from
https://apnews.com/article/fires-oregon-george-floyd-portland-1de227091103e86a5844c36fac0cfc7c

‘Lawless city?’ Worry after Portland police don’t stop chaos
By SARA CLINE

(When you prohibit pepper spray,
you rule out the best tool to reduce a crowd.
But ultra liberal legislators think they
know better!!)

FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2020, file photo, a man stands in front of a
broken display window at a retail store during protests in Portland,
Ore. Police in Portland say they believe a new state law prohibits
officers from directly intervening when people smash storefronts and
cause mayhem. The measure passed this year prohibits the use of crowd
control methods like pepper spray and rubber bullets "unless use of
force is otherwise authorized by statute." (AP Photo/Marcio Jose
Sanchez, File)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A crowd of 100 people wreaked havoc in downtown
Portland, Oregon, this week – smashing storefront windows, lighting
dumpsters on fire and causing at least $500,000 in damage – but police
officers didn’t stop them.

Portland Police Bureau officials say that’s because of legislation
passed by Oregon lawmakers this year, which restricts the tools they can
use to confront people vandalizing buildings and causing mayhem.

“The reason that we did not intervene goes back to what we talked about
last month with House Bill 2928 and the restrictions placed on us in a
crowd control environment,” KOIN reports that Portland Police Lt. Jake
Jensen said in a neighborhood meeting Thursday.

Residents frustrated by the latest round of destructive demonstrations
Tuesday questioned whether that meant anything goes now in Portland.

“Does that mean we are now like a lawless city?” Linda Witt asked during
the meeting with police. Jensen replied saying people can still face
consequences later.

The legislation in question is House Bill 2928, which prohibits the use
of things like pepper spray and rubber bullets for crowd control.
However there is an exception – when the circumstances constitute a riot
and if the officer using the chemical incapacitant reasonably believes
its use is necessary to stop and prevent more destructive behavior.

“The law clearly allows Portland Police to use effective tools necessary
to control violent crowds,” House Minority Leader Christine Drazan told
The Associated Press on Friday. “However, activist attorneys are
deliberately misinterpreting legislation to prevent police from
intervening. They have no business putting law enforcement and community
safety at risk.”

Portland Police Sgt. Kevin Allen told AP that officers have been made
aware of the “potential implications” of the legislation and that it’s
being analyzed by the city attorney’s office.

“Until we have some clarity on the bill we have to follow the most
restrictive interpretation of it,” Allen said.

Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office didn’t respond to multiple requests for
comment on Friday. Neither did lawmakers of the Democratic legislative
caucuses of the Legislature, which is controlled by the Democratic Party.

Portland has seen ongoing, often violent protests since the murder of
George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. Some activists have complained
that the police have been heavy handed in their response.

On Tuesday, police say 35 separate locations were targeted — including
banks, retail stores, coffee shops, and government buildings.

Authorities say although police did not directly intervene, officers did
give direction to disperse over a loudspeaker and a Mobile Field Force
moved in, at which point the crowd splintered.

___

Sara Cline is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America
Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national
service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on
undercovered issues.

On 10/16/2021 7:50 PM, Baxter wrote:
> a425couple <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote in
> news:dqFaJ.83173$tG6.59001@fx39.iad:
>
>> from
>> https://apnews.com/article/fires-oregon-george-floyd-portland-1de227091
>> 103e86a5844c36fac0cfc7c
>>
>> ‘Lawless city?’ Worry after Portland police don’t stop chaos
>> By SARA CLINE
>>
>> (When you prohibit pepper spray,
>> you rule out the best tool to reduce a crowd.
>> But ultra liberal legislators think they
>> know better!!)
>>
>> FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2020, file photo, a man stands in front of a
>> broken display window at a retail store during protests in Portland,
>> Ore. Police in Portland say they believe a new state law prohibits
>> officers from directly intervening when people smash storefronts and
>> cause mayhem. The measure passed this year prohibits the use of crowd
>> control methods like pepper spray and rubber bullets "unless use of
>> force is otherwise authorized by statute." (AP Photo/Marcio Jose
>> Sanchez, File)
>
> So you think if you see someone breaking a window, he has to be dowsed
> with pepper spray and shot with rubber bullets?!
>

Baxter, you are a totally ignorant asshole who
just hates the officers that try to help the
overall citizens.

You see an injured police officer as a good
thing. I see it as unnecessary, harmful pain to
a person employed to help the overall public.
And a huge loss to the tax base. Officers injured
in the line of duty get full pay and benefits
for as long as it takes for them to be good to return
to full duty.

If I, when I was a law enforcement officer,
saw someone breaking a window, I would try
to arrest them and to introduce them into
the criminal justice system. I would do my best
to do this without injury.

However, if the window breaker, is masked, and
dressed uniformly with a hundred other Anti-fa,
or black block demonstrators, I would not.
The odds of ever being able to prove without
any reasonable doubt that in that mixing, churning
intentionally confusing crowd, who did the criminal
act is very unlikely.

I would not chase, or allow any officer, or even team
of officers to enter the crowd. Since the mob
is already approving of criminal acts (vandalism)
it is extremely likely that they would do more
crimes, like resisting arrest, and assault on an officer.

> You're part of the problem.
>
No. I was a good police manager.