Portland, Ore.(KATU/CNN Newsource) – Portland is about to get a new top cop, and she’ll be the city’s first female African-American chief.
After spending all of her 19-year law enforcement career with the Oakland Police department, Danielle Outlaw has been tasked with moving the Portland Police Bureau forward.
She’ll put that experience to the test–taking on the most pressing issues to Portlanders.
Jake Mickelson is a Portland resident. He said, “Certainly homelessness and obviously we have a lot of rampant drug problems in Portland. God knows how it must be in Oakland too.”
Another resident said, “People are open to anyone who can provide leadership and can provide equity for everyone.”
Outlaw was chosen out of a pool of candidates from across the country.
A panel interviewed six finalists.
T. Allen Bethel, an advocate for police reform, interviewed outlaw.
“She ranked very, very, very high,” Bethel said. “I was looking for somebody who was truly tied to community policing that is, involving the police and the community working together.”
He said outlaw was one of the strongest candidates for the position.
She rose through the Oakland Police Department starting as a patrol officer then rising to deputy chief.
Bethel believes she will be able to restore faith within the bureau. “What will it take to build community trust between the officers of our bureau, as well as the citizens of our community, and to
not be afraid to take those steps to help bring that about.”
Outlaw will begin her new job no later than October 2.
She replaces Chief Mike Marshman, who was appointed to the job in June of last year.
Marshman announced he was a finalist for the job, but was not selected.
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