A police officer watched a woman walk away after an alleged assault—and let her go. That’s what happened Tuesday night in Portland, Oregon, just steps away from the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building, and people are asking how something like this could even happen.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, it was around 8:45 p.m. when a “dialogue liaison officer,” or DLO, was monitoring a gathering outside the ICE facility in South Portland. These officers are sworn members of the police force, but they have a different role during protests. Their job isn’t enforcement. It’s to “hold a safe space” and talk with demonstrators.
That’s when things took a turn.
Someone approached the officer and reported that an assault had just happened nearby. The DLO then spotted the suspect: a White woman wearing a black mask, a backpack, and a noticeable septum nose piercing.
He followed her, tried to speak with her, and asked to hear her side of the story. But she wouldn’t stop.
So the officer told her she was being detained. Instead of complying, she ran.
And that’s where it all stalled.
The officer, because of his role, could not pursue her or physically stop her. Instead, he called for backup.
By the time patrol officers arrived—almost 15 minutes later—the suspect was gone.
Another assault outside the Portland ICE facility. This falls within the jurisdiction of the @PortlandPolice: https://t.co/6DdgQzoa0y
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) October 2, 2025
The victim spoke with police, and an investigation began. But no arrests were made at the scene, and authorities still haven’t said what kind of assault took place. No charges have been announced.
The case has now been assigned to a detective in the Major Crimes Unit.
The Portland Police Bureau explained in a statement that sometimes arrests are delayed, especially when tensions at a protest are high. They say cases can be forwarded later to the Multnomah County District Attorney.
But still—how does someone flee from a sworn officer and just vanish?
And why can’t an officer do anything to stop a suspect from escaping?
That question goes back to Portland’s post-2020 changes in policing.
Portland (Oct. 1) — Violent Antifa rioters tried to attack @sav_says_ a day after one of their masked comrades bashed @KatieDaviscourt on the eye socket with a pole. pic.twitter.com/Gfe75AOWK8
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) October 2, 2025
DLOs were introduced after the violent protests of that year. The idea was to reduce conflict between police and demonstrators, and to build trust through conversation instead of confrontation.
NEW: Post Millennial Journalist @KatieDaviscourt got a BLACK-EYE from TRANTIFA and she says PORTLAND PD REFUSED to ARREST the attacker
“I ran straight to a Portland police officer. I tracked the suspect for 35 minutes through the streets and told them, “This is the person… pic.twitter.com/gFcISeVNdE
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) October 2, 2025
NEW: Post Millennial Journalist They are real officers, with the badge and training—but in this role, they’re not allowed to use force or even take enforcement action. Their job is to observe, engage, and stay neutral.
That’s what Officer Jessica Ruch described in a post on the city’s official website. Ruch, a DLO herself, says she grew up attending protests and sees them as a celebration of community.
She wrote that Portland no longer has a “riot squad,” calling that model outdated. Instead, there’s a rapid response team—but they only show up for dangerous situations, and even then, they’re trained to “get in and get out.”
For Ruch, the goal is to avoid being “the bad guys.”
But critics are now wondering: if officers can’t act when a crime occurs right in front of them, then who is protecting the victims?
The suspect from Tuesday night is still out there. No name. No arrest. Just a vague description and a search underway.
And while the promise of “safe space” policing continues, some are left asking—safe for who?
