Until Wednesday, no city or police official had publicly shared the exact racial and inflammatory remarks that got Portland police Sgt. Gregg Lewis fired.

That changed when City Commissioner JoAnn Hardesty quoted part of it on the record as her colleagues considered a proposed settlement that would reinstate Lewis but then have him retire with back pay to ensure an arbitrator couldn’t overturn his firing and put him back to work.

Hardesty’s disclosure and opposition to the settlement spurred Mayor Ted Wheeler to delay a vote until next week. It also prompted the mayor’s office, in a response to a public records request, to release the full termination letter that Lewis received.

Lewis made the comment while instructing officers at a Central Precinct roll call on Feb. 12, 2017, how to place civil holds on people to take them to a detoxification center when they’re inebriated in public or in public garages. He said, “If you come across a black person, just shoot them,’’ according to the letter.

Lewis' remarks came just three days after the controversial fatal police shooting of an African American teen, 17-year-old Quanice Hayes. About 16 officers and three other sergeants were present at the 4 p.m. roll call, according to the letter dated Jan. 12, 2018.

The three other sergeants present reported to a lieutenant by early the next morning that they were uncomfortable with Lewis’ remarks.

Document: Sgt. Gregg Lewis' termination letter

Officers interviewed provided varying accounts of Lewis’ statement, the letter reveals.

According to one account, Lewis told officers to “be smart’’ about who they removed from inside parking garages for being intoxicated. Lewis, according to this officer, said, “If you come across a guy in a suit and tie that came downtown and had a little too much to drink … he’s probably not the guy you want to detox straight out of the garage. He will most likely sue you. If it’s a homeless guy, you will probably be safe. I doubt he‘s going to sue you."

Around this time at the roll call, someone mentioned the shooting of Hayes by Officer Andrew Hearst. The person voiced dismay about comments posted online in reaction to an Oregonian/OregonLive article. The commenter contended officers shoot to kill black people but only wound white people.

“Officers began talking about this statement, and then I heard Sergeant Lewis state, ‘Well, let’s just go out and kill all the black people,'" according to the letter. “The officers appeared shocked and astonished. There was some uncomfortable laughter throughout the room, but most officers were quiet. This brought roll call to an end."

In another recollection described in the letter, an officer responded to Lewis’ statement saying, “Oh my God,’’ and Lewis threw his hands up in the air, said an expletive and added, “What do I care?’’

Lewis told investigators that he didn’t treat people differently based on their race or how someone is dressed. He said he has a “habit of sometimes being a little sarcastic’’ and later admitted he could see how someone could take offense.

Hardesty’s account of what Lewis said differed somewhat from what was in Lewis’ firing notice. According to Hardesty, Lewis told roll call, “If you run into a drunk on the street who’s white and in a suit, let him go because he’ll probably sue you. If he’s Latino, call Chiers. If he’s black, shoot him.’’ Chiers is Central City Concern’s mobile van that takes people on the street to a detox center.

Hardesty said later Wednesday in a prepared statement that her comments at the council meeting were "paraphrased remarks'' she recollected after getting briefed by the city attorney’s office on the matter.

"The gist is the same: this person sworn to protect us made clear that he views certain types of people expendable in our society. I thank his fellow officers for reporting this heinous comment and elevating it as a punishable offense,'' she said. "What Mr. Lewis said makes my stomach turn.''

Wheeler, who serves as police commissioner, called Lewis’ statement a “patently racist remark,’’ but said the settlement is the only way to ensure Lewis never wears a police uniform again. He noted that the police chief and police commissioner often don’t have the final word on discipline under the state arbitration system.

“This is an egregious case but the chance that this will go to an arbitrator and then be overturned I believe is too great,” Wheeler said. “I believe it is so important to get rid of this individual that I’m willing to take the heat to pay that settlement to get rid of him.’’

Excerpt from Sgt. Gregg Lewis' termination letter, dated Jan. 12, 2018.

Deputy city attorney Mark Amberg told commissioners there was a significant chance that an arbitrator would overturn the firing of Lewis, a 25-year bureau veteran who had little prior discipline and had made no similar remarks on the job.

Lewis was fired on Feb. 2, 2018, about a year after it was reported to command staff. Lewis told investigators he made the comment as an off-the cuff-joke, according to bureau records.

Under the settlement proposal, the city would erase Lewis’ firing and pay him $100,020.53 in back pay. Lewis would be considered retired, effective Dec. 3, with the city ensuring he receives pension credits for his adjusted service time through his retirement date.

The back pay figure covers his wages from Feb. 2, 2018, through Dec. 3, 2018, at the base hourly rate of pay at the time of his firing, minus 120 hours of suspension without pay.

Lewis had already retired from the Police Bureau once -- on Oct. 31, 2016 -- but was rehired on Dec. 1, 2016, part of the bureau’s program to fill vacancies.

Commissioner Amanda Fritz said she felt “personally ill’’ considering the settlement, but said she understood it might be the only way to ensure Lewis never works for the city again.

“None of us are happy with this outcome,’’ Commissioner Chloe Eudaly said. “This is an imperfect solution made within a flawed system.’’’

The newly elected Hardesty, the first African American woman to serve on the council, said she wouldn’t under any circumstance approve the settlement. She urged future police contract talks include people like her to make sure the concerns of the community are well-represented.

“It’s clear we have a broken system,’’ Hardesty said. “If it was up to me, I’d say let’s go to arbitration. Let’s fight the good fight because even if we lose it, we send a very strong message that this is just not acceptable. That you’d don’t get to sit in roll call and make racist comments and you don’t get a pay day on top of your city-paid retirement.’’

Donna Hayes, Quanice Hayes’ grandmother, briefly addressed the council and said she’s ashamed the City Council would pay off Lewis to get rid of him.

Excerpt from Sgt. Gregg Lewis' termination letter, dated Jan. 18, 2018.

Wheeler said the city is working to support a bill before the Legislature this session that would restrict arbitrators in law enforcement discipline cases. Under Senate Bill 383, arbitrators would be barred from overturning police discipline if the arbitrator agreed the misconduct occurred and that the discipline issued fit a discipline guide that the department had adopted.

Dan Handelman, of the watchdog group Portland Copwatch, said he’s not sure the proposed legislation would have made a difference in Lewis’ case because the Portland police discipline matrix provides for only a 120-day suspension without pay for inappropriate racist remarks.

“You need to change the discipline guide,’’ Handelman said.

“We need to do both’’ – back the bill and change the guide, the mayor responded.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian