SEATTLE – Officers in Portland and Seattle were wearing mourning bands across their badges in support of the two New York police officers who were fatally shot Saturday and the Florida officer who was shot and killed Sunday.
In Portland, acting Police Chief Donna Henderson authorized officers to wear the bands but didn't make it mandatory.
"It's honoring the sacrifice these officers in New York and Florida who've paid the ultimate price when they're just out there, protecting and serving the community," said Sgt. Pete Simpson, spokesman for Portland police.
Simpson said the black bands that stretch across the badges are similar to the black arm bands people used to wear to mourn the loss of loved ones.
In Seattle, King County Sheriff John Urquart ordered Sheriff's Office deputies to wear mourning bands until midnight on the day of the last funeral in New York.
"Normally we don't wear the mourning bands on our badges for line of duty deaths that are outside the King County area, but this one was so egregious, two officers," Urquhart said. "With all that's been going on I thought it was very important, not only to the law enforcement community but to my department as well, to honor those lives."
Portland officers will also wear the mourning bands through the end of the year.
The killings escalated tensions that have simmered for months after grand juries declined to indict white police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown in Missouri and Eric Garner in New York.
Urquhart said everybody has a right to protest and he thinks the protesters have some very good points. But, he said, there's been a lot of criticism of the police in the last few weeks and he thinks it should be put into perspective.
Officers in New York are now patrolling in two-person cars. Urquhart said he can't do that because of staffing restraints.
Portland officers were focusing on safety and talking about 'what if' scenarios but were not doubling up on patrols following the New York shootings.
