Recall effort for Pocatello City Council members

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - More trouble tonight for three Pocatello City Council members. 

Two different groups are supporting an effort to recall them from office. 

In a statement issued Thursday by the Pocatello Police Union, they publicly support the effort to recall council members Roger Bray, Claudia Ortega and Chris Stevens.

They are calling on community members to get involved.

Roger Bray is under fire for comments he made about the city not needing more police officers due to its limited diversity.

At last week's city council meeting, Bray was censured by council members Linda Leeurwik,Josh Mansfield and Rick Cheatum, but Ortega and Stevens refused to condemn Bray's remarks. 

Claudia Ortega even called for the resignation of Police Chief Roger Schei, accusing him of racism. 

In the letter, the police union says they are appalled.

"We support Chief Schei as the chief of police, and are proud of the leadership he continues to show. We stood behind him in June of 2020 as he led us in a unity walk against racial injustice. Chief Schei has influenced the police department through his leadership in a positive way. We categorically condemn any attempt to force him to resign."

And they are not the only ones speaking about this. 

A new group called Citizens Against Division is being formed under the chairmanship of Joan Reed. 

Reed will lead the effort to recall councilman Roger Bray and what they call his 'loyalist councilwomen Claudia Ortega and Chris Stevens.

They plan to collect signatures for the recall of the three council members. 

They hope to have it on the ballot in November.

They have set-up a signature site at 820 East Young Street in Pocatello.

Recall signature sheets will be available Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Then again Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

Registered voters in Pocatello are allowed to sign the petition.