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# 📧 Public Information Officer (PIO)
- URL: https://gijustice.com/20250125-1152-ppb/
- Published: 2025-01-25T19:52:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-31T00:44:53.000Z
- Author: Logan M Isaac
- Tags: PPB, Pete Simpson, Mike Penner, Damien Rodriguez, Lizzy Acker, The Oregonian, Betsy Hammond

*CCed:* [*Lizzy Acker*](https://gijustice.com/tag/lizzy-acker)*,* [*Betsy Hammond*](https://gijustice.com/tag/betsy-hammond)*. No party replied to the following email, but two days later I confirmed the active PIO at the time was* [*Mike Penner*](https://www.gijustice.com/tag/mike-penner?ref=gijustice.com)*.* 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/62/5e/625e8b30-aba8-4ca4-b679-851550ded791/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-30-at-10.08.36.png)

I'm trying to get information about a quote attributed to [Public Information Officer SGT Pete Simpson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgtpetesimpson/details/experience/?ref=gijustice.com) in *The Oregonian* back in April of 2017\. Here is the story; [https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2017/04/marine\_suffering\_from\_ptsd\_cha.html](https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2017/04/marine%5Fsuffering%5Ffrom%5Fptsd%5Fcha.html?ref=gijustice.com). 

Reporter Lizzy Acker (CCed) quotes Simpson describing [ORS 166.155](https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors%5F166.155?ref=gijustice.com) as a "bias/hate crime" despite "hate" never appearing in the 43 year-old law. **Did Simpson misspeak, or is it the position of the Bureau that Bias Crimes are equivalent to Hate Crimes?** And if the latter, has the Bureau received any guidance from DoJ or FBI on the 2009 Hate Crimes Prevention Act? 

If I don't have a reply by close of business on Monday, I will have to assume the Portland Police Bureau stands by Simpson's characterization. I am set to testify before an ORLA Senate Committee Tuesday at 13:00[ about hate crimes](https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/SJM1?ref=gijustice.com). 

Thank you for your prompt response!

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## Autoreply:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/62/5e/625e8b30-aba8-4ca4-b679-851550ded791/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-30-at-10.15.19.png)

Thank you for contacting the Portland Police Bureau Public Information Office. There is no PIO on duty until Monday, January 27th. However, an on-call PIO will send news releases for major events. Messages of significant, time sensitive public concern will go out via press release (

[https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/news/](https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/news/?ref=gijustice.com)) or X (Twitter) ([https://twitter.com/PortlandPolice](https://twitter.com/PortlandPolice?ref=gijustice.com)). You can view news releases and sign up for e-mailed news here: [PPB News - Portland Police Bureau - News (portlandoregon.gov)](https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/news/?ref=gijustice.com) .

Law enforcement partners can have the on-call PIO paged through BOEC.