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A gerrymandered district means a Democrat will represent rural, conservative central Oregon in Congress for the first time in decades.A gerrymandered district means a Democrat will represent rural, conservative central Oregon in Congress for the first time in decades.The Only Hope For Oregon’s Rampant Homelessness Is Undoing Radical Democrat Policies
Residents and officials fed up with crime and drug problems are putting their hope in pending reforms and a crucial SCOTUS ruling this June.Social justice activist claims police K9's nickname was 'hurting people in the community'
Following complaints from a black rights activist, an Oregon police department has changed the name of a K9 police dog that shared a nickname with rapper "Lil' Kim."
The dog, a Belgian Malinois shepherd, was given the nickname "Lil' Kim" as a reference to her smaller size, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. "Lil' Kim" is the stage name of Kimberly Jones, a Grammy-award winning hip-hop musician.
Rapper Lil' Kim. (Maury Phillips/Getty Images)
But Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the K9 will only be called by her actual name, Kim, moving forward, after he met with a local activist — Riccardo Waites, founder of the Central Oregon Black Leaders Assembly — who claimed the dog's nickname is "hurting people in the community."
In fact, Waites emailed Krantz earlier in March explaining exactly why the dog's nickname was unacceptable
"While it may appear a small or inconsequential matter to some, it is not to those of us who remember how police dogs were used against peacefully protesting civil rights workers and People of Color in the 1960s and are still used as a means of crowd control and intimidation today," Waites said, OPB reported.
Waites later said in a video, "It's a little tiny black dog, K9 dog, that the police call 'Lil' Kim.' If you're a person of color, or if you're a fan of Lil' Kim, you know her significance in Hip Hop. You also know that she's a gangster rapper. ... Just to be honest, I don't want to see Lil' Kim out there biting people of color."
What did the chief say?
Krantz denied the dog, who has been with the Bend Police Department for years, shared a name with the rapper.
However, he said changing what name his department calls the police K9 is a good-faith decision to avoid offending some members of the community.
"Although the dog is not named after a musician, it's important to recognize that some people may assume that or believe that," Krantz told OPB. "I think in the eyes of some community members there is a connection historically to the use of dogs, specifically on protestors and black community members, and that, that could bring a fear of canines."
On Friday, Waites wrote on Facebook that he is "appreciative of the department for stepping up and listening to community."
Oregon police department removing blue line from patrol vehicles over 'divisive use of the Thin Blue Line symbol'
The police department in Bend, Oregon, announced that the blue line on its patrol vehicles is being removed — and the move is happening due to how the Thin Blue Line symbol has been interpreted.
What are the details?
"The 'Thin Blue Line' has meant many things over the decades," the department said in a Facebook post Thursday. "The divisive use of the Thin Blue Line symbol to fit a narrative unassociated with our department or what we stand for has unintentionally created an ongoing divide between some members of our community and the police officers who serve them."
The post added that "in the spirit of mending divide, being inclusive with the community we serve, and to continue to build trust within our entire community, our current and future vehicle graphics package will no longer contain a blue line. Moving forward, we will be looking for a design that incorporates a way to honor members of our first responder family who have given their life in service of their communities. Our goal is to have a symbol created that blends seamlessly with our existing mountain graphics."
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz told KTVZ-TV Thursday that the blue line originally was intended as a blue horizon behind the mountain graphics on the patrol cars, but due to nationwide backlash against all things Thin Blue Line-related, negative interpretations abounded.
"The intent of the blue line with the black background is, of course, for current law enforcement ... the memorial, the ultimate sacrifice of giving your life and service of your community," Krantz told the station.
The police chief noted to KTVZ that he made the decision to remove the blue vinyl decals two weeks ago.
"Some community members view it as an important piece on our cars, others view it as a barrier between the police and the community, so it's my role to evaluate that and look at how we can best serve the entire community," Krantz added to the station.
Anything else?
Patrol cars for the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office — Bend is located in Deschutes County — display a horizontal blue line across the back, and a few of the officers' vehicles show the black-and-white Thin Blue Line American flag, KTVZ said.
But Lt. William Bailey told the station that the sheriff's office "is not removing them."
Bend PD removing blue line from patrol carsyoutu.be
Other examples
Bend isn't the first police department to crack down on the Thin Blue Line:
- After complaints from the community earlier this year, San Francisco's police chief banned his officers from wearing Thin Blue Line masks.
- The mayor of a New Jersey city ordered his police officers to remove their Thin Blue Line masks prior to a 9/11 tribute ceremony earlier this month.
Even more recently, an Ohio nonprofit awarded a scholarship to two high school football players who were suspended from school after carrying a Thin Blue Line flag and a Thin Red Line flag before a Sept. 11 game.
And football players at a Florida high school were banned from running onto the field before games carrying a Thin Blue Line flag after complaints that the flag was racist and fears from school administrators that it was viewed as a political statement.
(H/T: The Police Tribune)
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