Why is Portland Police Dept. posting mugshots of Occupy Portland arrestees to Facebook?

[villager]

Why is Portland Police Dept. posting mugshots of Occupy Portland arrestees to Facebook?\

By Xeni Jardin

As inadvisable police tactics around Occupy Wall Street go, this feels like it's right up there with tear gassing people in wheelchairs: The Portland, Oregon police department is posting mugshots to Facebook of people arrested at Occupy Portland.

@newyorkist has been dogging them about it on Twitter, and the Portland Police replied publicly via Twitter and Facebook that they do this with any "arrests in cases of a significant public or media interest," as part of the department's "efforts to be continually transparent."

That, to me, seems an even greater WTF. Facebook is a private company. Is that a violation of Facebook's TOU? Is that a violation of the arrestees' civil rights? Some of the demonstrators arrested were minors (and I am not sure if their photos were among the ones published). How does the fact that they are not adults change this story? Remember, these people aren't convicted pedophiles, they're just participants in a peaceful protest who were arrested, and haven't yet seen their day in court.

<snip>

http://boingboing.net/2011/11/01/why-are-portland-police-posting-mugshots-of-occupy-portland-arrestees-to-facebook.html

[county worker]

1. There will be more and more of these attempts to intimidate OWS.

My guess is that "what ever doesn't kill them makes them stronger."

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Police are using any tactic available to them, and this is an attempt at shame. It fails.

It angers, it divides us from them, it unites us against them.

Thank you police!

[redqueen]

4. +1

[msongs]

3. this information needs to be kept confidential until after a conviction nt

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. Guilty until proven guilty.

[MADem]

7. Huh? Tom Delay's mugshot was all over DU the second it was taken...nt

[Rex]

17. Don't forget all the famous mugshots of celebs on the WWW

funny how we pick and choose.

[Rex]

18. That's not the way it works.

Never has.

[MADem]

6. The first thing that crossed my mind was "detainee condition" but I don't know if that was their

thought....wanting to publicize how people looked at time of booking, in case someone claims brutality?

Are the Portland police known for rough housing?

I don't think posting a public document (a mugshot is a public document--the taxpayers pay for it, and the agency that rounds people up) is a violation of anything. The police took the pic, they have the rights to it. FACEBOOK lets people open accounts and post their pics to it. The police could just as easily do this on their own, police website.

[Still Blue in PDX]

10. Yes, Portland police are pretty brutal.

I'm not sure if they are more than other police departments, though.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Intimidation

[Rabblevox]

9. Unfortunately, it's completely legal. We'll see more shit like this...

I've previously praise the PPB for it's restraint and lack of violence.

Fuck that. This is a complete cowardly, ass-hat policy. "We won't gas you or hit you, we'll just make sure you can never get a good job".

Here's Chief of Police Mike Reese's contact info. Feel free to let him know what you think of this tactic.

Portland Police Bureau
1111 S.W. 2nd Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97204

Chief's Office Phone, 503-823-0000
Chief's Office Fax, 503-823-0342

Unfortunately, to email the chief you have to register at the Police Bureau's website. Not sure I'd recommend that, but here's the link.
https://www.portlandonline.com/police/index.cfm?login=1&show_message=1&c=30697&category_id=1143&action=UpdateItem

[AngryAmish]

11. Civil disobedience means you are willing to be arrested to make a point

I would take it as a badge of honor. Did Mart Luther King, Jr. hide the fact he got locked up in Birmingham? If only we had some sort of document he wrote from that time...

[MADem]

21. In many cases, arrest IS the point. What if you gave a protest, and nobody

got arrested, nobody noticed, and no fuss was made?

Your comment is right on the money--such a pity that we (nyuck, nyuck) have no record of that event!!! A note...a letter, perhaps?

[AngryAmish]

22. A letter just may do it...

[ChiciB1]

12. Portland Has Always Been A Place I've Wanted To Visit, Now Not So

much. The pictures I've seen of the state are so beautiful and I thought Portland was very Progressive. Guess not. Didn't think I was ever going to GET to make the trip, but now not so unhappy I can't go.

I really can't understand what they're thinking!

[Rabblevox]

14. Please come visit, you'd love it! (and we REALLY need the tourist dollars)...

Our cops are pretty much fascist dicks, but better than Oakland and Denver by a long shot. (no rubber bullets or tear gas yet, thank god)

It really is a pretty progressive city (1st openly gay mayor of a major city, hasn't been a republican councilperson in decades), just not a perfect city, not by a very long shot. Come check it out, I'll take you to the x-rated doughnut shop, and the Church of Elvis!

[RevStPatrick]

13. I dunno... sounds like a badge of honor to me!

If my mugshot from an OWS arrest were tagged on Facebook, I would probably get more congratulatory comments than on anything else I've ever posted!

But yeah, I know, that's not the point...

[kelly1mm]

15. It is public information and perfectly legal. Mug shots are released all the

time - there are even whole websites out there with mug shot pictures intended for entertainment.

I am generally in the camp of more public information, not less so I have no problem with this.

Protesters for any cause should know that this is one of the possible consequences of being arrested though.

[Riftaxe]

16. +1

Not much I could add, your post is an excellent summary. Arrests are a matter of public record.

[janet118]

19. But do other police departments publish these mugshots on Facebook?

Do all those arrested in Portland have their photos posted on Facebook?
Are the Portland Police singling out those who took part in OccupyPortland?

I believe you will find the answers are:
No
No
Yes

[kelly1mm]

20. If you read the OP you would find that the Portland PD puts up mug shots

of people arrested on Facebook when there is media interest in the story. The Occupy movement has legitimately pointed out the lack of MSM attention. Now they are getting some.

Lots of police departments post mug shots on facebook - do a google search and you will find many. Here is one link FYI:

http://www.policeone.com/police-technology/articles/2362772-NJ-cops-post-drunk-driver-mug-shots-to-Facebook/

Since I answered your question can you answer these:

Is a mug shot and arrest report a public record?
Is it legal to post public records to publicly accessible websites?