A police patrol in Florida (United States). (Drawing) – Joe Raedle Getty Images
The fifty police officers of the rapid response unit (RRT) of Portland (United States) resigned on Wednesday from their post, held on a voluntary basis in addition to their other duties. This general decision announced on the site of the local police office came the day after the indictment of one of them for “illegal use of force” on a demonstrator, reports NBC News.
Teri Jacobs, a photojournalist covering a protest march in Portland in August 2020, accused Officer Corey Budworth of throwing her to the ground and beating her. A police union had for its part claimed that the civil servant had himself been knocked down to the ground while trying to “restore order during a chaotic night of fires and destruction”.
Suspension administrative
Several people then intervened when an officer wanted to arrest one of the demonstrators, said police representatives. Corey Budworth then allegedly used his regulation stick to push Teri Jacobs away and knocked him down. Fearing that the participant “does not come back to the charge”, the respondent would have pushed her again with his stick, which would have “accidentally hit” the victim in the head, said the union.
The organization called the indictment by the grand jury a “decision […] Politics “. Teri Jacobs’ complaint resulted in a payment of $ 50,000 (about 42,000 euros) from the Town Hall to the journalist at the start of the year. The RRT police put forward the indictment of their colleague among the reasons for their massive resignation.
Acting Police Chief Chris Davis, however, referred to the “culmination of a long process”. The officers will retain their post and assignment with Portland law enforcement. Corey Budworth has for his part been the subject of an administrative suspension.
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