Cops to 911 callers: "Not tonight, I have a headache"
I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of reading that when people call 911, the Portland police just say no. It happened again last night, when the street racer clowns took over the busy six-way intersection of 72nd, Sandy, and Fremont in Northeast Portland. The cops simply refused to come out because (1) it's too dangerous, and (2) they don't have enough people.
People who contacted KGW said they called 911 multiple times but police didn't respond. One person said they were told by dispatch there was nothing police could do about it.
When KGW reached out to police Sunday night about the event, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Lieutenant Nathan Sheppard said officers were not responding to street racing Sunday night because they were responding to shootings, including one in Southeast Portland that left a man dead, and other "life/safety calls."
On Monday, Portland police explained further just how busy they were. Officers responded to three homicides and seven other shootings over the weekend. Police also said some of the street racing events across the city impeded officers from reaching areas where people had been shot.
These street takeovers are often accompanied by gunfire. If preventing more shootings isn't a priority police function – even more so than taking photos of bullet casings at a shooting that's already over – then I don't know what is. It's become clear to me that Portland currently has the most ineffective police force of any city its size. Our cops, and we, are a laughingstock.
If the Portland cops can't walk and chew gum at the same time, then it's time for some other law enforcement to get involved in either the gum-chewing or the walking. Declare an emergency and get the State Police and county sheriff deputies involved. When was the last time you saw a state trooper in Portland? For me, it's been years. We're all paying beaucoup state income tax; how about some return on those many, many dollars? Why not the National Guard? For crying out loud, it's called basic civilization.
We need not just a new mayor and a new governor, but a new mayor and new governor who think very differently than the two bunglers we have now in those positions. This is beyond embarrassing.
What state troopers? We have less than 400, barely 1/3rd the number we had in the early 1980's. Meanwhile the population has doubled. When it came to defunding the police, they came for the state troopers FIRST.
ReplyDeleteYeah, well it's time for the rest of the state to feel some of the pain. Portland pays most of the taxes and gets ZERO state police help.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the state has already been feeling the pain; rural crime rates went ballistic starting in 2014. The state sat on its hands. You're finally getting your share of bad governance.
DeleteLets start with repealing Ballot Measure 110!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely time for some assistance. Our police cannot handle the violence.
ReplyDeleteCan’t they set up some cones? That’ll stop them.
ReplyDeleteWe have fewer than 14 officers per 10,000 people in the city, and that figure is dropping with retirements and recruiting problems. Seattle is north of 20 per 10k. Stuff like this is inevitable given the paucity of police numbers. And even if they do decide to bulk up the force, where does the money come to pay for them? All the money is going to nonprofit grift. You really think that money will be shaken loose to pay for more police? Not under this city council.
ReplyDeleteThe national guard should have been called up and stationed indefinitely in Portland when the riots began. We have a worthless governor and mayor who could have done this and still could.
ReplyDeleteThe Bushes wrecked the National Guard in the name of terror. Those poor folks all have day jobs and families to support. Now we're asking them to do everything from civil patrol to teaching. How about we give them a few years to catch their breath before the next GOP president or (God forbid) governor uses them as their personal policy easy button.
DeleteThe mentality we're seeing from Portland Police was also on full display in Uvalde a few months back. It's taken hold nationally. Modern law enforcement appear to want nose plugs and water wings before doing their jobs. Then they demand their participation trophy, no matter the result. Meanwhile they're making American cities out to be Ramadi 2006. That's just untrue.
If cops want to be cops (and oh boy do cops love being cops) they should do their jobs. If they don't wish to, they can go work in the nearest Amazon warehouse with the rest of America.
We recently had a malfunctioning burglar alarm send a false signal. No fewer than three members of PPB showed up. Nice sunny afternoon.
DeleteI wrote to the mayor, the police chief, the governor, Merkeley and contacted the National Guard. The only meaningful reply I got was actually from the police. Merkely sent me a COVID form letter response. No response from the rest.
ReplyDeleteWe need a statewide audit to identify how many Police working hours are spent on crime scene investigations as compared to patrol duty.
ReplyDeleteWho would have thought that shaming the police and spreading lies that they are killing innocent unarmed black folks all the time, would have destroyed the relationship between police and the people?
ReplyDeleteYeah, that never happens.
Deletehttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/31/ohio-police-shot-black-man-bedroom-warrant
Not to mention, who cares whether they’re “innocent” or not. Somehow white mass shooters get arrested without being killed, and they’re not innocent.
Here is more info: Also on Aug. 28, rioters took over another part of Portland for a street car event. At the intersection of NE 72nd & Sandy, they used flamethrowers
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