PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Demonstrations have been ongoing for months in the Portland Metro area. With election day approaching, law enforcement is preparing for what could be an active week. Portland police have already started pooling all available officers.
“We at the Portland Police Bureau have canceled days off so we have additional staffing on hand,” said Police Chief Chuck Lovell.
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said his office will continue to focus on those who commit assault or cause property damage.
“My office’s guidelines are still in place and we’ve been handling everything, focusing on cases of property damage and violence, and prioritizing those cases,” said Schmidt.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office is taking a very specific role in preventing problems at ballot drop-off locations.
“We want to be really clear that voter intimidation, disruption, blocking access to ballot drop sites, preventing people from casting ballots—any violence before or after the election will not be tolerated,” said Sheriff Mike Reese.
He said they will be increasing patrols near drop sites so they can respond quickly to any calls, and a special team of deputies will be assigned county-wide to take those calls for service.
“If they have any reports of intimidation, interference, or threats towards voters, to call that in. If you fear imminent violence, call 9-1-1. If it’s not an emergency and you have a question, reach out to the elections office,” said Reese.
The sheriff is also asking voters to document anything that doesn’t seem right.
“If you see something suspicious, document what you see and report that to the elections officer or local law enforcement.”
A number of agencies will be working together and coordinating during election week, including PPB, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police, to handle any unrest.