Justice delayed is justice denied.

That's why the state Human Rights Commission has spent the past year trying to reduce its backlog of discrimination complaints, commissioners told Spokane residents Thursday night.

"The quicker we respond, the sooner they can get on with their lives," said Phyllis Pulfer, the commission's chairwoman. But it's a tough challenge. Every complaint filed with the agency - whether it involves public housing or employment - has to be reviewed and investigated. Sometimes, each case takes longer than a year. About 25 people, including Mayor John Talbott and City Manager Bill Pupo, showed up at the downtown Spokane library for the commission's monthly meeting. While a few brought up specific cases of discrimination, many thought the commission takes too long to respond to complaints. "I've been apprehensive since I haven't seen any action yet," said Frank Cikutovich, a Spokane attorney and chairman of the city's Human Rights Commission. Cikutovich, who often works with people who can't afford a lawyer, told commissioners he hesitates to refer clients to the state agency. Although it still takes an average of six months to deal with each discrimination case, the system has improved significantly in the past year, commissioners said. Last June, there were 150 cases pending in the Spokane area, said Bruce Redding, an investigator for the commission. Now there are 75. There also were 48 cases last year that were at least 500 days old. Now, there are only 10. Because the work has been divided between the commission's offices in Seattle, Spokane and other cities, 170 cases were closed this year in the Spokane area, Redding said. The agency is trying its best to improve those rates, said Rudy Vasquez, a commissioner from Vancouver, Wash. "I don't look at human rights and civil rights as a hobby," he told the crowd. "It's a lifestyle. Either you live it or you don't." During the 90-minute meeting, members of the audience shared their concerns with the commission. Cikutovich asked the state commission to support the efforts of Spokane's own Human Rights Commission. This past year, the local organization has worked on three main issues: hiring a "community oriented, minority likable" police chief, passing a human rights ordinance in Spokane and sponsoring a Congress on Race Relations, which would be a "stepping stone" to the city's first center for diversity. Audience members also shared their frustrations because some couldn't find recourses - whether it was discrimination based on race or age, or whether it was a complaint against police for excessive force. The commissioners, who are appointed by the governor, can only deal with discrimination in housing, employment, credit, insurance and public accommodation. They have no jurisdiction over police misconduct, said Susan Jordan, the commission's executive director.

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