Backers of an initiative to fund more police officers in Portland turned in more than 62,000 signatures July 6. The campaign needs 40,437 signatures of Portland voters in order to appear on the November 2026 ballot. City elections officials will determine by Aug. 5 if that goal was met.
The measure’s biggest supporter is the police union Portland Police Association, which has so far contributed $768,000.
The initiative would require that the city have at least 2 police officers per 1,000 residents, up from Portland’s current ratio of 1.2 per 1,000, which is one of the lowest in the nation. The average ratio nationally is 2.4 police officers per 1,000 residents.
The initiative would pay for the additional officers by rerouting 25% of the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF). PCEF is a grant program that funds climate action and green energy projects, prioritizing low-income communities and people of color. PCEF is funded by a 1% tax on large retailers that Portland voters approved in 2018. At that time, backers thought it would raise $30 million a year, but in fact the tax is raising around $200 million a year.
