Hillsboro Police Department (Oregon)

Last updated
Hillsboro Police Department
HPD logo.jpg
Jurisdictional structure
Legal jurisdiction City of Hillsboro
Operational structure
Sworn members127 [1]
Unsworn members42
Agency executives
  • Jim Coleman, Chief of Police
  • Doug Ehrich, Commander
  • Jim Coleman, Deputy Chief
Facilities
Stations2 (plus 1 mobile)
Website
https://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/our-city/departments/police

The Hillsboro Police Department (HPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency of the city of Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. It is a regionally accredited agency with 127 sworn officers on the force. The chief is Jim Coleman in a city of over 110,000 residents [2] west of Portland, Oregon, in Washington County. With 169 employees as of 2014, the department is the second largest police force in the county and seventh largest in Oregon. [3]

Contents

History

The Hillsboro Police Department grew to five employees in 1947, and expanded to 31 employees by 1976. [4] In 1980, officer Gerald H. Erickson became the only officer in the department to die in the line of duty. [5] The department hired Ron Louie as chief of police in 1992. [6] The department had grown to 54 sworn officers in 1994. [7]

In 1995, Hillsboro police partnered with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Intel Corporation to start the Oregon High-Tech Crime Team to investigate and prosecute computer based crimes. [8] Intel donated $100,000 to the program. [9] By 1999, the department had seven officers assigned to the team. [10] In 2003, the unit was dissolved after 93 arrests and the recovery of $208 million, after private funding ended and a new FBI lab was opened. [11]

Tanasbourne precinct along Cornell Road in eastern Hillsboro Hillsboro Oregon police Tanasbourne precinct.JPG
Tanasbourne precinct along Cornell Road in eastern Hillsboro

The department became the first police agency in Oregon to collect racial information from traffic stops in May 2000. [12] [13] The information was collected to train officers to not target minority groups. [12] Hillsboro PD examines the data monthly to analyze any numbers that appear disproportionate to Census data. [13] By 2001, the department offered increased pay for officers who could speak Spanish. [14] In 2006, police chief Ron Louie and one other officer were appointed to a six-person, statewide task force to analyze racial profiling along with the American Civil Liberties Union’s top person in the state, and former Oregon Supreme Court justice Edwin J. Peterson. [15]

The department established a mediation program in 1997. [16] That program reached its goal of providing 32 hours of formal training for its entire workforce, becoming the first law enforcement agency in the United States accomplish this task. [16] HPD has documented that mediation can lead to fewer repeat calls to police from those involved in disputes. [17] The department purchased a closed Albertson's grocery store for $2.6 million in January 2001. [18] The building was remodeled and became the new main precinct. [18]

The February 2001 Nisqually earthquake temporarily closed the police headquarters in downtown, but re-opened the same day after the damage to the old brick building was determined to be cosmetic and not structural. [18] In December 2001, the department took issue with the appropriateness of some of the questions in the United States Department of Justice’s anti-terrorism interviews that followed the September 11 attacks. [19] HPD became nationally accredited in 2004 by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), [20] and regionally accredited in 2008 by the Oregon Accreditation Alliance. [21] The agency remained CALEA accredited until 2007. [22]

In 2003 officer Lila Ashenbrenner became the first woman in the department with a command position. [23] At that time women made up 19% of the 106 officer force. [23] On July 2, 2007, Ashenbrenner would become the departments first female chief of police when Louie retired. [6] Prior chiefs of police include M. E. DeRock (1947–77), [4] Herman Woll (1977-1991), [24] Ron Louie (1992-2007), [6] Lila Ashenbrenner (2007-2010), Carey Sullivan (2010-2014), and Lee Dobrowolski (2014 - current)

In 1997, a police dog on the force was shot and killed in the line of duty, and in 2007 Hondo Dog Park was built by the city and named in honor of the fallen canine. [25] The department's Life Intervention program for fighting truancy in schools was named a finalist an award by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2009. [26] Carey Sullivan served as chief from July 2010 to March 2013, [27] with former chief Ron Louie serving as interim chief. [28] The city hired Lee Dobrowolski as the new chief, taking office in February 2014. [29] The department, in conjunction with the Fire Department, announced a joint training facility would be built near Hillsboro Stadium. [30]

Operations

West Precinct along 10th Avenue near the Tualatin Valley Highway Hillsboro PD HQ.JPG
West Precinct along 10th Avenue near the Tualatin Valley Highway

HPD operates two stations, a West Precinct located in downtown on 10th Street near the Washington/Southeast 12th Avenue MAX Station. The Tanasbourne Precinct is located in the Tanasbourne neighborhood on the city's eastside. [31] Divisions include a patrol unit, detectives, emergency response team created in 1993, K-9 units, reserve units, and a Citizen's Enhancement Team, among others. [32] The department utilizes automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles in its enforcement mission. Some detectives and staff drive hybrid vehicles, as HPD's part in helping the City of Hillsboro go "green."

The department employs non-lethal weapons such as a special launcher that fires paintball-like pepper balls to incapacitate suspects. [33] To reduce repeat calls for service, the department utilizes a mediation program that trains every member of the department. [16] The department also utilizes police cadets to perform tasks that may otherwise take up the time of full-time officers. These tasks include participating in community events, traffic details, officer ride-a-longs, and graffiti cleanup. [34]

Misconduct

In 2020, Jean Coppedge filed a civil complaint against the City of Hillsboro in state court claiming that the police department conducted a biased investigation in 2019 that violated her due process and civil rights. The Hillsboro Police Department reviewed body camera footage of the incident and concluded that the officers responded appropriately. Despite Hillsboro not conceding any wrongdoing in the incident, a $90,000 settlement was awarded to Coppedge after U.S. Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You largely sided with her discrimination arguments. [35]

In 2021, Cindy Young Bolek was placed on leave allegedly as retaliation for her part in reviewing the Jean Coppedge body camera footage. After her review, Young Bolek brought concerns to department leadership and later city officials that the officers involved violated the law and department policies. She contacted Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton in a self-described act of whistleblowing, where she described a lack of basic oversight in the use of body cameras in the Hillsboro Police Department. In an internal review, Hillsboro Police stated that 90% of incidents follow proper protocol for the use of body cameras. [36]

In 2022, text messages revealed as part of court filing show Hillsboro Police Department Detective Rebecca Venable and Washington County Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard arranging plans to have "a Mexican themed party to celebrate the convictions of Mexican defendants". Evidence of the conversation was used to argue that Venable’s actions show bias against Hispanic people and her bias could have influenced her actions and testimony in a 2018 murder case involving a Hispanic man. The Hillsboro Police Department spokesperson said that they do not believe Venable's text messages violated any policy. [37]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillsboro, Oregon</span> City in Oregon, United States

Hillsboro is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Situated in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city hosts many high-technology companies, such as Intel, locally known as the Silicon Forest. The population was 106,447 at the 2020 census, making Hillsboro the fifth-most populous city in Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Highway Patrol</span> State law enforcement agency in California, USA

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is the principal state police agency for the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and roads and streets outside city limits, and can exercise law enforcement powers anywhere within the state. The California Highway Patrol can assist local and county agencies and can patrol major city streets along with local and county law enforcement, state and interstate highways, and is the primary law enforcement agency in rural parts of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honolulu Police Department</span> Police Department in Honolulu, Hawaii

The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) is the principal law enforcement agency of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, headquartered in the Alapa'i Police Headquarters in Honolulu CDP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Police Department</span> Primary law enforcement agency in Houston

The Houston Police Department (HPD) is the primary municipal law enforcement agency serving the City of Houston, Texas, United States and some surrounding areas. With approximately 5,300 officers and 1,200 civilian support personnel it is the fifth-largest municipal police department, serving the fourth-largest city in the United States. Its headquarters are at 1200 Travis in Downtown Houston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies</span>

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) is a credentialing authority (accreditation), based in the United States, whose primary mission is to accredit public safety agencies, namely law enforcement agencies, training academies, communications centers, and campus public safety agencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Streets of Tanasbourne</span> Shopping mall in Oregon, United States

The Streets of Tanasbourne is an outdoor shopping mall located in the Tanasbourne area of Hillsboro in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in October 2004, the center provides shopping to the Hillsboro/Beaverton area west of Portland, near the Sunset Highway. The $55 million center is an open-air complex designed to mimic older downtown shopping districts and has 55 store locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanasbourne, Oregon</span> Neighborhood in Oregon, United States

Tanasbourne, Oregon, is a neighborhood in Washington County, Oregon, where NW 185th Avenue and the Sunset Highway intersect. It is located within the greater Portland metropolitan area. The area includes portions of Beaverton and Hillsboro, and is generally considered to be south of U.S. 26, north of Walker Road, west of 158th, and east of Cornelius Pass Road. Adjacent to Aloha and part of the West Metro region, Tanasbourne has many shopping areas and is the former home of the defunct Tanasbourne Mall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Capitol Police</span> State capital law enforcement agency

The Pennsylvania State Capitol Police is a section of the Pennsylvania Department of General Services providing law enforcement, security and parking enforcement services to the State Capitol Complex in Harrisburg, and at state government office buildings in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Scranton, Pennsylvania. Their jurisdiction is primarily state owned buildings and property on the Capitol Complex. The Capitol Police jurisdiction extends to several state owned buildings throughout the city of Harrisburg and local townships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Tech Police Department</span> Law enforcement agency

The Virginia Tech Police Department (VTPD) is a nationally accredited police department with jurisdiction over Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The departments original accreditation with CALEA was awarded on November 18, 1995 and the department has continued with re-accreditation. In November 2015, the department met "gold standard" and also won CALEA's "Accreditation with Excellence" award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hondo Dog Park</span> City park in Hillsboro, Oregon, U.S.

Hondo Dog Park is a city park in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Opened in 2007, it is the first dog park in that city. Located on nearly four acres, the park is in the northeast section of Hillsboro adjacent to Hillsboro Stadium. Hondo Dog Park is named after a Hillsboro Police Department K-9 unit dog that was shot and killed in the line of duty. The park includes a fire hydrant painted like an American flag as a memorial to the police dog, which received some controversy when the park opened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillsboro Public Library</span> Library in Oregon, US

The Hillsboro Public Library is a two-location public library system in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. First opened in 1914 in a Carnegie library building, the system provides services to a population area of 137,000 people. As of 2015, the system had a usage of 922,000 visits per year, with circulation nearly 3 million items per year. One library is located near downtown in Shute Park, with the other location in the central portion of the city near the airport. The Hillsboro Public Library is part of Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS), which ensures library service is available to all residents of Washington County. In January, 2024, Tammy Wallin became the director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockville City Police Department</span> Law enforcement agency

The Rockville City Police Department (RCPD) is a U.S. law enforcement agency responsible for patrolling the city of Rockville, the third largest city in the U.S. state of Maryland. The RCPD patrols the city in cooperation with the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). The agency serves a jurisdiction consisting of over 65,000 people and has been a CALEA-accredited agency since 1994. According to the RCPD, its mission is to protect and promote community safety, ensure the safe and orderly movement of traffic, and seek solutions to any problem that creates fear or threatens the quality of life in its jurisdiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandria Police Department</span> Law enforcement agency in Alexandria, VA, United States

The Alexandria Police Department (APD) is the primary law enforcement agency servicing 155,810 people within 15.4 square miles (40 km2) of jurisdiction within Alexandria, Virginia. The APD has been internationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) since 1986, and was re-accredited in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. The APD has 315 sworn officers and 152 civilian employees. New officers are trained at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henderson Police Department</span> Police department in Nevada

The Henderson Police Department (HPD) is the police department of the City of Henderson in Clark County in southern Nevada. The department is accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). It has 391 sworn police officers, along with support staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaiser Westside Medical Center</span> Hospital in Oregon, United States

Kaiser Westside Medical Center is a hospital in the Tanasbourne neighborhood in Hillsboro in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in August 2013 with 126 hospital beds, the Kaiser Permanente facility is planned to later expand to 174 beds. It was designed by Ellerbe Becket Architects and Petersen Kolberg & Associates Architects/Planners. The $220 million hospital includes Kaiser's Sunset Medical Office that opened in 1987 on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond Police Department (Virginia)</span> Law enforcement agency

The Richmond Police Department (RPD) is the primary law enforcement agency for the 230,436 people within the 62.5 square miles (162 km2) jurisdiction of Richmond, Virginia. The department employs about 750 sworn officers and about 170 civilians.

The Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy is a law enforcement training facility located in Ashburn, Virginia. It serves 17 agencies in Virginia and Washington, D.C., and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). It offers training for entry-level police officers, sheriff's deputies, and 9-1-1 dispatchers; as well as advanced training for veteran officers in subjects such as identity theft investigations, leadership, and hostage negotiation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaverton Academy of Science and Engineering</span> Public school in Beaverton, Oregon, United States

The Beaverton Academy of Science and Engineering (BASE) is a public school in the U.S. state of Oregon. Part of the Beaverton School District (BSD), the school offers grades 6 through 12. Opened in 2007, the school was housed in the Capital Center at NE 185th Avenue and Walker Road in Hillsboro, then named the Health and Science School (HS2). From 2016 to 2021, the school is directly adjacent to another BSD option school, the School of Science & Technology (SST), with the relocation of that school to the Capital Center at the end of 2015. The school hosts a HOSA-Future Health Professionals chapter. For the 2020–2021 school year and onward, this school and the neighboring school, the School of Science and Technology have merged to become the Beaverton Academy of Science and Engineering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gladstone Police Department</span> Law enforcement agency

The Gladstone Police Department (GPD) is the law enforcement agency of Gladstone, Oregon, United States.

References

  1. ↑ Hillsboro Police 2013-2014 Annual Report: Page 6 Archived 2016-05-29 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on June 21, 2016
  2. ↑ City of Hillsboro - About Us Archived 2024-09-14 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on September 19, 2024
  3. ↑ Table 78: Oregon: Full-time Law Enforcement Employees. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved on March 24, 2009.
  4. 1 2 Campbell, Rae Anne. Police Dept. operates on ideals. The Hillsboro Argus , October 19, 1976.
  5. ↑ The one hundred fifty -two Oregon law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Statesman Journal , September 9, 2001.
  6. 1 2 3 Eckert, Kurt. Chief goes out, Chief comes in Hillsboro Police Chief Ron Louie expects a seamless transition when he is replaced by Deputy Chief Lila Ashenbrenner as of July 2. The Hillsboro Argus , June 15, 2007.
  7. ↑ Frank, Ryan. Hillsboro Police patrol job market for qualified officers. The Oregonian , June 8, 2000.
  8. ↑ Baker, Isaac. FBI Asks Oregon Group to Join in the Fight Against Cyber Crime. The Oregonian , October 30, 2000.
  9. ↑ Best force Intel can buy. The Australian, August 6, 1996.
  10. ↑ Huffstutter, P.J. Tech firms pay police agencies to fight cyber crime; law enforcement: Intel funds sheriff’s unit that chases computer pirates. Some fear conflict of interest. Los Angeles Times , July 26, 1999.
  11. ↑ Frank, Ryan. Hillsboro’s cybercrime unit breaks up. The Oregonian , November 3, 2003.
  12. 1 2 Steves, David. Oregon House Approves Bill to Study Police Stops for Racial Profiling. The Register Guard , April 13, 2001.
  13. 1 2 Bernstein, Maxine. Data on police traffic stops sit incomplete and unused. The Oregonian , May 9, 2004.
  14. ↑ Greenblatt, Alan. Police officers primed en Espanol. Governing Magazine , April 2001.
  15. ↑ The cast; Listening Post. Statesman Journal , February 19, 2006.
  16. 1 2 3 RESOLUTION: Learning the skills. Oregon Lawyer, update 2007.
  17. ↑ Cooper, Christopher. Training Patrol Officers to Mediate Disputes. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, February 1, 2000.
  18. 1 2 3 Anderson, David R. (March 1, 2001). "Station shows ripples, cracks". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  19. ↑ Correction * A Sunday commentary article listed Hillsboro. The Oregonian , December 5, 2001.
  20. ↑ CALEA: 2004 Annual Report. [ permanent dead link ] Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Retrieved on October 5, 2006.
  21. ↑ Rivera, Maria (April 23, 2008). "Hillsboro Police Department recognized as model agency". The Oregonian.
  22. ↑ CALEA: 2007 Annual Report. [ permanent dead link ] Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Retrieved on February 20, 2009.
  23. 1 2 Danks, Holly. Ever-watchful pioneer. The Oregonian , August 4, 2003.
  24. ↑ Anderson, David R. Former Hillsboro police chief dies. The Oregonian , October 5, 2001.
  25. ↑ Diehl, Angella Foret. New bark park has room to run. The Oregonian , September 14, 2007.
  26. ↑ Eckert, Kurt (November 10, 2009). "Officers fight truancy with class". The Hillsboro Argus . p. A1. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
  27. ↑ Woolington, Rebecca (March 4, 2013). "Hillsboro police chief resigns from position, city says". The Oregonian. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  28. ↑ Woolington, Rebecca (March 11, 2013). "Hillsboro police interim chief meeting with officers to identify concerns, gather feedback about department". The Oregonian. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  29. ↑ Woolington, Rebecca (February 3, 2014). "Hillsboro's new chief, Lee Dobrowolski, lists integrity, community policing as key values in law enforcement". The Oregonian. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  30. ↑ Burkhardt, Doug (February 6, 2015). "Fire, police agencies plan joint training facility in Hillsboro". Hillsboro Tribune. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  31. ↑ Hillsboro Police: Contact Us. Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on October 5, 2007.
  32. ↑ Hillsboro Police: Departments. Archived 2007-09-01 at the Wayback Machine City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on October 5, 2007.
  33. ↑ Frank, Ryan. Police add pepper guns to nonlethal arsenal. The Oregonian , January 22, 2002.
  34. ↑ Police Cadet Brochure. [ permanent dead link ] City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on November 6, 2007.
  35. ↑ Shinn, Troy. "Hillsboro settles lawsuit over alleged racial bias for $90K" . Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  36. ↑ "Hillsboro Police worker alleges whistleblower retaliation". KOIN.com. 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  37. ↑ "Washington County gang detective, prosecutor discussed 'fiesta' to celebrate 'convicted Mexicans,' text messages reveal". opb. Retrieved 2022-08-03.

45°31′15″N122°58′24″W / 45.520797°N 122.973254°W / 45.520797; -122.973254

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.