SMOKE
SMOKE TO
SMOKE TO CLEAR THE CROWD. FOR MONTHS THAT WE MADE UP POINT
OF DOING OUR BEST TO ELEVATE
THE VOICES THAT WE HEAR, YOU
HEAR SOUNDBITES FROM PEOPLE IN
THE CROWD.
THE CROWD. AND WE DO THIS TO GIVE YOU A
BETTER SENSE ON WHO IS DOWN
THERE AND WHY.
WE GOT A LOT OF EMAILS FROM
PEOPLE THAT SAY THAT THE
PERSPECTIVE OF POLICE WAS
MISSING.
MISSING.
MISSING. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
AGREED WITH.
AGREED WITH. THAT IS WHY, DAN, MADE SEVERAL
PUBLIC PLEADS FOR OUR TEAM TO
SIT DOWN TO HAVE A CONVERSATION
WITH THE POLICE OFFICER THAT
HAS BEEN AT THESE PROTESTS.
NO UNION PRESIDENT, NOT THE
PEOPLE WE USUALLY GOT WE JUST
WANTED A STRAIGHT UP COP THAT
HAS BEEN THERE NIGHT AFTER
NIGHT.
NIGHT.
NIGHT. ONE OF THOSE OFFICERS HEARD
ABOUT DAN'S REQUEST AND HE
REACHED OUT TO US TO VOLUNTEER.
THURSDAY, OF LAST WEEK, WE SAT
DOWN WITH HIM AND WE TALKED FOR
THEN AN HOUR.
OUR FULL CONVERSATION IS UP NOW
ON YOU TO.
HE IS AN 18 YEAR VETERAN OF THE
PORTLAND POLICE BUREAU.
HE WAS ON THE RAPID RESPONSE
TEAM. HE IS NOW A PATROL COP
AND HE HAS BEEN AT THE PROTESTS
MOST NIGHTS.
MOST NIGHTS. WE WON THE LET THEM KNOW, WE
LET HIM KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WE
WANTED HIS TAKE AND WE WANTED
TO CHALLENGE HIM ON THE TECH SIX
, YOU SEE THE PERSON ON THE
RECEIVING END OF THE FORCE
CLEARLY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG
. HE ANSWER TO ALL OF IT.
ALL THAT IN MIND WE WILL PLAY
IT FOR YOU NOW, LARGE PORTIONS
OF THE INTERVIEW STARTING WITH
ME ASKING HIM WHY HE AGREED TO
THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE?>>
Reporter: OUR TEAM AT KGW NEWS,
OUR TEAM AT THE STORY, WE HAD
REACHED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES
ASKING TO SPEAK TO AN OFFICER
THAT HAS BEEN AT THE PROTESTS
YOU EMAILED US.
YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO IT.
WHY?
WHY?
WHY? >>
WHY? >> YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT MY
ENTIRE CAREER I HAVE NEVER BEEN
THE TYPE OF PERSON TO THIS THAT
DOING THIS SORT OF THING.
THERE IS SO MUCH IN A WAY OF
WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE FALSE
INFORMATION OUT THERE.
NO ONE IS OUT THERE SPEAKING UP.
YOU KNOW, IT STARTED OFF WHERE
THERE WAS A LETTER WRITTEN TO
MAYOR WHEELER THAT WAS PUBLIC
FROM THE HOUSE SPEAKER.
IT REALLY STRUCK A LITTLE BIT
OF ACCORD WITH ME WHERE SHE
MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT
POLICE ESCALATING THE SITUATION
, YOU KNOW, WHAT AMOUNTED TO
RIOTS, THE CROWD WOULD SIMPLY
STOP THEIR BEHAVIOR AND GO
AWAY.
AWAY.
AWAY. >>
AWAY. >> Reporter: WHAT IS YOUR
RESPONSE WOULD WITH YOU FEEL
THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT HEARING?
>> THE OFFICERS THAT HAVE
SPOKEN UP HAVE TOUCHED ON
THIS, YOU KNOW, THESE PROTESTS,
THEY STARTED OFF AS PROTESTS
THERE IS A LEGITIMATE MESSAGE
TO ALL OF THIS.
WHETHER WE AGREE WITH HOW WE
GOT TO WHERE WE ARE, THERE IS A
LEGITIMATE GROUP THAT HAS A
LEGITIMATE MESSAGE AND I
BELIEVE, PORTLAND IS DOING AN
OUTSTANDING JOB OF ADDRESSING
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. WE
THAT. WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN DIFFERENT
REFORMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THESE HAVE NOW DEVOLVED, THEY
HAVE BEEN HIJACKED, THEY ARE
HIJACKED BY ANARCHISTS, THEY
HAVE DEVOLVED INTO THESE MASSES
OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BENT ON
DESTRUCTION AND MAINLY HURTING
POLICE OR ANYONE THAT DISAGREES
WITH THAT MESSAGE.
I MEAN, THERE HAVE BEEN FEW
INSTANCES THAT THINGS HAVE NOT
HAPPENED THAT CAUSED THE POLICE
TO REACT TO WHAT THE BILL IN
THE CROWD ARE DOING.
EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, WITH THESE
UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY, PEOPLE THAT
ARE PEACEFUL THEY HAVE BEEN
GIVEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO
LEAVE, THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN
THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS TIME AND
TIME AGAIN AND THOSE PEOPLE
THAT CHOOSE TO STAY, IN MY
VIEW, ARE COMPLICIT IN THE
OVERALL, THE OVERALL ACTION
THAT IS HAPPENING.
WE SEE PEOPLE YOU KNOW, YOU SEE
VIDEOS OF PEOPLE WITH THEIR
HANDS UP GETTING KNOCKED OVER
BY POLICE.
BY POLICE. THAT IS JUST A SNIPPET OF WHAT
IS HAPPENING.
IS HAPPENING. THOSE SAY PEOPLE ARE THROWING
ROCKS AND BOTTLES.
THOSE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE
THROWING, YOU KNOW, MORTARS AT
US. AND THEY ARE TRYING TO GET
THAT CLIP SHOWING US DOING
SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WRONG,
ILLEGAL, BRUTAL, SOMETHING THAT
LOOKS BRUTAL.
LOOKS BRUTAL. >> Reporter: I HAVE TO PUSH
BACK ON THAT YOU SAID THE
PEOPLE BE PUSHED AND THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE SEEN IN THOSE SHORT
VIDEOS ARE THE ONES THROWING
ROCKS, BOTTLES, AND MUNITIONS,
BUT WE KNOW THAT JOURNALISTS
HAVE BEEN PUSHED AND CHALLENGED
PHYSICALLY WE ARE ABSOLUTELY
NOT THE ONES THAT SMACKED NOT
TO SAY THAT WE ARE MORE
IMPORTANT THAN ANYONE ELSE THERE
BUT THAT IS A TANGIBLE OBVIOUS
EXAMPLE THAT THAT IS NOT TROOPER
. THEY ARE THROWING ROCKS AND
BOTTLES, PEOPLE MAY SAY, IT IS
NOT THE SAME, YOU SIGNED UP FOR
AGE OUT THAT YOU UPHOLD THE LAW
. WE NEED TO FOLLOW IT.
THE PEOPLE AT THE RECEIVING END
OF PHYSICAL FORCE ARE LAUNCHING
THE PROJECTILES, WE KNOW THAT
THAT HASN'T BEEN TRUE.
THAT CANNOT BE THE BLANKET A
TRUTH ADDED TO THE LOGIC OF
THIS?
THIS?
THIS? >>
THIS? >> SOMETIMES, PEOPLE GET CAUGHT
IN THE MIDDLE.
THAT STATEMENT, YOU KNOW, I
WASN'T TRYING TO MAKE A BLANKET
STATEMENT.
STATEMENT. BASED ON MY OBSERVATIONS, MORE
OFTEN THAN NOT WHAT YOU SEE IS
A SNIPPET IN TIME. IT IS PEOPLE
ENGAGED WITH THESE CRIMINAL ACTS
. A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT
SPENT YOU KNOW, I WALKED BACK
TO WHERE I SAID THE PEOPLE THAT
STAY ARE COMPLICIT IN THIS.
THAT IS PARTIALLY -- THE PART
THAT THEY CHOOSE TO STAY THEY
COULD BE PEACEFUL WITHIN
THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, THOSE
COULD BE SOME OF THE PEOPLE
THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE NOT
THROWING THE OBJECTS, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE GET CAUGHT UP IN THE
MIDDLE WHEN, YOU KNOW, STUFF IS
GOING ON BACK BEHIND THE MAN WE
MAKE A PUSH.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL, YOU
KNOW, WHO IS WHO AND WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT.
>> Reporter: VALID.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD BE ABLE
TO TELL BUT SOMEONE MAY SAY
LET'S WALK THAT US STEP
FORWARD.
FORWARD.
FORWARD. THEY MAY SAY THAT FORCE CANNOT
BE USED IF YOU ARE NOT SURE IF
THEY ARE THE ONES BE AN
AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS YOU.
>> WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
>> Reporter: THAT IS MY
QUESTION.
QUESTION.
QUESTION. >> WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
WE HAVE BEEN EVEN THEM EVERY
OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO LEAVE.
FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT WANT TO
BE SUBJECT TO FORCE OR BE
VIOLENT, IT IS ALMOST LIKE, YOU
KNOW, STANDING IN THE FREEWAY.
THIS AREA HAS BEEN CLOSED, YOU
KNOW, OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, IF
YOU DO NOT LEAVE YOUR SUBJECT
TO FORCE.
TO FORCE.
TO FORCE. WHEN THE OFFICERS RUN TO, WE
ARE TRYING TO GET TO THE BACK
OF THE CROWD WHERE THE REAL
CRIMINALS ARE THROWING THINGS
AT US AND YOU DON'T MOVE.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT?
I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER.
WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE THAT ARE
DOING JUST THAT THAT WE RUN
PASS THEM AND THEY TURN AROUND
AND GET ON OUR BACK.
>> Reporter: TO BE CLEAR
PORTLAND POLICE HAVE DOCUMENTED
AND PUBLICIZED AND WE HAVE
REPORTED THINGS LIKE COMMERCIAL
FIREWORKS, CONCRETE, WE HAVE
SEEN VIDEOS OF THIS PEOPLE HAVE
SET FIRES INSIDE OF BUILDINGS
INCLUDING THE PORTLAND POLICE
ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS.
ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS. ALSO A PRECINCT HAD OFFICERS AT
THE TIME AND OF FIRE WAS STARTED
AT THAT PLACE.
HE WAS STANDING IN A LINE WITH
FELLOW OFFICERS WHILE MEN IN
THE CROWD BUSIED THEM YELLED
HORRIBLE SEXUALLY VIOLENT THINGS
AT FEMALE OFFICERS.
ALEX WITH THE PORTLAND MERCURY
NOTICED SOMETHING HAPPENING, NOT
QUITE VIOLENT COMMENTS BUT
SOMETHING NEGATIVE.
SOMETHING NEGATIVE. >> I DIDN'T EMPHASIZE THAT IT
WAS JUST ONE PERSON IN THE CROWD
SAYING THOSE THINGS.
IT WAS A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE
IN THE CROWD SAYING THOSE
THINGS AND THEY WERE SAYING IT
OVER MEGAPHONES SIX INCHES FROM
THE OFFICERS FACES. IT WAS
BLATANT, CALCULATED, ONE THING,
IN THE MOMENT ONE THING THAT
HELPS ME BALANCE THAT IS THEY
ARE STANDING HERE AND THERE
CALL ME A RACIST FOR SAYING
WHATEVER.
WHATEVER.
WHATEVER. I AM STANDING SHOULDER TO
SHOULDER WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR
THAT ARE ON MY SIDE OF THE LINE,
WE ARE A FAR MORE DIVERSE GROUP
THAN WHAT I SEE OUT AMONG THE
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. I
PEOPLE. I TRUST THE PEOPLE ON MY SIDE
WITH MY LIFE.
THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE OF EVERY
COLOR.
COLOR.
COLOR. WE
COLOR. WE HAVE A BOND.
WE HAVE A BROTHERHOOD AND A
SISTERHOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, IS
REALLY UNBREAKABLE.
REALLY UNBREAKABLE. FOR SOMEBODY TO SIT THERE AND
ACCUSE ME OF BEING A RACIST
WHEN I'M STANDING HERE WITH A
DIVERSE GROUP, WE ARE OUT
WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME GOALS
AND WE ARE FRIENDS WHEN WE
LEAVE.
LEAVE.
LEAVE. THAT IS COMING FROM, YOU KNOW,
LARGELY WHITE PEOPLE THAT THINK
THAT THEY HAVE TWO SPEAK FOR
THE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN
THE CROWD.
THE CROWD. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
THOSE ARE THE WAYS THAT I COULD
THINK ABOUT THIS.
>> Reporter: AGAIN, I TALKED TO
THEM FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR, WE
TALKED ABOUT HIS THOUGHTS ON
DEFUNDING THE POLICE.
AND THE NEW MULTNOMAH
COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER. CHECK IT OUT ON THE KGW