centralprecinct.jpg

Central Precinct Sgt. Gregg Lewis is on paid administrative leave after another officer reported to command staff he had made an inflammatory remark at roll call last month about using force against a black man. (Maxine Bernstein|Staff)

A Portland police sergeant is under investigation for making an inflammatory remark during Central Precinct's roll call regarding the use of force against a black man.

Last month, Sgt. Gregg Lewis made a remark that alarmed other bureau members, who reported it to command staff immediately. People familiar with what Lewis said described it as an inappropriate off-the-cuff remark.

The remark came just three days after the Feb. 9 fatal police shooting of a black teenager, 17-year-old Quanice Hayes and amid increasing tensions between the African American community and police.

Lewis, 52, was placed on paid administrative leave the next day, Feb. 13, according to police. He joins an unprecedented number of police supervisors, including the police chief, who are on forced leave facing internal investigations.

Lewis had retired from the Police Bureau on Oct. 31 after 27 years with the bureau. He was rehired less than two months later on Dec. 1 under a new program to help fill vacancies due to a staffing shortage.

An internal investigation is ongoing. Internal affairs is questioning every officer who works afternoon shift at Central Precinct.

"I am aware that there is an investigation into allegations of serious misconduct by a Portland police officer, including allegations of blatantly racist, violent comments,'' said Mayor Ted Wheeler, who serves as police commissioner.

Wheeler, who will be involved in determining what, if any, discipline the officer could face if the allegation is sustained, said he didn't want to comment further on the facts of the case.

"I will say this: I will not tolerate racism or threats of violence by any police officer. Any officer who is found to have engaged in such behavior will face severe discipline, including termination,'' the mayor said.

Sgt. Pete Simpson, bureau spokesman, declined to comment on the case.

Lewis did not return calls for comment.

The Rev. LeRoy Haynes, of the Albina Ministerial Alliance, said he had heard rumors of such a remark by a police officer. "It is something that definitely needs to be thoroughly investigated,'' Haynes said. "Anybody who's aware of the news and in light of what has taken place in the city and in the nation regarding recent shootings, would not take that as a joke.''

A grand jury found no criminal wrongdoing by Officer Andrew Hearst in the Feb. 9 fatal shooting of Hayes. Hearst shot Hayes once in the head and twice in the torso with a rifle after locating him in the alcove of a home in Northeast Portland. Hayes, police said, was kneeling when Hearst ordered him to put his hands in the air, police said. When Hayes reached toward his waistband, police said, Hearst fired three shots. Portland police will conduct a policy review of the shooting, but members of Hayes' family have called for a federal investigation.

In addition to Lewis, Police Chief Mike Marshman, two captains and a lieutenant also are on paid leave facing their own investigations for alleged misconduct. There are a total of 10 officers currently on leave, Simpson said.

Marshman and his executive assistant, Lt. Mike Leasure, were placed on leave Friday afternoon.

The city's Independent Review Division is investigating an allegation that Leasure signed the chief's name on a police training log in early March, when the chief had not attended the training on the bureau's Employee Information System, a computer-based system intended to identify at-risk employees who have a high number of complaints, or a pattern of excessive use of force.

The two were scheduled to be at the training on March 8 and 9, according to the bureau. The use of the Employee Information System is part of the reforms mandated under a city settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Before he was named chief in late June, Marshman was the liaison between federal Justice officials and the Police Bureau on the settlement requirements.

Officer Daryl Turner, president of the Portland Police Association, declined to comment about the ongoing investigations.

Oregonian Staff Writer Brad Schmidt contributed to this story.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian