Ted Wheeler today was shown that as Police Commissioner he knows less about what his police are doing than does Acting Secretary Chad Wolf Chief Chuck Lovell. What a sentient farce is this guy.
“I will defer to the Portland Police Bureau and state police,” Wheeler said, when asked whether PPB would be working with OSP near the courthouse. “My understanding, the last time I was updated two days ago, was that it would exclusively be OSP. If that’s changed, I’m not aware of it.”
When asked a similar question, Lovell said that “OSP and PPB will work jointly”—and indicated that OSP will serve as a link between Portland police and federal officers who will remain in Portland after the speciality team leaves.
I guess the reason why Wheeler didn’t want to hand over the Police Bureau to Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty is because he doesn’t actually want anyone on the City Council controlling the Police Bureau at all.