by Jake Dima
Portland Police have earned almost $5.4 million in overtime during the weeks-long protests and riots in the city.
Overtime earnings through July 22 have reached $5,351,383, police told Fox 12 Oregon. Officers have also raked in an additional $1.2 million in accrued time compensation, according to the local outlet.
Protests in the city have been ongoing since as far back as May 25, when George Floyd died after a police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes, Fox News reported.
July 22 is the most recent pay period for Portland police and the reported numbers do not include the cost of normal officer salary, according to Fox 12.
Democratic Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday that the federal agents deployed to Portland for a number of weeks to curb violence would withdraw as soon as Thursday, the New York Times reported. Oregon State Police have since replaced federal authorities at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Federal Courthouse, which had become a battleground for rioters and police, according to Fox.
Demonstrations have been ongoing for more than 60 days in the city, Fox reported.
Portland Police on Wednesday continued to report gatherings outside the courthouse and said they witnessed demonstrators in gas masks launching fireworks at officers protecting the building, according to a news release.
A sledge hammer, improvised weapons, leaf blowers, helmets, chest and leg armor, and fuel canister are some of the items recovered in Chapman and Lownsdale Squares this morning. pic.twitter.com/QXnppztBU6
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 30, 2020
The White House last week said three federal officers were likely to be permanently blinded after protesters pointed high-powered laser beams at their eyes, according to Forbes.
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Jake Dima is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
