The Portland Police Bureau building at 1111 Southwest 2nd Avenue as seen in July 2023.
Caden Perry / OPB
A judge has blocked a proposed measure introduced by Portland’s police union from landing on the November ballot.
The proposed measure would have required that the city increase its number of sworn police officers, as well as expand street support services and create a 24-hour treatment center for drug and alcohol detoxification.
It was immediately challenged by a Portlander represented by the ACLU, who said the ballot language was unconstitutional. Under the state constitution, ballot measures cannot make administrative changes to city policies, only legislative ones.
A Multnomah County judge agreed that making the city increase its staff is an administrative decision. The ruling means that this measure cannot appear on ballots this fall.
This is one of two ballot measures introduced by the Portland Police Association, which represents hundreds of rank-and-file officers and sergeants. The other one, which would restrict the city’s new police oversight office, has also been challenged. A judge has yet to decide whether or not it can move forward.
