#1 Props to Maxine Bernstein for not drinking the Kool-Aid!
#2 Props to Bojack for bringing this!
#3 People have commented on how the occupy people blocked roads. At the bridge, it was only scripted, prearranged theater by both sides! At Chase Bank- THEY WERE VIOLENTLY PUSHED INTO THE STREET BY POLICE! This is documented by several sources.
#4 Where is the apology from Mayor Creepy that the Seattle Mayor offered when his police lost control of themselves?
#5 Where is the rest of the media condemning the loss of management control of the riot police?
# 6 Why is hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on babysitting peaceful protesters in a public park? When the same people live under a bridge they are ignored!!!
#7 This is ALL political theater Portlandia! Think Political Professional Wrestling!

Portland -- The City That's Sick.

Let's see if the story is still there tomorrow.

Good Morning!
I spent the last 4 hours going through the police video frame by frame and zoomed in on the action.

http://youtu.be/v1xJJQ-H97c

Peaceful protesters were pushed off the sidewalk by mounted police and into the street where riot police pushed them back. After the protesters were back on the sidewalk as ordered, two officers in the back, one already holding pepper spray in his hand, pushed their way to the front line, One struck young lady Liz Nichols in the throat with her riot stick as the other officer sprayed her directly in the face. They can be clearly identified.

Just imagine the horrors he'd recite if his top mayoral priority--preserving the police and fire pension fund--were ever questioned. After all, that little fund is only 10% of everyone's property tax bill. Why should we care that it's routinely abused by "stressed out," drunk driving and road raging cops?

One wonders if the taint of the first criminal indictment of an officer for excessive force in Multnomah County HISTORY will rub off on Chief Reese.

I guess if Reese were to be the next mayor the cops could wear their ninja outfits all the time. Of course NO one would ever go downtown again and then the condo weasels could declare it all blighted (oh wait...that has been virtually accomplished already)....never mind....
Perhaps a better headline is "PoPo chief Reese Misleads @ news conference".

Good thing his boss, Mayor Creepy, is so tolerant of lying, otherwise Reese might be in a bit of professional jeopardy from that little fib.

http://www.change.org/petitions/sam-adams-fire-chief-of-police-mike-reese

Please sign this petition to have Mike Reese fired. Mike Reese abused his position of authority and lied to the public. He used a 15 year old rape victim to further a false narrative. Please join us in holding public figures accountable for their actions.

The PPB's "news release" a few hours prior to Ms Bernstein's piece:

News Release from: Portland Police Bureau
PORTLAND POLICE STATEMENT REGARDING DELAYED RESPONSE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT CALL
Posted: November 18th, 2011 2:13 PM
Photo/sound file: http://www.flashalertnewswire.net/images/news/2011-11/3056/49448/Badge.jpg

On Thursday, November 17, 2011, during a television news interview about the N17 protest in Portland, Chief Mike Reese stated that a victim of a sexual assault had to wait three hours for Portland Police officers to respond due to police resources being tied up with Occupy Portland-related events. This statement has raised community concerns regarding police resources and it's important to put this information into context.

The Portland Police Bureau has faced significant staffing challenges during the Occupy Portland encampments and subsequent events. On Sunday, November 6, 2011, at 1:47 p.m., a 15-year-old girl called to report that she had been the victim of a sexual assault two days earlier, and that the suspect had been sexually assaulting her for months. The call was initially dispatched to police at 1:56 p.m., but a sergeant advised that the call would need to hold for awhile as there were only two free cars to respond to emergency calls in Central Precinct. An officer contacted the victim briefly and explained that all officers were tied up, but than an officer would be back to talk to her as soon as more officers were available. It is important to note the victim was in a safe location, away from the suspect. An officer responded to the victim's location at 5:16 p.m. and began an investigation, which later involved Sex Crimes Unit Detectives.

During the period that this victim had to wait, Central Precinct officers were responding to a shooting investigation at Northeast 66th and Sandy Boulevard where the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and Crisis Negotiators were involved; an incident in Forest Park where two Park Rangers were attacked; as well as being detailed to the ongoing Occupy Portland encampments in Chapman and Lownsdale Squares. Also, at approximately 2:00 p.m., a rally and march for Occupy Portland tied up most remaining police resources until approximately 4:30 p.m.

Additionally, Central Precinct officers were also covering East Precinct calls because of the SERT call and a serious traffic crash that shut down the intersection of Northeast 82nd and Prescott Street. Central Precinct day shift was at their minimum staffing level, which is 16 officers and 2 sergeants, plus 3 officers strictly dedicated to the Occupy Portland encampments.

The Police Bureau is a very lean organization and when several events are happening at the same time, police resources are often tapped to cover the priority calls while lower priority calls that have no immediate danger must hold until officers are clear and able to respond.

This unfortunate incident serves as one example of times when police resources were tapped due to emergency calls and Occupy Portland events and street supervisors have to carefully manage police resources to ensure that officers are available to respond to active emergencies.

This case serves as an example of the challenges the Portland Police Bureau has faced during Occupy Portland events, and it will continue to work through staffing issues and how to best use resources to ensure public safety needs are met within Portland.

###PPB###

Late on a Saturday evening:

"'It was not my intention to mislead people, especially around an incident as serious and sensitive as a reported sexual assault. I spoke about the incident without knowing all of the details and made assumptions that were not correct,' Reese said in a statement. 'I apologize. I should have gathered all the information before discussing it publicly.'"
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/11/portland_police_chief_mike_ree_7.html