Portland waterfront Police Memorial vandalized for second time this year

For the second time this year, the memorial honoring fallen Portland officers was vandalized Sunday. Police say an officer patrolling the waterfront this morning noticed the spray paint which read in part, "Kill cops."

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- For the second time this year, the memorial honoring fallen Portland officers was vandalized.

Police say an officer patrolling the waterfront Sunday morning noticed the spray paint which read in part, "Kill cops."

Officers worked with Downtown Portland Clean & Safe to remove the paint, but Portland Police Association president Aaron Schmautz said actions like this are demoralizing.

"Police officers are humans," Schmautz emphasized, "They are people wearing an outfit doing their level best to help our community. When you walk into work, you go to a police memorial that's there to honor people who have given their lives. And when you see things like 'kill cops' spray painted on it, you see 'all cops are bastards' painted on your walls, it makes it pretty hard to show up to work."

Back in early February, police said the same memorial was attacked in a different part. Instead of targeting the main memorial, they etched off the names of the officers.

The almost 50-year-old memorial is dedicated to 29 Portland police officers who died while performing their duty.