Photos by Mac Smiff

During a tumultuous 2020, the police union headquarters on North Lombard became a hot spot for protesters of police to congregate and engage in civil disobedience.

The Portland Police Association (PPA), the longest continually operating police union in the nation, has been a longtime opponent of police reform and accountability, frequently using their lobby, contract with the City, monopoly of public safety, and deep-rooted political and media connections to attack reformists and defend police abuse.

Over the summer, protesters did allegedly manage to set a few small fires and otherwise damage the boarded building, but police frequently responded in large numbers to deploy chemical munitions, and arrest and beat the fed up civilians. By 2021 small protests cautiously continued at the site with little resistance, and in June 2021 the PPA announced they were moving. In July it was found that the new Portland Police union headquarters would be in Milwaukie, OR, which is in an entirely different county than Portland.

With that, it comes as little surprise that the old union office on 1898 N Lombard Street is now up for sale, although the $900,000 price tag seems a little high. One does have to wonder what will become of the long abandoned space. Only time will tell.