PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The President of the Portland Police Association, who has been an outspoken critic in previous times of how Mayor Ted Wheeler and city leaders dealt with protesters, had nothing but praise in his assessment of Saturday’s protests.
Daryl Turner said the plan used on August 17 “is a blueprint for future protests comprised of simplistic back-to-basics policing that should resonate into the day to day mission of everyday policing in the City of Portland.”
Last October, he wrote a post called “Line in the sand,” which called on the city council to end a “culture of enablement, restriction of enforcement, criticism of police when we act, and criticism of police when we don’t act, along with an over-emphasis on de-escalation and disengagement (that) has led us to our present, unacceptable situation.”
But in the days and weeks leading up to this most recent protest from right-wing groups and anti-fascists Turner was seen standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Wheeler and PPB Chief Danielle Outlaw.
“The strategic plan put together by Chief Outlaw and all the parties involved was executed with precision, diligence, and professionalism by the rank and file who braved adversity while dealing with volatile opposing factions,” he said in a statement released Saturday night.
Overall, 13 people were arrested — 11 adults and 2 juveniles — and 6 people suffered minor injuries. Officials said those injuries were not caused by police officers.
Turner also thanked the “rank and file men and women” of PPB, who he said are the foundation of the bureau and deal with “an immense amount of political rhetoric.”
“Another job well done!” he said.