Portland Petition Would Use Clean Energy Fund Money to Add Nearly 400 Police Officers
PORTLAND, Ore. — Without raising taxes, Portland residents are asked to support an initiative that will plow an additional $50 million into improving policing and safety standards.
If Successful the Measure Will Go to the Ballot on November 3
| Five year climate plan | $1.6 billion |
| Collaborating for Climate Action | $300 million plus |
| Cooling units delivered | 20,000 plus |
| E-bike rebate program | $20 million |
| E-bikes planned through 2029 | 6,000 plus |
Source: Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund program pages and Climate Investment Plan
Dailytidings.com
Known as the Portland Enhanced Community Safety Initiative, the measure has already collected thousands of signatures in support and, if successful, will go to a public vote in the general election on November 3.
A political committee, created to drive the initiative, needs to collect 40,437 public signatures by July 6 to qualify the measure for the ballot.
There Will Be 2 Law Enforcement Officers For Every 1,000 Residents
Source: Portland Police Bureau sworn staffing report, June 10 2026
Dailytidings.com
The proposal will bolster the number of police officers from 1.38 per 1,000 to 2 per 1,000 residents. Presently, Portland has 877 authorized sworn police officers, and the initiative will swell those ranks with an additional 394 members.
The chief petitioners of the proposal are Portland City Council candidate Bob Simril and former city employee Juanita Swartwood.
Supported by the Portland Police Association, they have created a committee as the driving force of the initiative, and have already raised and spent $642,000 on the campaign.
If successful, the efforts to strengthen law enforcement will be funded by the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund established by public vote in 2018.
The fund is financed by a 1% surcharge on sales at large retail outlets in the city, which generates about $200 million annually.
The Measure Will Improve 911 Response Times
The 1% tax on corporate retailers will be used to recruit, train, and hire the next generation of police officers.
Supporters believe this will result in faster 911 emergency response times, and the funds will also be used to implement reforms and improvements in police practices.
With Portland currently ranking 47th out of 50 larger cities in police per capita, proponents believe that the biggest barrier to existing open-air drug markets is an inadequate police presence.
They are optimistic that the Portland Enhanced Community Safety Initiative will effectively close that gap.