With the support of a new mayoral administration, Portland Police Chief Bob Day will continue to command the state’s largest municipal law enforcement department for another three years.
Day will appear before the Portland City Council on Wednesday as Mayor Keith Wilson’s choice to remain the city’s police chief. The decision is another peculiarity of Portland’s new system of governance, which gives Wilson the authority to appoint a police chief with the consent of the city council.
In September 2023, Day was first brought out of retirement by former Mayor Ted Wheeler on an interim basis, becoming Portland’s ninth police chief in eight years. Wheeler appointed Day the city’s permanent chief in April of last year.
However, when the new mayor took office in January, he was not required to retain Day.
Wilson explained his reasoning in a memo, stating that Day had demonstrated strong leadership, enhanced public safety in the city, and built ties between the police and the community.
According to the police, Day’s income is $270,900 as of Tuesday.
The Police Bureau has prioritized targeted missions to address particular offenses, like shoplifting, vehicle theft, and street racing, under Day’s term. In response to a surge in resignations and retirements, he has promised to increase police staffing.
Before retiring in 2019, Day began his career with the bureau in 1990 and rose to the position of deputy chief. After that, he served as a consultant for the city and other organizations until taking over for the departed police chief, Chuck Lovell.
In the City Council memo, Day stated that becoming the Chief of the Portland Police Bureau is an honor. PPB has set out to reduce crime and the fear of crime, improve the relationship between the police and the communities we serve, and grow and develop as an organization under my leadership.
For The Oregonian/OregonLive, Zaeem Shaikh writes about criminal justice problems and the Portland Police Bureau. You can reach him on X@zaeemshake or at 503-221-4323, [email protected].
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