In this Sept. 5, 2020, file photo, police use chemical irritants and crowd control munitions to disperse protesters during a demonstration in Portland, Ore. Authorities said Tuesday, June 15, 2021, a grand jury returned an indictment against a Portland police officer, accusing him of hitting a protester in the head with a baton in 2020. The city saw widespread, often violent protests following the police killing of George Floyd.

PORTLAND, Ore. — A team of 50 police officers who serve on a specialized crowd-control unit in Portland, Ore., and respond to the city’s ongoing, often violent protests have resigned en masse after a team member was indicted on criminal charges.

During a Wednesday night meeting, officers, detectives and sergeants on the Rapid Response Team voted to resign from the team because of a perceived lack of support from City Hall and from the district attorney, according to the mayor’s office and officers.

The move by officers to disband their own team came a day after Officer Cody Budworth was indicted and accused of fourth-degree assault stemming from a baton strike against a protester last summer.

“I don’t think it is just an indictment that caused this to happen; I think it is a very long complicated history of things that have gone on over the last 14 months,” Acting Portland Police Chief Chris Davis said.

During a press availability Thursday, Davis said that while the officers on the unit have “left their voluntary positions and no longer comprise a team,” that they will continue with their regular assignments.