PRESS RELEASE: Councilor Zimmerman Proposes 20 New FTE PPB Patrol Officers and Restores Training Funding

(PORTLAND, ORE.) – Councilor Eric Zimmerman proposes budget amendments to add 20 FTE police officer positions and restore funding for the Portland Police Bureau's training division as part of the City of Portland's ongoing budget discussions.

The proposal focuses on maintaining recent improvements in 911 response times, ensuring patrol shifts remain staffed, and supporting officers through continued investment in critical incident training.

"We're on a good track," said Council Vice President Clark. "Chief Day's recruiting and hiring plan is making real progress in filling vacancies and is expected to add 20 new police officers per quarter. I don't want to see us lose that momentum."

Maintaining adequate patrol staffing is essential as officers retire, take leave, or are otherwise unavailable for duty. Without sufficient staffing, the city risks longer emergency response times, increased strain on existing officers, and reduced public confidence in the city's ability to respond effectively to emergencies.

"…Listen to these FTE comparisons from our general fund bureaus over the past ten years and consider what they say about how we value public safety in the City of Portland," said Councilor Dan Ryan. "Planning and Sustainability gained 45 FTE, a 47% increase. PBOT gained 181 FTE, a 22% increase. The Housing Bureau gained 34 FTE, a 63% increase. Parks & Recreation gained 117 FTE, a 20% increase over the last decade. Meanwhile, the Portland Police Bureau lost 73 FTE, a 6% decrease."

View full size image of Portland Police Bureau’s training scenario village.

During budget discussions, Chief Bob Day highlighted the importance of the bureau's training program, referencing a PPB explosives training exercise conducted last year that helped prepare the bureau's response to the incident at the Multnomah Athletic Club earlier this month.

"These programs matter," said Councilor Zimmerman. "Training has real-world impact. It gives officers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, make mistakes, learn from them, and build confidence in a controlled environment before facing those situations in the field."

The amendment is part of broader budget deliberations currently underway and will be discussed further in the coming weeks.

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