PORTLAND, Ore. — Dispatchers have been inundated with calls, some hostile and abusive, over the violent assaults that happened last weekend when left- and right-wing groups met in downtown Portland.
The clashes on June 29, including the assault of a conservative writer, have garnered national attention that has mostly been critical of Mayor Ted Wheeler and the response of Portland police.
RELATED COVERAGE:
Willamette Week first obtained the calls from the Bureau of Emergency Dispatch Center.
Some of the callers cursed at dispatchers who had nothing to do with Saturday’s demonstrations. People from across the country and the world have called to voice their displeasure.
If you want to file a complaint, don’t call dispatchers. Go to the city’s website and there’s a page for independent police review.
Here are transcripts from five calls:
First call
Dispatcher: Hello, non-emergency.
Caller: Hi. That reporter that they’re showing on Fox News that got beat up by all them people in the protest.
Dispatch: Yeah. Uh-huh.
Caller: That last person they showed and the man that hit him with brass knuckles.
Dispatcher: OK
Caller: You can see them on his hands. You can him put them back in his pockets. You can see him flash them three different times.
Dispatch: Right. So in regards to that…
Caller: Do they know? That’s what I want to know.
Dispatch: I’m not sure.
Caller: That’s all I’m wanting to do. Just tell them that the last guy that hit him – as soon as he hit him – he hit him right behind the ear it looked like. And then he started to run 10-foot in front on him after that and started sticking his hand in his back pocket getting them knuckles off. You could see him go into his pocket and you could see him flash them before that.
Dispatch: OK. We have set up a specific phone…
Caller: And then he moves his hand, you know, the top of his neck to his wrist.
Dispatch: Sir.
Caller: It kind of comes up and shows him going into his pocket.
Dispatch: Sir, we’ve set up a specific phone number to report that to. OK?
Caller: What do you say? Let me get that number.
Dispatch: Yep, you bet.
Caller: Because they ain’t said anything about this guy hitting him with brass knuckles. And I said, man that [inaudible] just hit him brass [inaudible].
Dispatch: Where are you calling from?
Caller: I’m in Georgia.
Dispatch: Whenever you’re ready?
Caller: Go ahead, I’m ready.
Dispatch: It’s 503-823-0000
Caller: What comes after 503?
Dispatch: 823
Caller: 823
Dispatch: 0000
Caller: Four zeros?
Dispatch: You’re correct.
Caller: OK. Alright. Thank you very much.
Dispatch: You’re welcome.
Second call (from Australia)
Dispatch: Non-emergency dispatch, how can I help you?
Caller: Yes, my friend was attacked.
Dispatch: OK, where at?
Caller: It was a couple days ago. His name is Andy Ngo.
Dispatch: Oh, the journalist? OK, I have a number for the chief’s office if you’d like to call that.
Caller: Oh, well I bet that would do a lot of good, wouldn’t it?
Dispatch: Well sir it’s not going to do any good to talk to me about it, I’m just a dispatcher. I have nothing to do with actual officers or taking assault reports or anything like that. So, the best outlet that I have for you is to call the chief of police's office.
Caller: Yeah. OK.
Dispatch: Would you like that number?
Caller. Your police department, your police department…
Dispatch: Sir I’m a dispatcher. So, I take 9-1-1 calls and if people need ambulances I send them that or if they’re getting robbed or something like that, I can ask an officer to go. I have nothing to do with their policies. I’m happy to give you the chief’s number if you’d like it. I’m not law enforcement. So there’s not, I understand the [inaudible] we’ve taken thousands of calls like this.
Caller: You know where I’m calling from? It’s not as if I’m down the street. I’m across the world, OK? Give me the number.
Dispatch: I’m more than happy to. It’s 503-823.
Caller: Yes. Yes.
Dispatcher: Four zeroes, 0000, then you’re gonna use option 9.
Caller: Four thousand and option 9. OK. Alright, thank you very much.
Dispatch: You’re welcome, bye.
Third call
Dispatch: Non-emergency, can I help you?
Caller: Yeah, your motto says swore to protect and dedicated to serve. Who the f*** do you serve you piece of s***?
Dispatch: Hey, thank you.
Caller: Huh? You liberal antifa pieces of s***.
Dispatch: Would you like to talk to chief’s office?
Caller: Yeah, sure why don’t you put it on you f****** b*****?
Dispatch: Hang on and stop calling me names.
Caller: F*** you, b****.
Fourth call
Dispatch: 911. I’m sorry, non-emergency dispatch.
Caller: Non-emergency, you guys ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Letting people protest and getting hurt.
Dispatch: Oh, that’s actually Portland police, not the dispatch center. We’re different bureaus.
Caller: It doesn’t matter. You guys ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
Dispatch: If you want to complain about us (inaudible). If you want to complain about it, there’s a different phone number for that.
Fifth call
Dispatch: Hello, this is non-emergency, how can I help you?
Caller: Yeah, um, I was calling regarding the antifa incident.
Dispatch: OK.
Caller: OK. I, in no way shape or form would ever condone violence against police, but I will say that you invite the public to take action against…
Dispatch: OK.
Caller: …police officers.
Dispatch: You’re talking with the dispatch center. We’re a different bureau. The police bureau is separate from us. So, I have a phone number I can refer you to if you’d like to contact the police bureau specifically?
Caller: No, I’ve already listened to like 45 minutes of all kinds of information.
Dispatch: OK. Again, you have the dispatch center, we’re a different bureau.
Caller: What I’m saying to you simply is your police department is inviting the public to turn against them.
Dispatch: OK. So, if you’re not going to take this number and try this number, I can’t help you here at the dispatch center.
Caller: Well, you don’t need to help me. All I want you to know is that this is why the public…
Dispatch: Ok. I’ve heard a lot of complaints from people and I have no authority or decision-making power. This is just the dispatch center. So, unless you want the number, I am going to disconnect with you.
Caller: This is why the police…
Dispatch: Ok, I’m disconnecting.
