Chief Outlaw: If Portland Doesn't Want Police Using Force Against Protesters, Hire More Cops

KENTON WALTZ

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In a new episode of Portland Police Bureau's (PPB) podcast "Talking Beat," Chief Danielle Outlaw explained why officers are unable to keep the public safe during the city's notoriously volatile protests.

"We don’t have as many officers that other cities do," Outlaw said. "We're the largest police agency in the state, we don't have the kind of resources other cities have."

Outlaw pointed to Oakland, where she worked as a deputy police chief before moving to Portland, as an example of a city engulfed in these resources. During a tumultuous protest, Oakland officers can easily call on the assistance of law enforcement from San Francisco, Richmond, Berkeley, or any other Bay Area city.

"We're a big fish in a small pond," said Outlaw.

She didn't mention that Portland's largest neighboring law enforcement bodies—the Washington County, Clackamas, and Clark County sheriff’s offices—have all refused to assist PPB during protests.

Outlaw has raised concerns about the size of her police force since engaging in city budget talks earlier this year. This has largely been based on PPB's own inability to hire and retain new officers, but Outlaw has named the national attention on violent Portland protests as a key deterrent. In June, the bureau announced it will be lowering its education requirements for new recruits. As of June, PPB had 128 vacant officer positions.

Outlaw said that the city's low number of active cops has made officers more inclined to use force against protesters during high-stress protests.

"The less amount of resources you have, the increased likelihood that you use force," she said. "The more numbers [of officers] that you have, the likelihood of you using force is lessened because you have more people, more visibility and more of an ability to get in between and keep folks separated."

At least three different people have sued the city for violence inflicted on them by police during a August 4, 2018 protest in downtown Portland. Just this Monday, a 53-year-old woman filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the city for being permanently injured by an officer's flash-bang grenade.

Outlaw told the Oregonian that all PPB officers will be working on Saturday, August 17—the day the Proud Boys (a national alt-right group with a history of violence) will hold a rally at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The rally is expected to draw out hundreds of counter-protesters, both representing anti-fascist groups and other liberal organizations. Attending Proud Boy members have threatened violence on social media.

Having to cancel officers' days off, Outlaw said, "takes a toll on morale."

"It could wear down the organization if you let it," she said.