Multnomah County sheriff outlines three-year transition agreement to continue policing Troutdale

Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrissey O'Donnell told the Board of Commissioners that the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office will continue to provide policing services to the city of Troutdale under a three‑year transition agreement that would extend services through the end of fiscal year 2028. The briefing described the agreement as a temporary arrangement to support Troutdale while the city pursues establishing an independent municipal police department.

The briefing said the contract, which began under the county in February 2015 and added a community resource deputy in 2020, covers patrol, investigations, administrative support and records services. Chief Deputy Carrie Kerr described the day‑to‑day model: deputies provide 24/7 patrol across two districts and supplement patrol with marine patrol, investigations, civil processes and a community resource deputy who focuses on longer‑term neighborhood issues. "Deputy Boer serves as a conduit for community members to make personal connections and to work together for solutions to issues in the city of Troutdale," Kerr said during the presentation.

The presentation emphasized continuity and local ties: Mayor David Ritma of Troutdale told the board he and city officials view the county deputies as longstanding partners and described service as "exemplary." The sheriff said the contract was negotiated over more than a year and thanked the mayor for his collaboration.

Why it matters: Commissioners raised several operational and fiscal questions that bear on county budgets and service planning. Commissioner Moyer asked how the planned transition to a city police department would affect the three‑year agreement; the sheriff said Troutdale will have a short timeline to decide whether to proceed with a municipal department and that the county expects to renegotiate if Troutdale opts to continue contracting beyond the transition period. Commissioner Singleton and others pressed whether the contract covers the county’s costs: the sheriff’s office said the new agreement raises annual revenue for the county but "does not fully recoup the cost associated with MCSO to provide these services to Troutdale," and the office said it aims to move toward full cost recovery in future negotiations.

Board members also flagged specific contract language and facilities costs. Commissioner Moyer asked that nondiscrimination language in section 10.2 be updated to replace the term "handicap" with "disability;" the sheriff’s office said it would work with Troutdale to make that edit. Commissioners and county business services staff discussed lease arrangements for the police building used by deputies; John Harms Milante (Business Services) said the county leases the building from the city and that, under the new intergovernmental agreement, county facilities will assume janitorial services via internal service reimbursement.

Operational data and community engagement: the sheriff’s office presented 2024 calls‑for‑service data and said self‑initiated activity has declined while time spent on dispatched calls has increased, making calls more resource‑intensive. The presentation noted high‑visibility enforcement missions — for example, DUI enforcement on I‑84 conducted with Oregon State Police and Portland Police Bureau to honor reserve deputies killed in a crash — and described regular community outreach such as holiday events and an annual outlet mall Halloween event.

Next steps: the board was reminded that the formal contract approval is scheduled for the board’s Thursday meeting. No formal vote or motion occurred during the briefing.

Community and fiscal context: presenters and commissioners repeatedly noted that Troutdale’s decision about standing up its own police department will determine longer‑term budgeting and staffing. The sheriff’s office said it will continue to negotiate with Troutdale and support the city during the three‑year transition if the city continues to pursue an independent department.

Ending: The briefing closed after board members requested follow‑up material on cost‑recovery calculations, the specific lease terms for the Troutdale facility, and the proposed nondiscrimination language edit. The county staff said they will provide that information before the Thursday vote.