Officers resign from Portland, Oregon, protest response unit

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
The Associated Press
@AP
Officers who serve on a specialized crowd control unit in Portland, Oregon, who have responded to the city’s ongoing, often violent protests have resigned en masse after criminal charges were filed against a team member.

Officers resign from Portland, Oregon, protest response unit
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Officers who serve on a specialized crowd control unit in Portland, Oregon, who have responded to the city’s ongoing, often violent protests have resigned en masse after...
apnews.com
10:01 AM · Jun 17, 2021

https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-portland-oregon-government-and-politics-13a4e9c18c98910dd2c3b760ed757f17

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Officers who serve on a specialized crowd control unit in Portland, Oregon, who have responded to the city’s ongoing, often violent protests have resigned en masse after criminal charges were filed against a team member.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the officers on the Rapid Response Team voted to resign from the team during a meeting Wednesday night.

The move by officers and sergeants to disband their own team came a day after a team member, Officer Cody Budworth, was indicted, accused of fourth-degree assault stemming from a baton strike against a protester last summer. A year ago, about 70 members were on the team.

The resignations were first reported by radio station KXL. A team lieutenant called Police Chief Chuck Lovell to inform him the members of the team, who serve voluntarily in the assignments, voted to resign due to perceived lack of support from City Hall and from the district attorney over the past year, according to the mayor’s office and officers.

*snip*

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Someone is still going to have to do that work I'd imagine

My guess is many will end up having to do so non-voluntarily, unless they want to quit the force.

[RainCaster]

2. They wanted a "license to abuse"

Now they are whining because they have to be accountable. These actions should follow them. If any of them ever run for office, this needs to be brought up.

[CentralMass]

6. The situation in Portland requires a little more thought then that.

There is an anarchistic element that trashes the city out here any time the wind blows. We had 130 nights or so of often violent protest that resulted in rioting where windows were broken fires were set and buildings were set on fire, and objects were thrown at police.
I recall watching one incident .live as it happened where individuals moved wood and ta dumpster in front of a neighborhood police departments doors to block the exit and then lit the dumpster on fire. There were 19 employees inside.
Thd individual who lit the fire was just sentenced to 5 years in prison roughly a year later.
https://ktvz.com/news/oregon-northwest/2021/06/14/portland-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-setting-fire-during-protests/
I watched coverage of these riots night after night. Some protestor threw rocks. Bottles, fireworks, etc at the police.

I don't know the circumstance of this particular incident with the officer striking the protestor but I do know that left on their own these people would burn down the city. The cities DA watered down the offenses that would result in being jailed. Most of the rioters who were arrested in would be released and be back out the next night doing it again. Why would the police volunteer for that duty ?

[RainCaster]

7. I remember when those anarchists would come to Seattle

Nothing but destruction fir its own sake.

[genxlib]

3. I'm guessing here

But I assume the word "volunteer" means they are willing participants in a well compensated overtime effort.

Not to be mistaken as a charitable endeavor.

[lapfog_1]

4. They resigned from the unit

but I'm guessing they did not resign from the police.

Anyone that viewed the footage of Cody Budworth shoving the woman to the ground and then using his baton on her and thinks that this is "OK" and part of their job... they need to be fired from the police.

These police are abusive bullies.

Yes the protestors can get out of control. Some people use legitimate protest as cover to loot and riot and destroy property.

But that isn't what this video showed at all.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

5. What fun is there being on a crowd control squad if yo can't beat up a few hippies?