Portland, OR — The Portland Police Bureau’s entire Rapid Response Team just resigned after one of their officers was indicted for his role in response to a riot.
Officer Corey Budworth was indicted for allegedly assaulting a member of the press when a protest at the Multnomah Building turned violent last August.
Protesters blocked streets, set fire to multiple dumpsters, shattered windows, and defaced property. At one point, a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the building, prompting police to declare the assembly an unlawful riot.
Clashes ensued when the increasingly violent crowd refused to disperse.
Two people were arrested, but charges appear to have been dropped shortly afterward.
“Unfortunately, this decorated public servant has been caught in the crossfire of agenda-driven city leaders and a politicized criminal justice system,” the Portland Police Association said.
“After nearly 75 consecutive nights of violence, destruction, and mayhem, a small group of RRT (Rapid Response Team) officers—including Officer Budworth—were again tasked with dealing with the riot. Per PPB Command Staff orders, RRT officers cleared the rioters from the area to allow the Fire Bureau to extinguish the blaze. But the rioters were not satisfied,” the Portland Police Association said.
Rioters then reassembled and later attempted to interfere in an arrest.
Officer Budworth and other members of the RRT attempted to use baton pushes to clear the rioters from the area, according to the union.
Teri Jacobs, who already received a $50,000 settlement from the city, reportedly fell down in the scuffle.
“Reasonably believing that she was getting back up to re-engage in her unlawful activities, Officer Budworth employed one last baton push to try and keep her on the ground, which accidentally struck Ms. Jacobs in the head. The location of Officer Budworth’s last baton push was accidental, not criminal,” the association said. He faced a violent and chaotic, rapidly evolving situation, and he used the lowest level of baton force—a push; not a strike or a jab—to remove Ms. Jacobs from the area.”
The 50 officers who voted to resign are all reportedly still employed with the PPB. The Rapid Response Team is a voluntary unit that is primarily used to respond to crowd control situations. Their resignation is effective Wednesday.
This is a major blow to the PPB’s ability to respond to riots that might turn violent.
A Portland Police Officer told the Post Millennial that they “have no clue what is going to happen.” The officer said the PPB does not have enough officers to take off the street to police large crowds. They also stated that normal officers do not carry the same gear utilized by the RRT.
The PPB says they are looking at rescheduling officers, so they have extra help on the weekends now that the RRT is no longer staffed.
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You usually get what you deserve and Portland is getting it and it is only going to get worse. What is wrong with these people? How do they expect to have law and order when they have no one to enforce it? Are they that crazy?
Apply nationwide esp Blue states OK
Those b*****ds throwing the rocks should have been shot!! I think the morons should be shot with a tranquilizer gun that will drop them in their tracks. Then the garbage people can go around and pick there worthless butts up and throw them in a big dump truck and take them to the Police station where they can be processed and thrown in jail. If there are any complaints then perhaps they should have thought about that before they put their sorry butts out there. These slugs disgust me to no end.
if Lauren babert was shot for going to have a look at ‘her’ capitol building , these actual rioters should be hung, drawn, quartered , then burnt at the stake , boiled in oil .. .. or just made to listen to 8 hrs non stop of sleepy joes early years speeches
75v nights ! of actual riots ?. MSM =mostly peaceful. Jan 6th , police invite in to capitol building ,and guide, some stray Trump conservatives that some how weren’t at the actual address being given 40 minutes walk away . Their group sadly had been infiltrated by FBI undercover agents and blm /antifa activists dressed as trumpites , but with hats backwards to identify them . The later is now subject to another multi million dollar witch hunt !?. The former … crickets .. when will an honest lawyer come forward and help the citizens that have lost property due to ,deliberate ,stupid and criminal behavior from Portland elected officials ,sue same officials in their private capacity . strip them of everything they own , including all foreign funding they have received, which can go to pay damages and costs of ‘housing’ the usefull idiots in black . for ever ,hopefully .