Portland police oversight board members resign over escalating tensions in the city
Three members of Portland’s 11-member voluntary police oversight body resigned this week during escalating tensions in the city, according to a CNN affiliate.
At least two cited the increased tensions as their reasons for leaving in resignation letters, CNN affiliate KPTV reported late Wednesday.
Protests against racial injustice and police brutality have continued for nearly 100 nights in Portland, with demonstrations often proceeding peacefully during the day before devolving into chaos at night. On Saturday, a man was shot and killed as supporters of President Donald Trump clashed with protesters against police violence and racism.
According to the city’s website, the review committee was created in 2001 to help improve police accountability, promote higher standards of police services and increase public confidence. Its members are volunteers appointed by the city council.
On June 6, the committee issued a statement rejecting “police brutality, the use of excessive force, and the systemic racism that plagues our justice system, damages our community, and disproportionately impacts Black and Brown community members.”
It said it was “deeply concerned” by the Portland Police Bureau’s use of force against protesters and that the city’s systems of accountability need to be changed.
“Our systems of accountability here in Portland are deeply flawed, but we believe they can, and must be, changed. Police reform will not be achieved by simply changing policy — we need a deep uprooting of our system and reimagining the future of policing for our city,” the June statement said.
Months of protests in Portland have seen buildings damaged, police and protesters injured and hundreds arrested.
Portland officials have been calling for an end to the protests.
In a Facebook post Tuesday, Mayor Ted Wheeler asked Portland residents to join him in “denouncing violence” days after Saturday’s shooting.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community,” Wheeler wrote Tuesday night. “But last night saw more senseless violence in Portland.”
After a fire and protests outside his condo building, Wheeler told his neighbors that he would look for a new place to live, according to an email to residents.
Wheeler’s call for residents to denounce violence comes as both Oregon’s governor and state police say they’re taking more steps to ensure that people who commit violence are prosecuted.
Gov. Kate Brown has called on outside agencies to assist in cracking down on the unrest, while Oregon State Police will allow troopers responding to protests to be deputized by the US Marshals Service to make it easier to federally prosecute suspects if necessary.
