The Portland Police Department issued new guidelines this week that will cease some “traffic stops” so they can “reimagine public safety” and comply with new “consent search rules.”
“Mayor Ted Wheeler was joined by Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Chief Chuck Lovell for an afternoon video conference to announce that officers will no longer be asked to respond to traffic stops that are ‘not immediately related to safety threats.’ PPB officers have also been ordered under the city’s new consent search procedure to “clearly inform the person of their right to refuse or revoke their consent,” and must also record their request when asking the person for consent to search, said Wheeler, a Democrat,” reports Fox News.
“I know we have a lot more work to do, but these changes constitute significant progress in our work to reimagine our public safety system for the better,” Wheeler continued, “and to continue operationalizing our city core values of anti-racism, communication, collaboration, equity, transparency and fiscal responsibility.“
“But given the resources that we have and the limited time officers have to do this type of enforcement, I’m directing our sworn personnel to focus on safety violations and enforcement and high crash corridors,” said the city’s top cop. “Stops of nonmoving violations or lower level infractions are still allowed, but with an emphasis on safety and have actionable investigative factor to them.”
Read the full report at Fox News.
PORTLAND SPIRALS: Entire Police ‘Rapid Response Team’ Disbands, Primary Role to Provide ‘Safety’
The Portland Police Department’s ‘Rapid Response Team’ -typically deployed to handle large crowds, riots, and demonstrations- disbanded this week as crime rates rise across the city.
“On June 16, 2021, Portland Police Bureau employees serving as members of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) left their voluntary positions and no longer comprise a team. Its members were sworn employees of the Portland Police who served on RRT in addition to their daily assignment in the Bureau. Despite no longer serving on RRT, they will continue in their regular assignments. There were approximately 50 employees serving as RRT members,” writes the Police Department.
Press Release: Portland Police Rapid Response Team Members Leave Team, Remain In Primary Roles As Employees
Link: https://t.co/UZ5C9xKkFZ pic.twitter.com/21VE4P7d5D— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 17, 2021
“The Rapid Response Team is an all-hazard incident response team that has received advanced specialized training to respond to incidents requiring higher levels of technical expertise including public order policing, natural or man-made disasters. The primary role has been to provide public safety at crowd events when there was a threat of harm to the community. All Rapid Response Team members are trained in advanced skills related to crowd management and crowd control including crowd psychology and behavior, team formations and movements, the use of enhanced personal protective equipment, use of force, de-escalation and arrests,” adds the statement.
Read the full press release here.