reform, longtime Portland Police Association President Daryl Turner:
“When President Trump sent acting Homeland Security Chad Wolf director to Portland to orchestrate a virtual invasion of the city by federal troops, only one local official agreed to meet with him. Portland Police Association president Daryl Turner’s meeting with Wolf was the last straw for a community fed up with unaccountable law enforcement.
“Turner has served as the president of Portland’s police union for a decade and has consistently stood in the way of responsible reforms and efforts to hold officers accountable when they violate the public trust. It is telling that when Portlanders from the mayor on down were united in opposition to Trump’s authoritarian deployment, he eagerly met with Wolf and sought to facilitate collaboration between the Portland Police Bureau and the unconstitutional federal troop presence. Portland City Council ultimately voted unanimously to shut down any such cooperation.
“Turner has had ample opportunities to serve the entire community. Instead he has established himself as a proud opponent of progress and accountability. We cannot wait for his term to be over in November. Turner has long since lost the trust of the community and city leaders and should resign immediately.”