Derrick Foxworth to speak at racial profiling lecture

Portland State’s Multicultural Center and Black Studies department are organizing an event that explores racial profiling issues in Portland, held today from noon to 1:30 p.m. in room 228 of Smith Memorial Student Union.

Part of PSU’s “Black Bag 2007” lecture series exploring health, social and educational issues in African-American communities will focus on the large percentage of minorities cited for traffic violations and other issues, said Ethan Johnson, an assistant professor in the Black Studies department.

Representatives from the Portland Police Bureau and Oregon Action, a local advocacy organization, will speak at the event. Jo Ann Bowman, executive director of Oregon Action, will speak about racial profiling on behalf of minority groups, and former Portland Police Chief Derrick Foxworth will speak behalf of the city police bureau.

Foxworth was demoted to police chief captain in June after it was found he had been exchanging sexually explicit e-mails with his secretary. Foxworth has filed paperwork stating his intent to sue the city of Portland because he believes he was demoted because he is African-American.