Sergeant involved in Chasse arrest, road rage put back on streets
PORTLAND, Ore. - A Portland police sergeant who was involved in a controversial arrest that ended with the death of a mentally ill man and in an off-duty road rage incident is returning to patrol the streets of the city, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Sgt. Kyle Nice has been filling supervisory roles in the Portland Police Bureau for the last two years.
Nice will now work out of the East Precinct, Sgt. Pete Simpson confirmed to KATU News.
Nice was involved with the arrest of James Chasse in September of 2006. Chasse, who had mental health issues, was tackled and stunned with non-lethal weapons during the arrest.
Chasse suffered 16 broken ribs and a punctured lung during his arrest, and died on his way from jail to the hospital.
In 2006, a Multnomah County grand jury found no criminal wrong doing on the part of police officers involved in the case but the city of Portland later paid Chasse's family $1.6 million to settle a civil lawsuit.
Sgt. Nice was later suspended but an arbitrator recently ordered the Portland Police Bureau to dismiss that suspension, saying Nice acted appropriately.
Nice faced additional criticism for a road rage incident in April of 2010. Investigators said Nice drew his weapon, a personal firearm, during an off-duty traffic encounter with another motorist in Washington County.
Following that incident, then Police Commissioner Dan Saltzman said "I am embarrassed by Sgt. Nice in this road-rage incident, and I think it was totally unprofessional and it doesn’t set a good example for other officers. It’s not what the public expects of our officers, on or off duty.”
In 2009, Nice was singled out by another officer after he reportedly “grossly overreacted” when moving two homeless men playing music outside a downtown restaurant.
It’s not clear how Nice was disciplined within the bureau after road rage incident, but he was moved to desk duty after the other motorist involved filed a lawsuit.
Police leaders now say Nice is a competent supervisor and said that's why Chief Reese has decided to send Nice back to working the streets of Portland.
Clearly it is impossible in this city to get rid of abusive, over reactive,lethal cops. If I pulled a gun on someone in traffic, I would have been jailed and mostly lost my job. Sad for the folks in East Portland if they are weak as Chasse was (100 lbs or so, wasn't it?)
Be careful people of Portland.  This lunatic has proven that he likes to hurt people and willing to use/threaten deadly force when folks don't respect his authority.  Now his Union and this ruling has made sure that there are no repercussions for these actions.  He knows that he can go on killing and bullying and they'll always have his back.
I've never had a bad experience with Police. Â Even when I get a deserved ticket they have always been professional and usually polite. Â Now I have to worry that any time i encounter a Portland Police Officer it might be this raging madman. Â If someone breaks into my home or attacks me and he responds, do i risk getting shot/tazed/smacked if i don't call him "sir" politely enough?
You have never had a bad experience with the police, and admit the police have "always been professional and usually polite". I'm just curious where this new found fear of the police came from? It sure doesn't sound like it's based on any objective facts or personal experiences. You sound like just another follower, your friend said the police are bad so they all must be that way! Did you ever think that maybe the reason Nice didn't get into trouble was because he didn't violate police or DPSST policy? Of course the media is going to but a spin on this story, remember good news doesn't sell. Try to educate yourself on the topic, don't just take another persons opinion as fact.
 @RUSerious RU Serious - Nice wrongfully KILLS Chasse and he gets off scott free because he changed his story, and colluded with Humphreys. Nice and Humphreys held all of the cards and HELD Chasse hostage until he died. And when they needed to tell medical personnel about Chasse - they lied about his condition. And then they held him captive in secreted police custody until he died. DIED from Nice and Humphreys and Bret Burton breaking every rib and bone they could. And he kept his job only because he LIED to a Grand Jury, too l and that was alright and okie dokie with everyone - to lie, lie lie. Conveniently so - when the victim you pummeled is stone cold dead.Â
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And somehow Chiefs Sizer and Reese keept  him on the job. because he was so very very ethical, honest, upstanding, cool and calm and nonpredatory. Sure - that's Nice, Alright. NOT .And then there were the multiple road rages instances after he wrongfully KILLED James Chasse. Yup. And what next? And he is "competent" to be back on the streets - come on. There is evidence that he changed his story in regard to the road rage instances too. No surprise there.Â
BAD, VERY BAD move this guy has cost the life of Mr. Chasse, the taxpayers millions, so what is the next expence this "cop" is going to cost the City of Portland? How about he lose his job, his PPB retirement.......caution there will be a repeat, this guy is like any other repeat criminal except he wears a uniform and badge that the tax payers have paid for.
Definately, Is a "LOOSE CANNON" Waiting for his next retalliation.
This isn't OVER YET. . . Next Episode, . . Â coming Soon!!!!
 @Ms Freda Shut up......
Just a Matter Of Time He will act Again.
He will retalliate one way or another, his past History is evidence enough.
Some officers, Just think that Once a Badge is Placed on them it Gives them "KING KONG" Syndroms, and their Authority goes to their Head.
I have NO respect for an Officer that Hides behind his badge, and Uses His Authority in a manner not Intended, for Personal Gain and Justification!!!
Sad to Say we have far too many officers in this catagory today. An Officer approaches a person like a Bull, In an authoritive manner, and the one aproached comes out instantly defensive. Voice of experience Speaking.
Treat People with Kindness, and They usually will come around.
 @Ms Freda tl;dr
Drug test all police once a month!
Sounds like Sgt Nice isn't. Sure being a police office is dangerous work, but that's no excuse to be an ass.
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Let's hope he received some counseling while he was manning that desk and stuffing his face with donuts.
Great, let's put this hot head back behind a gun in a position of "absolute power" on the streets again. Beware folks, especially in Washington County where he lives because if you happen to be in front of him in your car and he doesn't like what you do, you might be the next victim of his road rage.Â
 @Justanother1 He's the on the street po po now. Right where he likes to be. He directs other po po. He doesn't care. By this time - he is aware that anything and everything he does - will get excused away. Even the most egregious unconscionable act against another human being. What the heck - let's put him right back on the same street.Â
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He is not a threat - he's competent. That's right - give him a gun. Load it up. Put him on the very same street where he ended James Chasse's life. It's a bright beautiful day - in Portland, Oregon.Â
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Nice faced additional criticism for a road rage incident in April of 2010. Investigators said Nice drew his weapon, a personal firearm, during an off-duty traffic encounter with another motorist in Washington County.
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-...and was less than forthcoming with investigators.
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@TundraTuniq Nice is what is known as a 12-34, the only problem is that he wears a law enforcement officers uniform and has shown the rest of us that he is above the laws. Hmmm seems there are two of these fine men in blue that are immune. Bow down citizens Nice and Freshour are special POS's that deserve your tax $$$$$, a great pension and continued life long employment, after all they have both killed someone and walk away.....
 @TundraTuniqÂ
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"and was less than forthcoming with investigators." <---- Boom right there.
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That is called lying. And lying in an investigation is CERTAINLY something that if the DPSST were to look into would be something they would pull certifications for.
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But ONLY if the department really wanted it. The PPC will always follow the recommendation of the head of the department, in this case the mayor (who is commissioner of police).
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"Police leaders now say Nice is a competent supervisor and said that's why Chief Reese has decided to send Nice back to working the streets of Portland."  (from the story)
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OK...so this officer has been on desk duty for 2 years now... following (and apparently as a result of) the "road rage" incident in April 2010. Â Â Even if he has been a "competent supervisor" behind a desk, HOW exactly does that mean that he is or will be a good street cop again..? Â Â
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Seems like this officer has been involved in a string of serious incidents that would indicate that he does not have the requisite anger management or self-control that police officers need to have. Â Â First, the Chasse incident; then another incident involving alleged over-reaction with regard to dealing with 2 homeless men; then the "road rage" incident in 2010. Â This, at least to me, shows quite a clear pattern of behavior; NONE of which should be tolerated in a police officer. Â He sounds, in fact, like somewhat of a loose cannon to me... and that can be dangerous...
Once again why I hate going to Portland, the Animals are in charge of the Zoo.
Too many clowns in the circus and not a big enough tent.
 @swede760 That's fine. Stay holed up wherever you are.
Gives credence to the term, "pig".
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What I love is that this tard is being dumped from Central to East.
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You know where all the people live who DON'T make $150,000+ a year.
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I guess his bosses got tired of seeing his face around and if they "have to" put him out on patrol (by the way he is a sergeant and will not only be out, but SUPERVISING other cops) they want him WAY AWAY from them.
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Just remember, Sam Adams is the police commissioner and he will turnstile any chief who questions his actions.
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 @Repoman Repoman - so all in all Nice is your man. Just not in your neighborhood. Someone else's. And so what if the Chief changes. Sizer condoned his behavior. Reese has been a puppeteer to the police union every day since. Who is to expect any other police chief would do what is right - and can a corrupted thug acting police sergeant, right? Let's just sic him on East County.Â
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He is competent, after all. Right?Â
 @englishdaisyÂ
No Iâm not going all NIMBY. I am actually pointing out that's what the chief, mayor and the PPD higher ups are doing. Burying him out East where he is as far away from them as possible.
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And since no one out in East has any power (or in the case of Randy âThe Firemanâ Leonard stones or ethics) thatâs where he will stay supervising a squad of guys and âteachingâ them all of the things he learned he can get away with.
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Oregon has a great system of checks and balances to keep law enforcement well trained and disciplined. It seems somehow much of the PPD has been able to sneak under the radar of such high standards. This is one of them. He needs to find a new career.
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OMG! Sgt Not so Nice sounds like a real piece of... , well ok, piece of work.
The guy should've been fired for drawing his weapon on another motorist during his off-duty hours, and that termination should've been upheld by a judge. This behavior is inexcusable for anyone, let alone a police officer who should know better. The Police Union is so powerful that no matter what, the offending officer gets his/her job back, even if lies have to be told to accomplish that. A lot of police officers really seem to delight in watching someone suffer at their hands, but it's still hard for me to fathom that they went so far as to just let James Chasse die. It just makes me sick. There has GOT to be a middle ground here. Yes, JPK, they're human and make mistakes. But they shouldn't lie about it, and if they do, it should mean immediate termination of their employment. Â
 @Jalarti I worked law enforcement for a lot of years and I know if I had pulled a weapon during my off duty hours (as in this case), I would have been terminated and charged with a felony. I can't speak for any agency other than the one I worked for, but most of the cops really are decent people. However I have known a few bad cops and I never hesitated to report them if I witnessed something unethical or illegal. Maybe some would call me a snitch, but a good cop knows what bad behavior is and has a responsibility to report it. Kinda goes back to that  " Protect and Serve" thing that seems to have been forgotten by some.Â
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The PPC (Police Policy Committee) has pulled the DPSST certification from officers, firefighters and telecommunicators for doing less.
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Why he still has enough certification to keep his job is beyond me. Â I bet if he was a mall cop without the Portland Police Union behind him, he couldnât patrol a wrecking yard with a dog.
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 @Jalarti Many not all, are the kind of people that would rip the wings of a butterfly..... Kick the dog.... Beat the wife... Drive drunk..... You know the ones other kids didn't want to play with.....
I suspect a lot of people would like a real "RoboCop", one who has been programmed to have no human faults, prejudices, or indecisiveness as to what the law, media, and public demands; and needs no union to protect his backside. Certainly, this type of individual would also need no judicial system, since obviously the programmed robot would not ever make even the tiniest mistake in applying just the right amount of force necessary to make an arrest. But until that marvelous creation is effectively functional, you will just have to accept that most law enforcement personnel are human and do sometimes make mistakes, for which, I assure you, they are investigated and sanctioned when necessary. Â
 @jpk jpk - you either are new to this city or surreally misinformed by choice. Nice is a thug. A killer of innocent persons. He was found GUILTY of wrongfully killilng a innocent man and the city had to pay over a million in compensation to his grieving family. He lied to the grand jury. Multiple times Nice changed his story. And the police still lined up behind him.Â
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The autopsy report on James Chasse says it all - a man who was doing nothing to warrant a complaint from anyone previous to Nice and Humphrey's preying upon him - ended up dead in Nice's patrol car hours later. And that's no lie. Nice is simply a bad unredeemable cop. And human being.Â
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Nope, not new to the city, but did serve 35 years in law enforcement. I don't know Sgt Nice either, but do play by the rules. As for his wrongful death, that was a civil case, not a criminal case. As you may recall, civil cases are decided based on 51% of the evidence, in other words, preponderance. Criminal cases are determined based on "beyond a reasonable doubt". I make no decisions as I wasn't there, and neither were you!
 @jpk Whatever dude. I'm human too, but if I effed up like that I would get fired from my job.
NOW he is competent? Isn't James Chasse still cruelly and visciously dead. After he was profiled, accosted, assaulted, ganged up on by Portland Police as well as County Sheriffs, hog tied and put in Nice's patrol car, literally kidnapped at that point he was alone with Nice and Humphreys - and driven around by them until he died in their "custody" - after, of course, Humphreys, Nice and Bret Burton broke every bone in his body and lied about all of it - changing their stories about all of it.Â
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And the Grand Jury that heard SOMETHING or another about some of it - never was given all of the eye witnesses accounts. Only some of them. Only the ones that backed up the changing stories of Nice, Humphreys and Burton.Â
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So he is competent now. After he was trained and retrained and retrained again. And put on desk duty after road raging post Chasse incident. He is COMPETENT to be a privileged street accessible police officer?Â
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Come on.... no way.Â
"Sgt. Nice was later suspended but an arbitrator recently ordered the Portland Police Bureau to dismiss that suspension, saying Nice acted appropriately."
That comment made in response to the beating death of James Chasse.Â
Not to be inflammatory, but if you are non-white or mentally ill in Portland - and you are in ANY WAY acting differently than a police officer thinks you should be - you are not safe. Now with the possibility Frashour being reinstated, things are only going to get worse before they get better. The Portland Police bureau needs to dedicate adequate funding to train officers in non-lethal methods of coping with its citizenry; until then, please be careful all you people who march to the tune of a different drummer....Â
I've got a lot of respect and support for our police but it seems funny that no matter what the few of the "not so good" officers do, they are going to be back on the job due to their union. When the mayor, chief of police and a law suit bear no proof that the officers were in the wrong, then why even try? Police should be subject to the same laws as everyone else, whether on duty or not! The laws are supposed to stand for every single human! The police union is overstepping this. People are dying and the police union doesn't seem to give a _ _ _ _.....
 @MickRoh Unions used to be for " a fair days pay for a fair days work" now it's designed to protect those who continue to have on the job poor performance, negotiate workers pay to help ensure better union dues are paid to the union, and finally to protect those who are socially inept.
I have no respect for this so called officer... I will not ever allow myself the luxury of seeing this p.o.s for any reason.... Citizens of Portland should find this p.o.s and chant "SHAME ON YOU" at the very least.
With this guy's track record he should be permanently cleaning the Police Station restrooms. I am dumbfonded that they took someone who obviously likes to flaunt authority and made him a supervisor. This is a prime example of what is wrong with the police culture in Portland. Unfortunately the culture starts at the top. Reese is simply wrong here and I hope the next mayor replaces him. If he won't do the job properly they need to find someone who will.Â
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I would like an app on my phone that has the picture, name , and badge number of incompetent cops like this guy. Â I personally have never had a bad experience with a cop... Â But I would like to be able to determine if a bad experience is more likely by checking the officer I am interacting with against a list of known baddies.
 @darren vandervort Portland Copwatch is a good resource - you can "google" them.
 @darren vandervort A police check on the police...interesting concept .
 @lee986321  @darren vandervort But it's the sort of concept that will get you found in contempt of cop, then you'll get to find out real quick just what sort of experience "the rare bad apple" can provide you.
The police state supports terrorism... So this guys in like jelly on toast.
Why is the mayor not fighting to keep this bad cop off the streets? Nobody is going to cooperate with the police anymore knowing that there are these kinds of horrible officers in their ranks.
 @Spiffy Spiffy - you nailed it. Instead Adams pursues fluoridation. Aams chose fluoridation.Â
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Adams didn't care. Adams did nothing. Adams owns the fact that James Chasse's cruel tormenter is out patrolling our streets today. As we speak.Â
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Kyle Nice owns this city. What a comfort that is. And Bret Burton and Chris Humphrey's too. What a cruel, cruel demented reality.Â
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Thanks for nothing Mayor Adams and our city council members.Â
Something needs to happen to get these Alpha cops off the force.
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We need intelligent and reasonable cops out there, not knuckle draggers that just react out of emotion.
 @RalphCramden Novel idea.... Unfortunately most drawn to the job like to beat their woman, react on emotion and refuse to think the law applies to them.
 @Funky-Munky  @RalphCramden An old mantra: "Cops beat, firemen cheat (on their wives)"
@Funky-Munky @RalphCramden That's why it is called "the thin blue line." Most cops these days are just a step away from being on the other side of the law. Theoretically they conduct psychological screening but there are so many cases where it fails miserably. The few that can't cut it become security guards.