Readers Respond to the Portland 911 Callers Who Incorrectly Report a Weapon

“Did he even point the fake gun at the officer? The article just says he flipped them off, from 90 feet away.”

Lents Neighborhood A memorial in Lents Park. (Chris Nesseth) (Chris Nesseth)

In April, Portland police shot and killed Robert Delgado, who was the subject of a 911 call that he was ‘quick-drawing’ a gun. It turned out Delgado had a replica handgun. Delgado’s death is part of a larger pattern: In the past decade, 1 in 4 Portlanders that police have shot were believed to have a weapon but actually had a replica or no weapon at all (“The Gun That Wasn’t There,” WW, May 12, 2021). WW found that Portland public officials have little knowledge about the calls police respond to. Emergency dispatchers, who follow guidelines set by the Portland Police Bureau, don’t know if a reported gun is real or not, and there’s little protocol for follow-up questions. Here’s what our readers had to say:

@TystoZarban, via Twitter: “You’re blaming 911 operators for cops shooting harmless people? Keep licking that boot.”

Kim Wallis, via wweek.com: “So…the anti-police crowd loves to put the onus on police officers to see whether a weapon is real or fake before taking any action? By the same logic, citizens should check to see if a weapon is real or fake before reporting situations involving one.”

@_theminist, via Twitter: “Uh, gee, where on earth could we find the money to get that person some better instructions? Maybe we should stop giving millions of dollars to the dudes that keep beating and murdering people and instead get some training and staff for them, idk just spitballin’ here.”

Val--Standing, via wweek.com: “A few thoughts.

“First, while 911 operators may sometimes incorrectly handle calls, I don’t think that it is fair to blame them when police—who are themselves supposed to be correctly trained in responding to stressful and ambiguous situations—are too quick to fire their weapons.

“Second, it is inexcusable that Portland doesn’t prioritize providing enough homeless shelters, affordable housing solutions and mental health care to its street homeless. And we dare to consider our city ‘progressive’? Finally, it seems obvious that police are overarmed and undertrained in defusing mental health crisis situations.

“This established reality needs to change.”

Riffless, via week.com: “Cause and effect. The NRA has lobbied for all types of guns to be available to the populace, so the police wind up with similar firepower. It’s the old ‘bringing a knife to a gunfight’ logic. We are all fucked at this point, because shit ain’t changing until we actually regulate what weapons are available to the common (untrained and unlicensed) citizen.”

Nicholas Garner, via Facebook: “It is bizarre to me that in a country obsessed with the right to open carry, people are all for police unaccountably shooting to death anyone who appears to be openly carrying a gun. We can see how this is problematic, right? See also: defense of stand-your-ground statutes but no accountability for no-knock raids by police when they shoot an unarmed person in the wrong house.”

Powxraccount, via Twitter: “Portland police let Proud Boys and other bigots run around armed and dressed like school shooters and manage not to shoot one.”

rainman19, via wweek.com: “Anybody notice all the billboards around Portlandia placed by cities like Spokane advertising GOOD JOBS for sworn officers? That’s because dozens if not hundreds of Portland cops have given notice they want to quit or retire—ANYTHING to get the flock out of Portlandia.

“One-sided articles like this bit of agitprop are a big part of that. Thanks, Tess.”

Jake McMillian, via Facebook: “Did he even point the fake gun at the officer? The article just says he flipped them off, from 90 feet away. If the officer felt threatened in this situation, then he is certainly not fit to be a cop—even if the gun was real and even if the guy was pointing it.”

CORRECTIONS

Last week’s cover story (“The Gun That Wasn’t There,” WW, May 13, 2021) incorrectly described Shawn Campbell, who authored a report based on faulty data, as a contractor for the Portland Police Bureau. He and the Training Advisory Council are independent advisers, and the Police Bureau does not influence their findings.

Last week’s story on vaccination requirements at sporting events (“Shot Clock,” WW, May 13, 3021) wrongly stated that the Seattle Mariners share an owner with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Mariners are owned by Seattle businessman John W. Stanton.

WW regrets the errors.

LEtters to the editor must include the author’s street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words.Submit to: 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210.Email: mzusman@wweek.com

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