PORTLAND, Ore. — Interim Portland police chief Bob Day has been appointed as the permanent chief of the Portland Police Bureau, effective immediately, Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Friday. Day was sworn in as interim chief in October, coming out of retirement to take over after previous chief Chuck Lovell announced he wanted to step down from the role.
At the time, Wheeler said the plan was for Day to only serve about 18 months, until June of 2025. Wheeler isn't seeking reelection, and he said he wanted to leave the choice of a permanent chief up to the next mayor. But in a news release Friday morning, Wheeler's office said Day's performance during his first six months prompted the mayor to change his mind.
"Chief Day has more than met my expectations when I appointed him as Interim Chief only a few short months ago," Wheeler said in a statement. "He has proven the value of his diverse experience, his commitment to finding public safety solutions that serve the community and the membership of the Bureau, and a level of positivity that our city needs right now. I have no doubt that he will accomplish great things as PPB’s permanent chief."
The news release said the presence of a permanent chief will help the bureau "build its new structures," referencing the new oversight system and an independent monitor required by a settlement agreement with the federal Department of Justice.
"I want to thank Mayor Wheeler for his trust and support over the last six months," Day said in a statement. "My vision and goals have not changed since I accepted this role. I remain committed to strengthening the Portland Police Bureau and improving public safety in the city I love."
Day retired in 2019 after a 29-year career with PPB that encompassed a variety of leadership roles including in the Training Division, Critical Incident Command, Crowd Management and the Operations Branch, and finally served as deputy chief of police from 2018 until his retirement.
Day was a guest on this week's episode of KGW's Straight Talk, which was shot prior to Wheeler's announcement. During the interview, Day was asked if he would consider staying in the role longer if asked; at the time, he said he was "focused on June of '25, and we'll see what '25 brings."
The interview included discussions about Portland's drug and housing crises, as well as PPB's upcoming body-worn camera program, ongoing recruitment efforts to refill the bureau's officer ranks, and the relationship that the chief of police will have with the city administrator under Portland's new form of government next year.
Watch the full interview:
Straight Talk airs Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m., and Monday at 7 p.m. Straight Talk is also available as a podcast.