Portland Police Chief To Head to Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pa. – The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that city’s mayor will announce today Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw will be named Philadelphia Police Commissioner.

The paper talked to Daryl Turner, president of the Portland Police Association. He said he learned about the appointment this morning from Mayor Ted Wheeler’s police policy liaison. Turner told the Inquirer Philadelphia is getting ” a damn good chief” and “we hate to lose her.”

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office released a statement that says“I’d like to congratulate Chief Outlaw for landing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”  “We thank her for her service to the City of Portland and the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), where she helped make a positive difference. She came to Portland exceedingly qualified for the position of police chief, and leaves more prepared than ever for her new position in Philadelphia.”

The news release  quotes Outlaw as saying “I am profoundly grateful for his continued support and acknowledgement of how challenging the work of law enforcement can be for all of us.”

Chief Outlaw’s last day with the City of Portland will be Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. At 4 p.m. that same day, Deputy Chief of Police Jami Resch will be sworn in as Portland’s next Police Chief.

Wheeler says “we have considered all the options for what the next police chief should bring to the Bureau and after thoughtful, in-depth discussions, Jami Resch meets or exceeds all of the Bureau’s current leadership needs. Having served as the Deputy Chief of Police, I have complete confidence that Chief Resch will excel as our next police chief. She has my complete trust and a thorough understanding of my agenda. She is the right person at the right time for the job,” Mayor Wheeler said. “Having steadily risen through the ranks within the PPB for more than 20 years, she is well-known, well-respected and trusted bureau-wide, and gives us the internal continuity we must have to keep moving in a positive direction. Chief Resch is also highly engaged within the community, serving as an active member of Police Bureau’s Muslim Council, Slavic Advisory Council and Refugee Integration Program. She has also volunteered her time with Camp Rosenbaum, Shop with a Cop and acted as a mentor for the Zman Scholarship Foundation. I am proud of the leadership team that has been established at PPB and we are fortunate to have a leader like Chief Resch ready to be our next police chief.”