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Judge OKs Portland police use-of-force reforms

By WTOP Staff

STEVEN DUBOIS
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A federal judge accepted a settlement on Friday between the U.S. Department of Justice and the city of Portland on reforms intended to improve the way police deal with mentally ill people.

U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon said he wants annual progress reports and set the first such hearing for September 2015.

The Justice Department began an investigation three years ago to determine whether Portland police engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force when dealing with the mentally ill.

Agency officials concluded such a pattern exists and began negotiating with city leaders on reforms.

U.S. Attorney for Oregon Amanda Marshall called the settlement a groundbreaking resolution for the citizens of Portland.

City officials had opposed annual hearings, and the Portland Police Bureau said Chief Mike Reese probably would not comment until next week.

Mayor Charlie Hales, who was not in office when the City Council approved the deal, said Simon’s order allows Portland to move forward.

“We’re serious about having a police force that appreciates the issues around mental illness and that utilizes de-escalation tactics,” he said.

The agreement revises police rules on the use of stun guns. It also requires the city to create a crisis-intervention team, expand its mobile crisis units from a single vehicle to one vehicle per precinct, and to complete investigations of officer misconduct within 180 days. Some reforms have already been put in place.

The city agreed to hire a compliance officer to ensure the reforms are followed and to form a Community Oversight Advisory Board.

An advocacy group involved in negotiations praised Simon’s requirement of annual progress reports.

“This ruling is a major step to creating a true community policing culture within the Portland Police Bureau in light of the national attention on deadly force and excessive force by the police department in the Michael Brown death in Ferguson, Missouri,” the Albina Ministerial Alliance Coalition for Justice and Police Reform said in a statement.

The judge did not mention the unrest in Ferguson but he did wade into a topic that has arisen since Brown’s death: Whether police should wear body cameras.

“The court notes that as the technology in this area continues to improve and become more dependable and affordable, more city police departments in the United States are choosing to employ this technology in ways that protect both law enforcement officer and the public they serve,” he said in the decision.

Simon, however, said the omission of such devices does not justify nixing the deal that’s been in the works for a couple years.

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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