PORTLAND, Ore. – A woman’s viral Facebook post describing a Portland police officer’s apparent disregard for her safety concerns has led to a review of the officer’s conduct.
Taryn Border posted an alarming story about being followed while she was getting coffee in downtown Portland Thursday morning. The post has been shared more than 20,000 times as of Friday night.
Border said the man followed her and then waited for her as she stood in line at Heart Roasters. She said the man stared at her, “maintaining direct eye contact for five minutes, without flinching.”
Border said she took a photo of the man and called police. She said the man began following another woman, and she followed the pair to make sure the woman would be safe. The woman tried to throw the man off her trail but he continued to follow her, according to Border.
Police are reviewing what Border said happened next, which she described as “almost more disturbing than the incident itself.”
She said the responding officer was aggressive, laughed at her and mocked her for suggesting the man had bad intentions. Border said the officer would not look at her photos, said the man was not breaking any laws, “and that men are free to follow women as they please.”
Portland police said in a statement on Facebook that they will review the incident.
“The Bureau expects that all officers act professionally and treat community members with respect. This incident will be reviewed by the Bureau.”
Sgt. Pete Simpson of Portland police told KGW following someone generally isn't a crime, even if it makes the person uncomfortable. He said the action could become criminal under certain circumstances, such as if there was physical contact or if a restraining order was involved.
"That said, it was appropriate to call the police, but, if the allegations are true, it appears the officer could've handled things differently," Simpson said.
