The Occupy Portland movement has cost the city at least three-quarters of a million dollars over the last five weeks, city officials said Monday.
Police chief Mike Reese says his bureau burned through at least $450,000 of overtime in just the last few days, as his officers cleared two downtown parks. That adds to more than $300,000 in overtime police officials calculated before the weekend. Chief Reese says it was a high -- but necessary -- cost.
"It's an enormous drain obviously, on our resources and the city's resources, but in terms of keeping the peace, and keeping people safe, it was appropriate. And I don't know how you put a dollar value on that," Reese said.
Police officials say the figure will likely climb as overtime paperwork makes its way through the city bureaucracy. The costs don’t include anticipated repairs to two downtown parks.
