Totality of Circumstances

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Sidelwalk chalk names of people killed by police from a protest outside PPB East Precinct in 2018
Hosted by: 
Sam Bouman, JayMonay
Produced by: 
KBOO
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A holistic, people-centered conversation about policing in Portland and beyond, with an emphasis on community oversight, social justice activism, and alternatives to current paradigms.

 

Totality of circumstances is a legal concept with a wide usage, but in this context it is part of the framework used around police interactions with the public, in which the actions of an officer are viewed in terms of the “totality of the circumstances” at the moment of interaction, and specifically at the moment force is used against a civilian. It is a deceptive term—“totality” is viewed entirely from the viewpoint of the officer, and the factors at play in their mind, as opposed to the true “totality of circumstances” at play in the interaction—the place of the police and civilian in an unjust capitalist system; systemic and personal racism and bigotry; societal attitudes towards the mentally ill, economically disadvantaged, and certain subcultures; entrenched interests like business and police unions; structures of power at the city, county, state and federal levels; and the weight of history and the status quo.

 

Reach us at totalityradio@gmail.com

Streams: 
KBOO Stream 1
Program status: 
Retired

Full Interview | Tracy Molina Discusses Protest Arrests, Police Mistreatment, and the Dangerous State of the County Jail

Airs at: Tue, 04/15/2025 at 5:00pm - 6:00pm
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  Tracy Molina, also known as Cozca, is a veteran and activist who has faced arrest at numerous protest actions in Portland dating back to 2018. In this interview, she discusses some of those incidents and the actions of police and prosecutors, including violent arrest ... Read more

CALL-IN SHOW with Members of the Police Accountability Commission

Airs at: Tue, 07/25/2023 at 5:00pm - 6:00pm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE 7/25: The PAC has provided several brief documents summing up the proposed Officer Accountability and Complaint Process (as well as a condensed infographic), areas of agreement around the structures of the Civilian Board and its su... Read more

Totality of Circumstances | June 27, 2023

Airs at: Tue, 06/27/2023 at 5:30pm - 6:00pm
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  This month's show focuses on the recent interactions between the Police Accountability Commission (PAC) and Portland City Council, as the PAC gets closer to its August 31 deadline to present the council with its complete plan for a new police oversight system. This s... Read more

Totality of Circumstance | May 23, 2023

Airs at: Tue, 05/23/2023 at 5:30pm - 6:00pm
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  Sam and Jasmin talk about the details of the city's new bodyworn camera policy for cops, which could still see some changes following a 60-day pilot program involving Central Precinct and the Focused Intervention Team or FIT (AKA the gun violence team). The city and t... Read more

Totality of Circumstances | April 25, 2023

Airs at: Tue, 04/25/2023 at 5:30pm - 6:00pm
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  This month Sam and Jasmin spoke with the current co-chairs of the Police Accountability Commission, Katherine Macdowell and KC Lewis (the third co-chair, Charlie Michelle-Westley, was unable to attend). They are heading the PAC's Structure and Details phase, during wh... Read more

Full Interview | Police Accountability Commission Phase IV Co-Chairs

Airs at: Tue, 04/25/2023 at 5:30pm - 6:00pm
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  This is the full version of an interview that aired in edited form on the April 25, 2023 episode of Totality of Circumstances. This month Sam and Jasmin spoke with the current co-chairs of the Police Accountability Commission, Katherine Macdowell and KC Lewis (the thir... Read more

Totality of Circumstances | February 28, 2023

Airs at: Tue, 02/28/2023 at 5:30pm - 6:00pm
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  Police Accountability Commission Co-Chairs Discuss Ongoing Creation of a New Oversight System in Portland This month we spoke with Aje Amaechi, Tirsa Orellana and Christian Orellan-Bauer, the Co-Chairs of the Portland Police Accountability Commission (PAC)'s Powers a... Read more

Full Interview | Police Accountability Commission Phase III Co-Chairs

Airs at: Tue, 02/28/2023 at 5:30pm - 6:00pm
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  This is full version of an interview that was edited for time for the February 28, 2023 episode of Totality of Circumstances. It was recorded February 17, 2023 via Zoom. ### Read more

Full Interview | Looking Back at 2022 with Portland Copwatch

Airs at: Tue, 12/27/2022 at 5:30pm - 6:00pm
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  This is full version of the interview with Dan Handelman and Philip Chachka, both of Portland Copwatch. A partial version of this interview aired on our December 27, 2022 show. This longer version includes more discussion of the current state of Portland's police ove... Read more

Totality of Circumstances | December 27, 2022

Airs at: Tue, 12/27/2022 at 5:30pm - 6:00pm
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  Looking Back at 2022 with Portland Copwatch This year our main focus has been on the Police Accountability Commission (which we’ll mostly refer to in this show as the PAC, or P-A-C), an all-civilian volunteer group that is tasked with creating a proposal for a new co... Read more