Chief Lovell OIS Statement - 6/25/2021

Last night, a Portland Police Officer was involved in a fatal shooting with a subject. Understandably, there is a lot of emotion following a use of deadly force and community members want to know what occurred immediately. While we are committed to getting as much information out as quickly as possible, we have to weigh how this affects the investigation and accountability process. Unfortunately, shortly after last night’s shooting, people began sharing false information on social media. That seemed to fuel a hostile crowd that gathered at the scene of the investigation and it made an already tense situation even more precarious for community members, officers and investigators. Some in the crowd even tried to push into the closed area. If bystanders were able to enter the homicide scene, they would have ultimately destroyed or contaminated evidence, impacting the criminal and administrative investigations. The Police Bureau has a strict directive that outlines what has to occur following a deadly force incident, and last night our personnel were doing their best to follow it. As they were working, officers were assaulted and sprayed with an unknown substance and their vehicles were damaged. This did nothing to further the goal of a thorough investigation or accountability process. I commend the officers for containing the scene so investigators could do their work. Due to the number of PPB officers who had to secure the scene, we needed to ask for assistance to take 911 calls. Thank you to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and Lake Oswego Police Department for responding. I understand the public’s desire to know what occurred as soon as possible and we are working with the District Attorney’s Office and our investigators to determine how to disseminate information more quickly, especially if there is erroneous information. However, there is a lot of meticulous work that must be done at the scene. After a use of deadly force occurs, all the necessary responders are notified. Personnel respond to the scene, but that can take time if they are off-duty. Prior to their arrival, PPB personnel are implementing the procedures outlined in our directive, including securing the crime scene, separating any involved officers, and locating any witnesses. Once detectives arrive to begin the investigation, they must be meticulous in their information gathering. They begin taking initial statements from witnesses. There is the collection and processing of all evidence, getting diagrams, sketches and photos completed, seizing any weapons and collecting that evidence. There is much to be done and each scene is different, depending on how many people were involved, the amount of evidence and other factors. Interviews will continue for days following the incident. Information obtained must be verified prior to release. Concurrently, the Professional Standards Division conducts an administrative review of each such incident. This will determine if ultimately the member’s actions were within the Police Bureau’s policies and training. The Police Bureau’s deadly force process is through and has multiple layers. Per our policy, we release the officer’s identity within 24 hours of the incident. If the involved subject is deceased, we must wait for the Medical Examiner to conduct an autopsy to determine cause of death, identify the individual and inform his next of kin. We know our community wants transparency, but it also wants accountability. It would be irresponsible to provide information without first ensuring it is verified and won’t jeopardize the integrity of the investigation. I pledge to continue to provide as much information as quickly as we can, but I am also committed to ensuring our accountability process is carefully followed.