PORTLAND,Ore.– The Portland Police Bureau welcomed 12 new police officers and recognized one newly hired professional staff member, one Public Safety Support Specialist and two members who were recently promoted. This was the last formal hiring/promotions ceremony of 2023.
A video of the ceremony can be found here: https://youtu.be/jCPsj2sEQ4M
With this new group of officers, the City of Portland has hired 61 police officers in 2023. PPB is rebuilding from its lowest number of sworn members, which was 773 in September 2022. The Bureau now has 809 total sworn members—the highest since the fall of 2021. Of those 809, 543 are officers (which includes 104 officers who are currently in training). Of those 543 officers, 292 are patrol officers. PPB currently has 72 sworn vacancies. Detailed information about PPB’s staffing is available on our website: https://www.portland.gov/police/open-data/ppb-staffing-report
“I am excited about this new group of officers and staff we are onboarding today. They are the future of policing in Portland,” said Chief Bob Day. “Our Personnel Division is already focused on next year and they are pursuing every opportunity to attract, recruit and hire the best candidates for 2024.”
PPB’s recruiting and hiring efforts are energized and continue to produce results. More than 1,100 individuals applied to be a Portland Police officer this calendar year. The Personnel Division has streamlined the hiring process and shortened it substantially to five months or less in most cases. The City will even reimburse up to $10,000 in moving expenses for those who join from afar.
The training process for a new hire is 18 months, which includes the Basic Academy at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training in Salem, a local PPB Advanced Academy and a Field Training Program that pairs the new hire with different coaches.
The Portland Police Bureau continues to hire both lateral and entry level officers. A career in law enforcement in Portland is an exciting and rewarding journey with excellent benefits. Base salary ranges from $75k-$113k per year plus numerous pay and wellness incentives. The average top step officer made over $151k in 2022.
**Source: Portland Police Bureau**