Yesterday, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) staffed up with an Incident Command Team to oversee protest activities in the city's South Waterfront area. According to a news release on the Portland Police Bureau website, the team included a variety of resources such as the Rapid Response Team, Air Support Unit, and Dialogue Liaison Officers who, notably, do not engage in enforcement but serve to facilitate communication with protesters. In their tactical ensemble, no instances of person or property crimes were detected, leading to a quiet evening without any arrests.
While the presence of PPB officers was felt, supported by their operational apparatus, including the PPB Sound Truck, they did not find grounds for any immediate interdiction. Up to now, 53 arrests have been linked to the ongoing nightly protests in the South Waterfront, yet last night did not add to this tally. The PPB is committed to maintaining public safety and enforcing state laws while blatantly avoiding any involvement in immigration enforcement.
The PPB's efforts also included contributions from Portland Fire & Rescue as they monitored the protest. The bureau asserts their approach is to support constitutionally protected activity while still addressing criminal acts, conveyed via their sound-equipped police vehicle. Officers operate with a strategy that allows targeted arrests for specific crimes committed, which may not always be carried out on the scene but can result in later charges. This method of handling protest activity underscores their intention to avoid on-the-spot confrontations, as suggested in the PPB's release. They continue to forward cases they investigate to the Multnomah County District Attorney for potential prosecution.
