JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE PORTLAND POLICE BUREAU AND THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
News Release from Portland Police Bureau
Posted on FlashAlert: November 14th, 2016 1:30 PM
Downloadable file: DA_PPB.jpg
Over the past several days, the Portland Police Bureau has arrested in excess of 100 people for violating laws including Disorderly Conduct, Interfering with a Peace Officer, Attempted Assault on a Peace Officer and other criminal charges.
Those taken into custody for charges other than those related to the shooting on the Morrison Bridge (early Saturday morning) will have their first court appearance today at the Justice Center at 2:00 p.m. Nearly all of the criminal cases will not be charged and arraigned today. Due to the fluid nature of the ongoing protests over the past several days, most of the arresting officers were on duty, working to protect the city during an emergent event. As such, work is continuing by officers and detectives to complete the necessary reports but they will not be finished in time for today’s arraignments and for review by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. Additionally, hundreds of hours of video evidence capturing the events must be collected and reviewed.
Nearly all of those arrested over the past several days have received or will receive traffic citations for violating Oregon Revised Statute 811.535, Failing to Obey a Police Officer. These citations will require a court appearance in approximately 30 days and carry a fine of up to $1,000.
Although all of the defendants will be learning today that their case was a “no complaint” at arraignment, none of the cases have actually been evaluated for legal sufficiency and prosecutorial merit. Once the reports have been submitted to the District Attorney’s Office and the video evidence has been reviewed, decisions regarding prosecution will be made.
The sheer number of arrests during protests over the last several days has been an exceptional event and the charges being “no complainted” today is not unexpected and is a procedural matter given the extensive amount of work left to do in these cases.
The Portland Police Bureau is continuing to ask for the public’s help to identify criminal suspects involved in this last week’s protests and riot. Many people were taking pictures and video during the protests that may contain the identities of suspects involved in reports of widespread vandalism.
Some images of criminal suspects have been released publicly on the Bureau’s “CanYouIDMe” page and can be viewed at http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/canyouidme/
The Bureau would like any victims of vandalism and related crimes to file a report online at https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/cor/
If members of the public (including members of the media) have information, pictures or video that could be used to identify suspects, detectives would like you to submit it to the investigators. Investigators do not need links to media sites as these have already been obtained and will be reviewed.
IMPORTANT – For larger files of photos and/or video, please use a Dropbox or Google Drive link and email the link and any information to CrimeTips@portlandoregon.gov