
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) on Thursday ordered the Portland Police Bureau to cease using a form of tear gas as riots continue to plague the Democrat-run city.
The Oregonian reports:
The declaration that officers will no longer unleash CS gas comes after 105 straight days of protests that have seen city and federal officers deploy tear gas on participants. Over that time, people have also repeatedly been subjected to gas by Portland police in their cars or homes while not participating in the demonstrations. […]
Public records show Portland police have spent tens of thousands of dollars on less-lethal munitions and tear gas canisters in response to nightly protests.
“During the last hundred days Portland, Multnomah County and state police have all relied on CS gas where there is a threat to life safety,” Wheeler, who also serves as Portland’s police chief, said in a video statement. “We need something different. We need it now.”
Below is Wheeler’s full statement:
In a statement to The Oregonian, Oregon State Police Captain Timothy Fox said: “The OSP will be forced to assess our involvement in assisting the city of Portland.”
“We will not for force our troopers into this untenable situation and limit their ability to defend themselves and others,” he added.