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Law-enforcement leaders tell Oregon subcommittee to back state police budget in public hearing on House Bill 5029
Summary
During a March 6 public hearing on House Bill 5029, representatives of police chiefs, district attorneys, sheriffs and the Portland Police Bureau testified in strong support of the Oregon State Police and its role statewide; the subcommittee kept the record open for 48 hours for additional written testimony.
On March 6, 2025, the Public Safety Subcommittee held a public hearing on House Bill 5029, the Oregon State Police budget request, and heard registered testimony from leaders across law enforcement who urged continued funding for OSP’s statewide services.
Chief Warren Hensman of the Grants Pass Police Department, testifying on behalf of the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police, said the association “strongly support[s] the Oregon State Police budget as reflected in the governor’s recommended budget,” and described OSP as a “vital cornerstone” of public safety that provides services local agencies cannot sustain independently.
Dan Primus, district attorney for Umatilla County and a member of the Oregon District Attorneys Association executive board, highlighted OSP contributions in eastern Oregon, including detectives assigned to major-crime teams and the high-visibility enforcement unit. Primus said OSP detectives lead or support complex investigations in local correctional institutions and help manage large events such as the Pendleton Round-Up.
David Goldthorpe, district attorney for Malheur County, described multiple recent responses in which OSP supplemented local capacity, including a large-scale manhunt in 2023 and a January 2025 barricade incident that required OSP SWAT resources. Polk County Sheriff Mark Gartner and other county leaders praised OSP crime-laboratory and traffic-reconstruction services as essential for rural counties.
Portland Police Bureau Chief Bob Day said the partnership with OSP played a key role in downtown enforcement and public-order events. Day said state troopers undertook “over 36 independent missions” working alongside Portland units and that “crime is down double digits in Downtown Portland.” He described the state police partnership as both an enforcement and relationship-building effort that bolstered the bureau’s capacity during a 90-day fentanyl emergency and the 2024 inauguration period.
Committee leadership closed the registered testimony and said the subcommittee will accept electronic filings for 48 hours from the scheduled start of the hearing for additional comments or corrections. No vote or formal action on HB 5029 was taken at the March 6 hearing.
Speakers emphasized the statewide role OSP plays for small and rural agencies — from forensic lab services and crash reconstruction to specialized units that assist in major incidents and large public events — and urged continued legislative investment in OSP staffing and programs.
