Portland police chief says PPB ready for post-election violence after peaceful election night

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Despite a mostly quiet election night, Portland police will be on extra alert for violence through the weekend , Chief Bob Day said on Wednesday.

WATCH FULL Q&A WITH DAY HERE:

Tuesday saw minimal demonstrations and no election-related violence, while officers who were engaging with the community directed 16 people into deflection, Day said.

"There was a call to action last week by several of our community leaders and stakeholders and really reflecting that this is an opportunity for us to put our best face forward and demonstrate our ability to have a safe and equitable election process and season, and I'm really grateful for that," Day said.

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However, PPB will continue to monitor events on social media to make sure they are ready if something changes and PPB liaison officers, who wear white shirts and are specially trained to "create pathways" of communication with demonstrators, will also be working to make contact with groups, Day said.

"We want to be consistent and equitable and fair and just regardless of the cause, regardless of the reason, regardless of the activity, that we, in our response, are consistent," Day said.

Day said there was a possible gathering planned for Wednesday at Pioneer Square.

"Seems to be, the title of it has something to do with 'Neither Red nor Blue' - some sort of comment like that - I don't know that it's associated with any particular group or organization," Day said. "This stuff pops up on social media and anyone can put anything out there."

Day said officers are currently scheduled to work 12-hour shifts through the weekend, to be ready if anything happens in the next few days.

"We're always analyzing a variety of different factors. One is just the human factor. This is a significant toll on our members, it's a significant sacrifice for them personally. And we know that's hard on their families," Day said.

Day said the extra time and staff is also an extra financial ask from the city.

"We need to be fiscally responsible with our budget and with the city money and the taxpayer dollars," Day said. "Do we need all these resources? But there's the question of how much risk do we want to assume?"

Day said they are weighing the cost to officers and the city against the risk, as well as future possibilities for violence on Jan. 6 and during the inauguration season.

"With the plan, going forward, we continue to evaluate, but that plan is always flexible and adaptable," Day said.

Day also encouraged people to come downtown and enjoy the city's many small businesses.

"The city is open for business, and it's available for our active participation," Day said. "We've worked hard to maintain that level of safety and security and I hope people will continue to engage."