Chief Chuck Lovell has referred a sergeant’s email to Internal Affairs for investigation. The original email was sent out to the downtown Central Precinct. The sergeant sent the email last week asking officers to sign up for overtime. The image included the message on a red cap that resembles the infamous Trump-style MAGA hats.
This is an issue as Trump used the Make America Great Again during his run for President. Some feel that it is racist while others think that it gives a green light for cops to brutalized citizens. A Trump campaign speech included him telling cops not to take it easy on people they are arresting. The officer in question has since sent an apology. His name has not been released and he it still on duty
The email was broadly seen as cause anger. The text is considered an abuse of police communications. The police policy states that city employees may not use city resources such as interoffice mail “in support or in opposition to a candidate, petition signature collection, or ballot measure.’’ Using government office equipment to support a political cause is a violation of the Hatch Act.
Mayor Ted Wheeler was told about the incident and about the investigation. In Portland, the mayor also serves as the city’s police commissioner. Mayor Wheeler has promised to make the email public.
Wheeler has concerns about the email but declined further comment on the ongoing internal investigation.
