Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw is looking to create a new deputy police chief's position in the bureau.
The City Council is expected to vote on Wednesday to create the new job with an annual salary of $186,576, according to a proposed city ordinance. But the total costs are expected to be higher with overtime estimated at $75,000, including the purchase of a vehicle and other equipment, the ordinance says. Additional administrative staff also may be needed, estimated at $125,200.
There are now three assistant chiefs who work for the chief of police. Each assistant chief oversees a part of the bureau, such as the investigations branch, operations branch and services branch that includes training and personnel divisions.
A deputy chief will assist the chief with "planning, directing, managing and overseeing the activities and operations of the Portland Police Bureau and all its branches,'' the job description says.
The chief believes the deputy chief position will give her the "opportunity to focus on the strategic goals of the organization,'' said Sgt. Chris Burley, the chief's spokesman.
If approved by the council, the chief intends to have the job posted within the bureau and externally, Burley said. The assistant chiefs would report to the deputy chief, who would report to the chief.
The council meets at 9:30 a.m. in City Hall. The ordinance is on the council's consent agenda, meaning there's no discussion before a vote is taken.
Outlaw is out of town attending the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Philadelphia. Assistant Chief Chris Uehara also is attending the conference with Outlaw.
Outlaw, who took over as Portland's chief of police on Oct. 2, is attending the conference through Wednesday, but will be out of the office through Friday. On Oct. 30, she'll be attending two weeks of training on Oregon law at the Oregon Department of Public Safety, Standards and Training.
Assistant Chief Matt Wagenknecht is serving as acting chief this week. Uehara will serve as acting chief from Oct. 30 through Nov. 10.
-- Maxine Bernstein
mbernstein@oregonian.com
503-221-8212
@maxoregonian