Portland City Hall Locking Down Ahead of Protest

A planned protest at City Hall ahead of Wednesday's City Council vote on a new police contract has led to the city locking down the building. The building was shut two hours before the protest was to start.

The protest - organized by Don't Shoot PDX and Black Lives Matter - is to register disapproval with the expected ratification of the new contract with the police union.

Activists want the city to wait until Ted Wheeler takes office in January. They feel the just negotiated contract does not adequately address certain issues including body cameras and internal investigations.

At last week's meeting, two protesters were arrested during the council meeting. The meeting was then continued the following day and public access was limited.

"We at Don’t Shoot Portland believe that locking the public out of our own building and then calling it business is usual is outrageous," organizers said in a statement. "This is especially true during a pivotal moment for our city."

The contact, which would give officers a nine percent raise as well as end a rule that allows officers involved in a shooting to wait 48 hours before speaking with investigators, has been called crucial by city officials.

On Tuesday morning, Portland Police Chief Mike Marshman called it a "defining moment for the Portland Police Bureau."

Marshman says that the bureau is facing a staffing shortage that is at crisis level and is expected to get worse.

"The Bureau is facing a staffing crisis with 65 vacancies, and at least 21 more to come this month," says Marshman. "Past budget cuts also reduced the Bureau's authorized strength by 116 positions; the Bureau currently has an authorized strength of 948 sworn members.

"Even more alarming is that 385 members are projected to retire over the next five years."

Marshman says that the bureau is actively recruiting but only one out of 20 candidates is hired. And after being hired, it takes 18 months to train an officer.

The contract "would also provide an incentive for officers currently working at other agencies to come to Portland," Marshman says. "Lateral hires do not have to go through the state academy, significantly reducing training time, which benefits both the lateral hire and the community."

Photo Colin Miner