Some Oregon sheriffs say ‘no’ to sending help for protests

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU/CNN) – Several law enforcement agencies are pushing back against the plan outlined by the Governor of Oregon to stop unrest in Portland. The plan calls on several agencies to help with protest response.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown said, “My goal here is to keep people safe and enable folks to protest peacefully throughout the streets of Portland.”

Governor Brown released her “Unified Law Enforcement Plan” over the weekend. It’s a seemingly united front of law enforcement agencies willing to help the Portland Police Bureau.

KATU’s Lincoln Graves asked the governor, “So this unified plan, do you believe it will be the key in stopping unrest in Portland?”

She replied, “I think it is part of an overall plan.”

But those agencies are pushing back. Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts said his deputies will help cover calls while Oregon State Police troopers are deployed in Portland but he won’t send his own deputies. He also said in part: “I was surprised to read that the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office was part of the plan since the governor’s office never contacted me.”

Washington County Sheriff Pat Garret later said he’d help where he could but added, “…at this time, I do not plan to send deputies to work directly in Portland.”

In response, the governor’s office said there’s flexibility in her plan and that “it is up to each county to determine the personnel and resources they have available to volunteer for this effort.”

Both the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police and the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association released similar statements.