Portland, Oregon, just lost a large portion of its police presence after Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts pulled his deputies from assisting the city. The city that wants to “Keep Portland Weird” has pretty much been ground zero for leftist movements, particularly with terrorist groups such as Antifa. In the past couple of years, especially since Donald Trump was elected president, violence and mayhem have spiraled out of control with no help from the city’s mayor, whose dislike for the president has colored his judgment when it comes to protecting his constituents – all of his constituents.
Just days before the kick off to the May Day march, in which demonstrators planned to gather to protest immigration control methods (at least in Portland), Roberts sent an email to his deputies, withdrawing support to the city. “I will not place you at unnecessary personal and professional risk,” the email read.
“As Sheriff, your safety and the safety of Clackamas County residents remain my top priorities. Our work is dangerous enough without adding unnecessary risk when responding to calls for services in the City of Portland.”
Mayor Ted Wheeler, who also holds the position of police commissioner, has been heavily criticized for allowing violence from the left to take over the city. In July 2018, ICE employees were ignored when they called 911 for assistance during the Occupy ICE protest that lasted for weeks and caused all manner of violence and chaos. As Liberty Nation reported, a cease-and-desist letter was sent to Wheeler, demanding ICE employees were to be equally protected as other citizens in the city.
The liberal mayor, however, seems to think that anyone who supports or works for ideals against his own – namely immigration control – shouldn’t warrant assistance. In a tweet in June, Wheeler said:
“The policy being enacted by the federal government around the separation of very small children from their parents is an abomination. It is unamerican.
“I want to be very clear I do not want the @PortlandPolice to be engaged or sucked into a conflict, particularly from a federal agency that I believe is on the wrong track that has not fully lived American values of inclusion and is also an agency where the former head suggested that people who lead cities that are sanctuary cities like this one should be arrested. If they are looking for a bailout from this mayor, they are looking in the wrong place.”
Well, Wheeler has dug himself into a very deep hole and the dirt is finally falling back on top of him. His seemingly anti-police politics have lost his city the support of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department in February, and now Clackamas County as well.
The Portland Police Association (PPA) put out the statement that ultimately led to Roberts’ decision to withdraw the support of his deputies:
“The reason the Police Bureau is experiencing catastrophic staffing shortages, drastically declining recruiting success, and the inability to retain officers is due to one core issue: the intense anti-police sentiment in our City that City Council seems to share.”
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler
With Wheeler’s apparent support of Antifa, a group known to disregard order, peace, and police officers, it’s no wonder sheriffs are abandoning the city. When he discovered the Clackamas County deputies would not be aiding him, the mayor sent a frantic message to Roberts, asking him to hold off on that decision until after May Day.
“My own belief on this is pulling out a few days before sends a signal that people who might come to those demonstrations with the intention of doing harm, potentially vandalism, it send a signal that the Portland Police Bureau is going to be under-resourced,” Wheeler said.
The sheriff did not relent and luckily the event, this time, was peaceful.
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