JUSTICE
JUSTICE CENTER. PROSECUTORS MUST DECIDE WHICH
CASES ARE A PRIORITY, AND WHICH
CASES, IF ANY, SHOULD BE
DROPPED.
DROPPED.
DROPPED. >>> YOU HEARD FROM MIKE
SCHMIDT.
SCHMIDT.
SCHMIDT. HE IS ABOUT TO BE THE NEW D.A.
IN 21 DAYS.
HE REVEALED A VERY LONG LIST OF
PEOPLE ON HIS TRANSITION TEAM.
HERE IT IS.
THESE PEOPLE WILL HELP HIM
CRAFT HIS AGENDA, WHICH WE
EXPECT TO BE PRETTY
PROGRESSIVE.
PROGRESSIVE. THE LIST INCLUDES EDDIE
MIRELES, WHO IS ON THE CITY
COUNCIL.
COUNCIL.
COUNCIL. KIA SAND, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF STREET ROOTS, ERIN
GREENWALD WITH THE BOARD
PRESIDENT OF THE OREGON CRIME
VICTIMS LOSS CENTER, AND
ANTOINETTE EDWARDS, WHO USED TO
BE THE DIRECTOR OF PORTLAND'S
OFFICE OF YOUTH VIOLENCE
PREVENTION.
PREVENTION. A BUNCH OF OTHER NAMES ALSO
WELL KNOWN IN THE JUSTICE
POLITICS BUSINESS AND ACTIVIST
CIRCLES.
CIRCLES.
CIRCLES. I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO
SCHMIDT THIS WEEK.
THE FIRST TIME, REALLY, SINCE
HE LEARNED HIS PREDECESSOR, ROD
HILL, WILL BE RESIGNING.
>> IF YOU COULD JUST BRIEFLY
EXPLAIN HOW YOU WERE FEELING
AND HOW YOU FEEL NOW GIVEN THE
TIMELINE FOR YOUR START DATE
MOVED UP DRAMATICALLY AND
PRETTY UNEXPECTEDLY.
PRETTY UNEXPECTEDLY. >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, IT IS KIND OF MIXED
EMOTIONS.
EMOTIONS.
EMOTIONS. IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A ROLLER
COASTER.
COASTER.
COASTER. I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE A SIX
MONTH TIME PERIOD TO
THOUGHTFULLY ASSEMBLE MY
POLICIES.
POLICIES.
POLICIES. THAT GOT MOVED UP.
IT IS INTIMIDATING AND
EVERYTHING ELSE.
EVERYTHING ELSE. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, I
THINK IT IS THE RIGHT TIME.
WE ARE IN A MOMENT WHERE A LOT
OF THINGS I RAN ON ARE BEING
DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THE
COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORM AND RACIAL, YOU
KNOW, DECREASING RACIAL
DISPARITY IN OUR CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM.
JUSTICE SYSTEM. I AM EXCITED TO GET IN THERE
AND GET STARTED.
>> SOME OF THESE IDEAS YOU RAN
ON ARE COMING TO FRUITION.
YOU HAVE A PANEL YOU HAVE PUT
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. CAN YOU EXPLAIN A BIT BEHIND
THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT YOU
TOOK GOING INTO WHO WOULD BE ON
YOUR TEAM?
YOUR TEAM? >> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. YEAH.
YEAH.
YEAH. FOR
YEAH. FOR ME, REALLY THROUGHOUT THE
ENTIRE ELECTION AND CAMPAIGN
SERIES FOR THE SEASON, IT
BECAME REALLY CLEAR TO ME THAT
ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS HEARING
WAS THE COMMUNITY HAS NOT FELT
LIKE IT HAD A VOICE IN THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR
A LONG TIME.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I CENTER
THEIR EXPERIENCES AND THEIR
VOICES AND WHAT MY POLICIES ARE
GOING TO BE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ALL ON ME
TO FIX EVERYTHING.
WITH THAT IN MIND, I REALLY
THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW
CAN I REACH OUT TO DIFFERENT
GROUPS TO REPRESENT AS MANY
DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AS I
COULD?
COULD?
COULD? REALLY, WE PUT TOGETHER A
FANTASTIC GROUP OF COMMUNITY
LEADERS WHO WEAR MULTIPLE HATS,
HAVE MULTIPLE BACKGROUNDS AND
CONNECTIONS AND DEEP ROOTS IN
THE CITY.
THE CITY.
THE CITY. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THESE
ISSUES FOR A LONG TIME.
THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE LOOK AT.
WE LOOKED AT PEOPLE WITH
DIVERSE PERSONAL HISTORY,
DIVERSE PROFESSIONAL HISTORY,
AND TRIED TO PUT TOGETHER A
LIST THAT WE THOUGHT REALLY
REPRESENTED EVERYBODY.
REPRESENTED EVERYBODY. >> DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY ON THE
PANEL WILL CHALLENGE THE
THINKING THAT EXIST WITHIN YOU
AND THOSE CLOSE TO YOU?
>> I THINK SOME OF THE FOLKS ON
THERE, WE HAVE A RETIRED POLICE
OFFIR.
OFFIR.
OFFIR. HE
OFFIR. HE REALLY HAS THAT HISTORY AND
EXPERIENCE.
EXPERIENCE. NOT NECESSARILY HE IS GOING TO
DISAGREE WITH ME AND ALL KINDS
OF THINGS, BUT HE BRINGS A MORE
LAW-ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE.
LAW-ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE. WE HAVE ERIN GREENWALD, WHO IS
A LONGTIME PROSECUTOR IN
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE DEFINITELY HAVE SOME FOLKS
THAT ARE MORE SYSTEM BASED
PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED AND
DEDICATED THEIR CAREERS TO
THOSE SYSTEMS.
THOSE SYSTEMS. I WANTED TO HAVE THAT MIX OF
PEOPLE, SO THAT IT IS NOT JUST,
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO
ARE THINKING A LOT OF THE WAYS
IN TERMS OF REFORM, BUT ALSO
PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN
BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME THAT
WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE GREAT
FEEDBACK AND DIALOGUE AND
CHALLENGE SOME OF THE IDEAS.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO TALK
ABOUT.
ABOUT.
ABOUT. THIS WAS KIND OF A LONG
INTERVIEW.
INTERVIEW. WE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER HIS DAY
ONE PRIORITIES HAVE CHANGED.
WE WILL PUT THAT WHOLE
CONVERSATION FOR YOU ON THE KGW
YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
YOUTUBE CHANNEL. CHECK IT OUT