Oregon mayor forms ‘truth commission' after son's suspension as police officer

10/9/2009

On the heels of her son's suspension from the city police department, Oregon Mayor Marge Brown said Friday that she has formed a "truth commission" and is ready to appoint its members.

"I have stated this before and I will state it again — I have nothing to hide," the mayor, who is up for reelection Nov. 3 after finishing a distant second in the September primary, said at a morning news conference in the Oregon Municipal Building.

"Judge me on my accomplishments. Don't judge me on what my 38-year-old son has done."

Mayor Brown's son, Patrolman Jeffrey Brown, who is 39, was recently suspended for 20 days without pay for illegally using a statewide law enforcement database to search for information about a former girlfriend.

A report released last month also noted previous allegations that Officer Brown had sexual contact several years ago with a former girlfriend while on duty. Those allegations were dismissed, the report said, because the results of a department internal investigation conducted by former police chief Thomas Gulch could not be found.

Mr. Gulch, now a manager in the Lucas County Sheriff's Office, has indicated that he will answer questions about his investigation into Officer Brown's conduct if and when the city of Oregon removes a section of his separation agreement barring him from portraying the city administration "in a negative light."

Mayor Brown said at a press conference Friday morning she had nothing to do with those investigations.