Maybe Police Chief Mike Reese Shouldn't Have Blamed Slow Response to Rape on Occupy Portland

Portland Police Chief Mike Reese

Portland Police Chief and potential mayoral candidate Mike Reese has become an online laughingstock for telling KGW-TV yesterday that Occupy Portland delayed police response to a rape for three hours. ---

"We had a rape victim stand by for three hours until we could get an officer to take a report," Reese said, "and that makes all of us very sad."

Today, the Police Bureau walked Reese's claim back, admitting that the call was back on Nov. 6, the victim was was reporting a two-day-old crime, and officers were also responding to a shooting.

Twitter users are mocking the chief using the hashtag #Reese4Mayor.

A sampling:


mock campaign poster,
Oregonian

Reese's claim feels even more ill-judged when you recall that the Police Bureau has a documented history of not giving full attention to the victims of sexual assaults. A 2007 city audit found "Portland's system does not meet best practice standards for responding to victims' needs or investigating cases." 

UPDATE: Reese has apologized, admitting "reality was more complex"

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