TROUTDALE SEEKS VOTER INPUT ON PROPOSED POLICE DEPARTMENT
Advisory Measure 26-266 asks whether Troutdale should explore establishing its own police department after more than a decade of contracting with Multnomah County.
By Lee Delay
The Advocate
Troutdale voters this November will decide Ballot Measure 26-266, which asks if the city council should plan a dedicated city police department. Troutdale has contracted with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office for police services since 2015. The move was initially assumed to be a more cost-effective way to keep an active police presence in the city, while reducing the strain of rising contract costs on the city’s budget each year.
The measure could impact Mt. Hood Community College students living both in and out of Troutdale. On campus, students rely on the sheriff’s office to backup MHCC’s own campus safety team when incidents occur. If a local police department is formed, county deputies stationed nearby could be freed up to respond faster to campus incidents when needed. Conversely, a new smaller municipal force could slow response times to traffic or crime incidents in neighborhoods bordering the north side of the main campus.
"In the decade since [2015], however, contract costs have surged by more than 60% and are expected to exceed $6 million in the next fiscal year."
When Troutdale switched from funding its own police department to contracting with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, the agreement offered a cheaper way to achieve a more robust law enforcement system to cover the region. In the decade since, however, contract costs have surged by more than 60% and are expected to exceed $6 million in the next fiscal year. Because incoming city property tax revenues have only increased by about 50% over that same period, a significant gap remains.
As a result, the council is seeking public input on how to proceed. The advisory vote is intended to guide council decisions, but the results are not binding. The council will consider the outcome of Measure 26-266 alongside internal evaluations, the projected costs of both options and other factors.
NONBINDING VOTE
Measure 26-266 asks voters whether Troutdale should continue planning for its own police department. The result will guide the City Council but will not authorize the department's creation.
Proponents of staying with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office point to the resources, personnel and capabilities of a larger regional department. The agency is also an established office that has served as Troutdale’s police service for over a decade. While advocates for a dedicated municipal department argue that a local force would give the city greater control over policing priorities and offer direct accountability to city leadership.
In the interim, a second Troutdale ballot measure, a five-year public safety levy, aims to bridge the funding gap while the city evaluates its options. This levy would replace the current public safety fee with a property tax to provide $3.5 million to $4 million each year directly addressing the deficit that currently exceeds $3 million.
The measure would help fund police services and explicitly allows the city to evaluate future law enforcement models, including re-establishing a Troutdale municipal police force. The revenue would support 911 services and the Gresham Fire Department, which provides fire protection to Troutdale under a separate contract. For local homeowners, the tax would represent a net increase of about $128 per year over the existing fee and would prevent immediate budget cuts in other areas like park services or city improvements.
Regardless of whether the levy passes, the Troutdale City Council will review its law enforcement options. Moving forward, the council expects to use an open public process so residents can keep abreast of future safety plans and budget impacts. The transition will not be a quick process, but evaluating the city’s shifting financial and public safety needs is essential.
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