PORTLAND, Oregon — Five weeks out from the presidential election, officials within the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) are sharing how they’re preparing for protests and potential violence.
For one, the bureau's Rapid Response Team is back after disbanding three years ago. The unit works in crowd control, and according to PPB Chief Bob Day, its members are training with Oregon State Police this week.
Day said liaison officers are also meeting with community groups and offering to help those planning to exercise their First Amendment rights on election night. But what about groups that are planning on breaking the law?
“Know that the police bureau is 100% committed to minimizing any criminal activity,” said Day. “My message to those that intend to engage in criminal behavior is we will be interdicting that behavior. We will be stepping in, we will be making arrests, we'll be recommending cases for prosecution.”
As police officials prime the public and prepare the rank and file, it’s unclear how Nov. 5 will actually shake out. Still, history points to some possibilities. In 2016, after Donald Trump's presidential victory, protestors engaged in nightly demonstrations. Some gatherings turned into riots. Groups blocked streets and freeways, and some people threw bottles and flares at officers.
Four years later, there was relative peace on election night when President Bidden won. But on inauguration night, far-left protestors hit the Democratic Party headquarters, smashing windows and tagging walls. Some people carried signs that read, "We don't want Biden, we want revenge."
All through the pandemic, a steady stream of vandalism cost the city and private businesses tens of millions of dollars in damage.
But back to what Nov. 5 might bring: Day said he’s mandated every sworn officer in the Portland Police Bureau to be on duty. He's canceling days off and said staff will be on mandatory 12-hour shifts as they contend with lingering staffing issues; the police bureau currently has around 800 sworn members, compared to more than a thousand in 2019.
Even amid challenges and preparing for the unknown, Day said he remains optimistic while looking ahead to election night.
“This isn't just some dream of mine,” said Day. “I think we can show up in a typical Portland way with a robust commitment to First Amendment expression, and at the same time, not engage in criminal activity.”