ROSEBURG, Ore. – Roseburg’s city council publicly addressed allegations of selective enforcement of Governor Brown’s COVID-19 orders.
Roseburg Citizens for Truth said Roseburg Police Chief Gary Klopfenstein took enforcement action against a struggling restaurant that was allegedly violating COVID restrictions.
Three weeks later, according to Roseburg Citizens for Truth, Chief Klopfenstein showed disregard for the governor’s order during a Black Lives Matter protest, attending the event mask-less and violating social distancing guidelines. The political action group said the chief’s behavior was hypocritical and amounted to targeted and selective enforcement of the governor’s order.
Roseburg Citizens for Truth also accused Chief Klopfenstein of lying about online crime reporting and reports sent to the FBI.
In response to the allegations, Roseburg’s city council issued the following statement:
The Roseburg City Council stands in support of Police Chief Gary Klopfenstein. Chief Klopfenstein serves our citizens well and upholds municipal, state, and federal laws in a fair and equitable manner. His priority is the safety and well-being of our citizens and he has done so with leadership and integrity.
The Roseburg City Council also stands in support of local business. Small business drives the local economy. Our local business owners provide jobs, offer valuable products and services, and influence the culture of our community. They have faced a variety of difficulties during the COVID pandemic. Now, as we approach the one-year mark of living with the coronavirus, we are being presented with another crucial moment that threatens to divide us.
Like local business owners, the City of Roseburg has had to interpret orders and mandates from the State of Oregon. They have been expensive and difficult to put into place. They have created hardships for many of our citizens. We recognize that these restrictions have threatened the ability of some local business owners to remain in business.
As citizens of Roseburg, and in some cases local business owners ourselves, each of the councilors listed below stands united in support of doing our best to protect our citizens, local business owners, our city staff, and visitors to the City of Roseburg.
We do not stand in support of local groups who use coercion and threaten elected officials with recall if they do not comply with their wishes. This action is divisive and dangerous at a time when cooperation and support are needed more than ever.
Sincerely,
Mayor Larry Rich
Council President Bob Cotterell, Ward Three
Sheri Moothart, Ward One
Alison Eggers, Ward One
Andrea Zielinski, Ward Two
Sheila Cox, Ward Two
Brian Prawitz, Ward Three
Patrice Sipos, Ward Four
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