Portland police tells woke city's crime victims they're on their own: Residents warned of delayed responses to all but the most serious 911 calls due to spiraling crime and staff shortages amid record-breaking murder rate
- Portland residents faced longer wait times for 911 calls that didn't concern imminent threats to life or property on Monday
- The Portland PD attributed the delays to 'critical' staffing shortages 'due to budget cuts... and the backlog of needed training for new officers'
- On Friday, the city hit the grim milestone of 80 murders this year, surpassing the its all-time high of 67 killings attained for the entire year of 1987
- Last year, the department lost 84 officers, who retired or quit, when the Portland City Council cut their budget by $15 million
- $5.2 million was restored to the budget last month
- Mayor Ted Wheeler said that 'many Portlanders no longer feel safe in their city' when he advocated for the increase
Portland's police department has warned residents of the woke but crime-ravaged Oregon city to expect delays in cops answering all but the most serious 911 calls.
On Monday, Portland Police were only responding to priority 1 and priority 2 calls - codes that refer to incidents that are life-threatening or with a potential for physical injury, as well as major property crimes.
It came in the wake of a busy day for cops in the city, which included two carjackings, one of which ended with police shooting an armed suspect dead.
Responses to any crime-in-progress that didn't pose an immediate threat to persons or property were 'delayed,' the department tweeted. Ongoing staff shortages were also blamed for the slump in emergency services provision.
The ominous announcement came as the city of roses hit an all-time high in homicides. The 80 murder milestone reached on Friday far surpasses Portland's record of 67, attained in 1987, and is likely to rise before 2021 comes to an end in 24 days.
That number has been ramping steadily - in 2020, 53 homicides were reported. In 2019, there were 29, and in 2018 there were 25.
As of October, there were 1,126 shootings throughout the city this year - in 2020 there were 792 and the year before there were 355, according to the Portland Police Department
On Monday, Portland Police were only responding to priority 1 and priority 2 calls - codes that refer to incidents that are life-threatening or with a potential for physical injury, as well as major property crimes
The ominous announcement came as the city of roses hit an all-time high in homicides. The 80 murder milestone reached on Friday far surpasses Portland's record of 67, attained in 1987
Meanwhile, 55 officers retired and another 29 left the department, leaving 835 sworn members on the force amid nationwide calls to defund police that were heard especially loud in Portland last year.
The city is famed as America's most woke, and is renowned as a hotbed of Antifa activists, who regularly protest and riot in the dilapidated streets of downtown Portland.
Thousands marched to call for the city's council to defund or even abolish its police department in the wake of George Floyd's May 2020 murder.
A total of $15 million was duly slashed from the city's budget, with progressive Portland prosecutors also blamed for the spiraling crime for refusing to charge 70 per cent of people arrested by the city's police.
In January, the department said it faces 'critical' staffing shortages 'due to budget cuts, retirements and separations, and the backlog of needed training for new officers caused by the pandemic.'
Many have decided to retire amid cratering morale, but Portland is now following other pro-defund cities like Chicago by pumping money into its PD to try and slash crime.
Protesters are seen squaring off with Portland Police in a Black Lives Matter protest last June
Fifty-five officers retired and another 29 left the department, leaving 835 sworn members on the force amid nationwide calls to defund police that were heard especially loud in Portland last year. Pictured are officers using chemical irritants and crowd control munitions to disperse protesters in September of 2020
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On Monday, officers responded to multiple carjackings throughout the city - one victim was shot. Then, officers shot the suspect dead when they arrived on-scene.
Last month, the Portland City Council voted to bump law enforcement's funding by $5.2 million, still leaving it with less funding after that budget was slashed by $15 million last June.
Mayor Ted Wheeler said that 'many Portlanders no longer feel safe in their city' when he advocated for the increase.
'Business owners have closed up shop for fear of doing business in high-risk areas. Commuters fear for their safety, whether taking public transport or going by foot. Parents are scared to let their children play outside.'
Mayor Ted Wheeler (pictured) said that 'many Portlanders no longer feel safe in their city' when he advocated for the increase
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