Troutdale council refers advisory vote on restarting city police and a five‑year safety levy to November ballot

The Troutdale City Council voted July 14 to put two public safety questions before city voters in November: a nonbinding advisory question on whether the city should take steps to create a Troutdale Police Department and a companion five‑year local‑option levy at $1.60 per $1,000 of assessed value to help fund police, fire and 9‑1‑1 services.

Councilors and staff framed the advisory question as a way to gauge public appetite for restarting a municipal police force, while acknowledging that any re‑establishment would be gradual and subject to detailed budgeting and operational planning. The council also authorized the city manager to continue negotiating a reduced‑service intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office so the city can address near‑term budget pressures without immediately changing who provides patrol and investigative services.

Why it matters: Troutdale contracted with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office after disbanding its own police department in 2016; since then rising costs and changes in service deployment have prompted recurring debate about local control, cost and coverage. Council members said the advisory vote is intended to give residents a clear voice while the city works on transparent explanatory materials and planning documents ahead of the election.

What council voted to do: The body approved language to refer an advisory question and the levy to the November ballot and instructed staff to revise the explanatory statement and voter pamphlet content. The council also voted to direct the city manager to negotiate with the sheriff’s office about a reduced‑service contract that could lower costs while maintaining 24‑hour coverage and key specialized resources, with any final IGA returning to council for approval.

Public testimony: Dozens of residents and public‑safety professionals addressed the council. Former Troutdale officer and longtime sheriff’s sergeant Mark Schreich told the council his experience favors continued partnership with the sheriff’s office: “Which model provides the safest and most reliable service for the citizens of Troutdale? In my professional opinion, that is the continued partnership with the sheriff’s office.” By contrast, long‑time residents and some advisory‑vote proponents urged that voters be given the chance to indicate a preference for a local department.

Council guidance and next steps: Councilors asked staff to prepare clear, neutral explanatory materials for the voters’ pamphlet and to lay out likely staffing, cost and ramp‑up timelines so voters can compare options. The city will also continue negotiations with Multnomah County over an interim reduced‑service contract and return proposed terms to council for approval.

The advisory question and levy are nonbinding until voters act; the advisory vote would not itself create a department but would direct whether council should more actively pursue reestablishment. The ballot measures will appear on the November 2026 ballot.