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Umatilla police outline new mission, outreach programs and organizational changes in semiannual report
Summary
The police presenter reported a new mission statement emphasizing safety, service and accountability, described expanded community outreach and recruiting efforts, launched a transparency webpage and reported school outreach and staffing changes.
The police department presented its semiannual report to the Umatilla City Council, announcing a new mission statement focused on "safety, service and accountability" and outlining recent operational and community-engagement initiatives.
In the report, the presenter said the department has stepped up recruiting and retention efforts by sending diverse teams to community events and farmers markets to staff an outreach tent and explain careers in policing. "So we're quite excited about that," the presenter said.
The department also reported it completed its second month of the agency's Shop with a Cop program and expects the initiative to continue expanding. The presenter described organizational changes that separate patrol functions, a tech control unit that initially handles calls requiring investigative follow-up, and a distinct detective investigations division. The restructure, the presenter said, has increased investigative proactivity by keeping detectives from being bogged down in front-line case intake.
Council members were told the department launched a transparency hub on the city website that posts policies and training information, including anti-bias training, de-escalation and other policy procedures. The presenter said the transparency page includes professional photos and staff-written bios of officers and is live though still being finalized.
On school outreach, the presenter reported the school resource officer program delivered 48 presentations reaching more than 1,300 students over the previous six weeks. The report also emphasized ongoing professional development beyond basic certification requirements and noted the department can accommodate part-time and reserve officers after a training and field-preparation phase.
Councilors praised the presentation and the new online materials. A council member said the transparency page makes it easier for residents to see the department's work, and another thanked officers and staff for community engagement efforts.
A fuller update and regular trend data were requested by council and staff said they would provide trend reports at a future meeting.
