Protesters gathered outside the home of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler Wednesday night after the local leader proposed a $16 million cut to the Police Department’s operating budget for the next year.
“The cuts to the police’s $245 million overall budget were passed by a 3-1 vote, although some protesters had been urging city officials to reduce the department’s spending package for the 2020-2021 fiscal year by up to $50 million. The money saved by eliminating a gun violence reduction team, school resource officers and transit division will now be redirected to social service programs,” reports Fox News.
“Never in my life would I have imagined that we or any government would be able to cut that much significant resources out of a police budget,” Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Source: Fox News.
PORTLAND CHAOS: Rioters Use Bike Locks to Trap Police Inside Precinct, Dept Asks for Help on Twitter
Rioters in Portland, Oregon used rope and a bicycle lock to trap officers inside a local police station; leaving the abandoned cops to ask for help on social media while violence swirled outside.
The group at the Justice Center has shifted to the 2nd Avenue side. Some individuals are tampering with the entry and exit doors. This is a fire safety hazard causing a serious safety concern for those in the Justice Center. Remove the items now!
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 17, 2020
Locking the Justice Center from the outside presented serious life safety concerns for the adults in custody and employees inside the building. The demonstrators have moved away from the building and the doors are re-opened.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 17, 2020
“Locking the Justice Center from the outside presented serious life safety concerns for the adults in custody and employees inside the building. The demonstrators have moved away from the building and the doors are re-opened,” posted the Department on social media.
“The front door to Central Precinct was locked from the outside with the u-lock,” another tweet read. “It had to be cut off from the outside so those inside could leave. The rope was taken by protesters from the flagpole and tied to the roll-up doors on the Southeast corner of the building.”
PORTLAND SPIRALS: Police Tell City Residents ‘Fires Have Been Lit, Leave the Area, It is Not Safe’
The Portland Police Department urged residents to flee sections of the city late Monday night; telling people “fires have been lit, a store was looted, leave the area, it is not safe.”
“A group continues to stay downtown in the streets. One officer was injured after being hit in the head with a large rock. Ofc. transported to hospital. Fires have been lit. A store was looted. Arrests are being made. Leave the area, it is not safe,” posted the Department on social media.
The crowd is now in the streets near the Pearl District. Traffic may be impacted in the area.
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 16, 2020
PPB and PF&R Release Information On Fires Near Downtown (Photo) https://t.co/ZcBoDohgiA pic.twitter.com/AJCRI7rNMQ
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 13, 2020
“The crowd is now in the streets near the Pearl District. Traffic may be impacted in the area,” adds the Portland Police.