A KBOO Special Forum on Police Unions and their role in perpetuating a culture of police violence. This will be an in-depth look into the history, role and politics of police unions in the light of the post-Ferguson nation-wide uprising against police killings, abuse and impunity.

Three panel discussions hosted by Paul Roland will expore this issue from a variety of angles. First will be an overview of the history and role of police unions, going back to the early part of the 20th Century. Guests will include

, Professor of Law and Values at the University of Toledo College of Law (

) and

of Portland, author of

.

The second panel will discuss the status and role of police unions from a labor perspective. Guests will include

, long-time labor activist in New York (

);

, local community activist with the Letter Carriers' Union and Jobs with Justice;

, local activist with the All African Peoples' Revolutionary Party and union organizer http://www.abetterworld.me/me.html

The third panel will look at police accountability/reform/abolition, citzen review and oversight and alternatives to policing. Guests will include

, long-time people's attorney with the People's Law Office in Chicago (

;

, attorney with the National Lawyers' Guild and with the Albina Ministerial Alliance in their ongoing involvement with the Department of Justice Settlement Process stemming from their lawsuit against the Portland Police Bureau http://www.civilrightspdx.com/?attorney=6

of Don't Shoot Portland https://www.facebook.com/DontShootPDX

Our Enemies in Blue: Police and Power in America http://www.kristianwilliams.com/