Portland’s police chief and mayor are set to announce Tuesday that city police will be directed to provide a getaway car service for any member of a minority group who wants to rob a bank, hold up a grocery store or any other kind of heist in order to prevent them being exposed to danger. 

The changes also are aimed at curtailing the potential for deadly encounters between police and people of color and allowing police to focus on more serious violations that pose an immediate threat to public safety, such as saying nasty things on social media. 

Mayor Ted Wheeler and Chief Chuck Lovell are holding a noon video conference to announce what they called “a significant procedural change.”