PORTLAND, Ore. — The president of the Portland Police Association (PPA), Brian Hunzeker, abruptly resigned Tuesday following what the union’s executive board described as a “serious, isolated mistake related to the police bureau’s investigation into the alleged hit-and-run by Commissioner [Jo Ann] Hardesty.”
Earlier this month, Commissioner Hardesty was wrongly accused of being the driver in a hit-and-run crash. Hardesty issued a strong denial of the allegation and said someone was trying to harm her reputation. Portland police later said she was not a suspect.
The PPA executive board didn’t fully explain Hunzeker’s involvement in the false allegation levied against Hardesty. KGW has reached out to the PPA for more information but hasn't received any more details. The board said the union apologizes to Hardesty and will be reaching out to meet with her personally.
“Brian’s mistake was not driven by malice,” the PPA executive board wrote in a statement. “But it was a serious mistake.”
The PPA executive board said it has asked Daryl Turner, the union's previous president, to return as executive director in the interim.
Hardesty, who accused activists who initially published the wrongful accusations of engaging in a smear campaign, has called for an independent investigation into how anyone outside the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) found out about the hours-old police report that named her.
Mayor Ted Wheeler, who acts as the police commissioner, also called for that investigation. The police report of the incident wasn’t released to the media until March 12, more than a week after activists spread the false allegation.
Hardesty released a statement Tuesday, saying she learned of Hunzeker's resignation after finishing a council budget meeting. She hopes a third-party investigation will get to the bottom of what happened.
"At the moment, I know nothing more than any member of the public does," Hardesty said. "I do know that Mayor Wheeler and I agreed that the scope of the impending outside investigation into the Portland Police Bureau will not only get to the bottom of this specific politically motived leak, but will also look into potential political and racial bias, as well as potential ties to white supremacists within the Portland Police Bureau.”
KGW spoke with Hardesty Wednesday and she said Turner reached out to her office asking her to call him. She said the police bureau hasn't shared any information directly with her about the incident.
"I hope that the due diligence -- the investigation -- actually uncovers what the mistake was and that we, the public and myself included, get to know specifically what he did and why he did it," Hardesty told KGW. "And then be held accountable for his behavior."
Wheeler also said Tuesday he doesn't know anything more than what the PPA executive board said in its statement, and called for answers.
"I appreciate the association’s call for accountability, but his resignation raises significant questions that remain unanswered," Wheeler said. "Mr. Hunzeker has given no reason for his resignation except that he made a serious mistake about an ongoing criminal investigation. As the police commissioner, I demand to know what that mistake was. I have called for an internal investigation to clarify the circumstances. While I appreciate Mr. Hunzeker’s self-described act of accountability, I demand he give a full and transparent accounting of what he did and what his motivations were to Commissioner Hardesty and the public. I call on him to do so immediately."
PPB said Hunzeker will remain with the bureau and receive an assignment that has yet to be determined. Police also said the investigation into the release of information related to Hardesty is ongoing.
KGW's Morgan Romero contributed to this report.