Portland PD Reassigns Officer for Speaking His Mind, Not for Excessive Force
Portland police officer Brian Ellis received a reassignment for criticizing activist Renee Good on TikTok, as The Hill dutifully reported. This swift action for a social media comment stands in stark contrast to the glacial pace, or outright lack thereof, when addressing officers accused of excessive force during protests. Recall the Portland Police Bureau's extensive history of documented
violence against peaceful demonstrators, including indiscriminately firing 'less-lethal' munitions, leading to widespread injuries and lawsuits. (See: ACLU of Oregon's ongoing litigation records regarding police conduct during 2020 protests). So, a uniformed officer airing public opinions on a private citizen is cause for immediate concern, but the systemic issues of police brutality and
accountability often require years of public outcry and litigation to even slightly acknowledge. It appears the Portland Police Bureau's priority is not public safety, nor even officer conduct in the field, but rather the internal policing of 'tone' when that tone dares to step outside the official narrative. One might cynically suggest that suppressing a TikTok comment is an easier P.R. win than,
say, reforming a deeply entrenched culture of violence.