Police killing in Astoria

Anyone who sees a a mentally disabled person doing something trivially "wrong" like cutting electrical cables should NOT call the fucking police.

Guess which half? I think the story started out like "An Astoria police officer has been placed on administrative leave for shooting and killing *citizen name*. The won't mention this story again, but we can keep it alive.

In solidarity

You would feel quite differently if you were the one with the mental disability. Oh wait...you can't.

Well, let's see... in this case, calling the cops lead DIRECTLY to the death of the mentally disabled guy. If YOU were that guy, would you want to die a violent death unnecessarily at the bequest of your impotent, disempowered, non-confontaional neighbor?

The neighbor apparently couldn't even walk NEXT DOOR and knock on the door, or use the phone, to talk to the victim's mother and make her aware of the situation. It is beyond tragic when communities are so internally disconnected, that next-door-neighbors cannot trust each other, to communicate and cooperate with one another.

Mentally unstable or undeveloped people should be under the supervision/attention of their kin, not of the criminal justice system. To hand off that responsibility to Big Brother is to invite disaster.

Dreamworks Film Corp. invaded Astoria last Friday, and has occupied most of the city since, for the filming of "The Ring 2". A large paid advertisement in the Daily Astorian reports that the occupation "should be completed" by Sunday, June 20, depending on the weather. There are hundreds of rent-a-cops in what apper to be Astoria Police Dept uniforms, many of whom are armed, and the full complement of Astoria police hanging out on every street corner and patrolling the entire town, which is cordoned off with long rows of orange traffic cones, yellow police tape, and sawhorses blocking the streets from auto and pedestrian traffic.This heavily-mlitarized atmosphere has created anxiety and confusion. Mr. Pollock was murdered two days ago, on one of the days when the most police were on the streets. I have no doubt that the super-charged belligerent atmosphere in Astoria contributed to his killing.

According to The Daily Astorian, Willis Van Dusen, mayor of Astoria and local Pepsi distributor, has secured a role in the film, given to him just this week when the film crew extended their stay here(Dreamworks had originally posted that filming would be from June 11-13). The paper is running front-page articles extolling the virtues of the occupation, asserting that it will "put Astoria on the map". A few "locals" who have been laid off of real jobs have been hired to be police and security, and the paper promotes the idea that the film crew's presence is "good for business', though local independent business people report otherwise.

Two days ago, as I was walking on my ususal route to work, I walked by asnAstoria police officer who initailly didn't notice me, because he was talking on a cell phone. A couple of seconds later, as I continued down the heavily-policed street, he yelled at me to stop. I ignored him, kept my eyes down, and the many crew and cops on the streets didn't bother me further.

Yesterday, my husband was walking to work, and a young man in a police uniform asked him where he was going. He said, "I live here". The young man didn't pursue him further.

"The Goonies"
"Short Circuit"

Dreamworks Film Corp invaded Astoria last Friday to use the city as the set for The Ring 2. it has occupied much of the city since. Hundreds of rent-a-cops, many of whom are armed join the full complement of Astoria police to patrol the streets, which have been have barricaded with thousands of orange traffic cones, yellow police tape, and wooden sawhorse blocking pedestrian and auto traffic. Police cruisers and police are everywhere, creating an intensely militaistic atmosphere. In the midst of the occupation, Douglas Pollock was murdered at his home near downtown Astoria.

According to The Daily Astorian, Willis Van Dusen, mayor of Astoria and the local Pepsi distributor, was given a speaking part in the film just this week, after Dreamworks announced that they would be staying in Astoria longer than expected(the original plan was to spend June 11-13 in Astoria, but the occupation has been extended due to weather conditions and "hopes' to be withdrawing by June 20). The paper extolls the virtues of the occupation, stating it is "good for business", and that some movie stars might move to Astoria because of it, though local independent businesspeople have seen big drops in revenue because of closed streets and the heavy police presence. A few local people who have lost their real jobs have been hired as security guards and police for the duration of the occupation, and a lot of locals are grapppling for a chance at celebrity--over a thousand turned up for a casting call at the middle school a month ago.

Two days ago, as I walked to work on my regular route, which had been cordoned off and patrolled by police, an individual in an Astoria Police uniform told me to stop. I kept walking, kept my head down, and the police and crew left me alone. I'm white and middle-aged.

Yeaterday, as my husband was walking to work, a young man in a police uniform asked him where he was going. He said, "I live here". The kid didn't pursue him. He's white and middle-aged.

I have no doubt that Mr. Pollock's murder is associated with the atmosphere of anxiety and belligerence that has been created here in Astoria by the Dreamworks, Inc. occupation. Let this be another cautionary tale about the dangers of militarizing local police and selling the people to the corporations for a few sheckels and the promise of stardom.

and bush calls saudis 'barbaric'.shit,the cops kill anyone they deem 'different'.no more government!!!!!

Don't forget "Kindergarten Cop". Oh, the irony.

I lived out near Astoria in 1992 and they were filming Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 (I think). It was very disruptive and annoying (roads closed, trees cut to get better shots, extra traffic)but the food co-op did well from the film company people shopping there. With fishing and logging gone (good riddance), they need some way to make money, I suppose.

As a mental health worker, I am sickened every time I hear of a case like this. There are ways to intervene with someone who is violent and aggressive with minimal danger to them or yourself. For example, there is something called OIS, the Oregon Intervention System, that is used in the mental health field. Cops could surely learn much from such training.  http://www.otac.org/bss_ois.htm

i lived in this small town for 18 years and i tell you if these police like kenny apd has it out for you he will stop at nothing as well as telling a friend he would kick his ass years ago while in uniform and on duty. some of these officers are out of hand," wild west "if you know what i mean. an internal investagation would help that agency. at which point they would be posting a big sign. now hiring complete police force

While I might normally doubt the officers (and I agree that Hansen has power abuse problems) I personally know one of the officers involved in this incident. He is a senior officer and knows how to handle himself. He is truly one of the few who consider himself a servant of the people.

On the other hand, I rented from the Pollocks. They are liars and thieves. The house we rented was falling down around our ears. When we complained they would send over drunk people to climb up on the roof (using our vehicles as ladders) to make noise as if repairs were taking place, yet leaks continued, etc... Our rent was always on time yet, the Pollocks refused to answer their phone for weeks on end or would say that the other one was supposed to have been over to fix the problem. Sometimes they would say that they had come by but no one was home, even though we had been home the whole day and hadn't seen anyone. When we continued to call Ms/Mr Pollock would get verbally abusive, telling us to fix the repairs ourselves or denying that we had ever contacted them. We finally moved, but as to Cathy Pollock saying that she told police that her son was mentally/emotionally impaired I wouldn't believe that in the least. As for her backup being Patty Stanley!!! She's one of our local druggies, selling as well as using. This is not an instance in which the Astoria Police Department were to blame. More than likely the neighbor had had quite a few run ins with these people and thought it best for everyone if the police were involved.