Portland officer delayed call responses, let suspect flee, blamed Obama. Union challenges firing.

The Oregonian published a summary of the semi-annual Police Review Board’s report. In addition to a few instances of officers negligently popping off their guns, one particular incident is raising eyebrows:

A Portland police officer who deliberately delayed responding to a welfare check call in 2019 and then let the suspect walk away was fired after he misled internal investigators about what he did, according to bureau records made public this month. The officer made a bogus remark to witnesses, telling them something like: “Due to the Obama administration,” police don’t chase known suspects, according to a summary by the Police Review Board.

…

In the welfare check case, sources familiar with the investigation said it was Andrew Caspar who was fired. State records show Caspar was fired by the Police Bureau last Aug. 18 after going on leave on Aug. 28, 2019. He joined the bureau in July 1998. The Portland Police Association is challenging Caspar’s termination and has been in arbitration this past week.

Maxine Bernsteign, The Oregonian 3/20/2021

Obviously the Obama administration has nothing to do with this officer’s lie covering for dereliction of duty and so they have been fired. In a fantastic show of honest policing, the union (PPA) does not think this behavior is a fire-able offence.

Check out the full article for more about an officer reporting racially insensitive training practices and a handful of officers that just can’t seem to stop their weapons from firing off with reckless abandon.

For the full scoop the PDF of the board’s findings is also available.