PPB is preparing for election night with increased patrols and community engagement

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – The Portland Police Bureau is preparing for election night and wants to allow people to exercise their First Amendment rights while curbing crime.

Chief Bob Day said he sat down and spoke with community partners and advisory boards to find out what stakeholders were planning for election night so he could effectively deploy officers on Nov. 5.

“We see this as an opportunity for all of Portland to demonstrate the ability to have a truly safe and effective election season,” Day said Tuesday afternoon.

PPB will have its hands full on election night. Day told the media that the department has canceled all days off for officers for Election Day and everyone will be working a 12-hour shift to maximize their resources and response.

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“We have increased the use of bicycles this year. Purchasing new bikes this year will allow us to respond to incidents more flexibly and reduce potential conflicts,” said Day.

They also brought back their rapid reaction force.

“They are specifically trained to deal with crowds and lead large groups. “They’re not riot police,” Day said. “We also use them for other events throughout the city.”

The conflicts that emerged after the 2016 presidential election and the 2020 unrest are still fresh in the minds of many people. Especially for downtown business owners like Susan Landa.

“People were nervous. I remember everyone was nervous about the election,” Susan Landa, owner of The Fossil Cartel, recalled of the last presidential election.

FOX 12 spoke with Landa in 2020 after she boarded up her windows for the first time during the lockdown and George Floyd riots. She re-boarded her windows before the 2020 election. And four years later, they are still active. But she said this election season feels different than 2020.

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“Personally, I’m not too worried about it. I feel really safe here. I guess I get nervous because others get nervous, but we’ll stay open our normal hours, which is until six o’clock,” Landa said.

Between the boards outside and the surveillance cameras inside, Landa feels safe. But she said she felt even safer when she learned about the police’s plan to increase patrols on election night.

“The more police for me, the better it will help us protect ourselves. More police officers in the city center, I support that,” said Landa.

Day said he encourages people to exercise their First Amendment rights — as long as they do so legally.

“My message to those who want to commit criminal behavior is: we will stand up against this behavior, we will intervene, we will make arrests, we will make suggestions for law enforcement, after all, we are a country of laws,” Day said .

PPB said they are still working on their plan for Nov. 5 and will release more information each week as election night approaches.

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