West Linn police accused of racial harassment during arrest
Alex Juarez alleges officers harassed and humiliated him during December DUI arrest.
West Linn police have hired Portland attorney Michael Tom to look into allegations from a West Linn man who says he was racially harassed by police in December, according to Acting WLPD Chief Peter Mahuna.
The man, Alex Juarez, posted about the ordeal on Nextdoor in January and received a wide array of responses from neighbors.
WLPD contacted Juarez in early February and hired Tom, who specializes in workplace investigations, to look into the matter after learning about the social media discussion. Reached by the Tidings, Tom didn t answer any questions about the inquiry, saying he could not comment on an ongoing investigation.
Readers respond: Thanks for West Linn exposé
Updated Dec 30, 2020;
After listening to the testimony of the OIR Group consultants’ report to the West Linn City Council, it was appalling to see the failures of so many groups and individuals in our community to call out the abuses in this incident (“Outside consultants blast West Linn’s cursory review of Michael Fesser’s wrongful arrest claims,” Dec. 16). The only heroes in this episode were the news media, and it’s clear that nothing would have happened if The Oregonian/OregonLive had not exposed the outrageous behavior. Thank you.
Paul Halloran, West Linn
West Linn’s insurer failed city in defense of Michael Fesser’s wrongful arrest suit, outside consultants said
Updated Dec 22, 2020;
Posted Dec 22, 2020
Without the insurer’s lawyer who was handling the litigation present at City Council executive sessions, the council heard from others who didn’t have the full story of what was developing. The council should expect briefings “from somebody who knows what they’re talking about,” said Michael Gennaco, OIR Group investigator.
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The city of West Linn shouldn’t tolerate the poor representation its insurer provided in defense of the lawsuit that Portland’s Michael Fesser filed against the city and its police for his 2017 wrongful arrest, outside consultants told West Linn’s City Council Monday night.