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At a time of greater scrutiny for law enforcement, new leader tapped for Oregon’s largest police force

Terri Davie takes over as superintendent of the Oregon State Police on Nov. 1. (Courtesy/Governor’s Office)

Terri Davie has been named by Gov. Kate Brown to head the state’s largest police force.

On Monday, Brown announced the appointment of Davie as new superintendent of the Oregon State Police. Davie will oversee the agency’s 1,300 employees that have a presence across the state. Her start date is Nov. 1 and is subject to Senate confirmation. 

The first female superintendent of the Oregon State Police, Davie’s appointment comes at a particularly turbulent time for law enforcement. In May, a video of a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd went viral. Floyd died and the incident has sparked calls nationally for a reckoning on police violence and accountability. 

In a special session earlier this summer, lawmakers passed bills aimed at reforming police practices and making officers more accountable. But in Portland, nightly demonstrations against police brutality have occurred for nearly three months. The events have become increasingly confrontational and a man died after being shot over the weekend. 

In response to the shooting, Brown announced that Oregon State Police would be sent to Portland to provide resources and personnel in order to free up the city’s police force to make arrests. 

“Terri brings a wealth of law enforcement experience to this role and a strong record of leading by example,” said Brown, in a statement. “She brings a focus on inclusivity and is dedicated to listening to community voices—including Oregon’s Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and Tribal communities—as we work towards a more fair and just law enforcement system in Oregon. I look forward to her leadership as we do the hard work of transforming law enforcement standards and training and putting the state on a path toward racial justice.”

In an email, Davie praised the troopers she would soon lead.

“It is my honor to represent them and be their voice and advocate during this time of national turmoil that surrounds the profession of policing,” she said. 

Rep. Bill Post, a Keizer Republican and critic of Brown, took to Facebook to praise Davie’s appointment. 

“I will always give credit when credit is due no matter who it is,” he said. “Governor Brown made a great choice today for the new Superintendent of the State Police.”

According to a press statement, Davie has nearly 24 years of law enforcement experience. After beginning her career with the Oregon Department of Corrections, she later began work for the Oregon State Patrol in 2001 as a trooper assigned to the Albany area. She’s held roles including technical collision investigator, major crimes detective, crisis negotiator and station commander. 

More recently, she has served as the state police’s deputy superintendent since July 2016. She takes over for Superintendent Travis Hampton, who announced his retirement in August. 

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Contact reporter Jake Thomas at 503-575-1251 or [email protected] or @jakethomas2009.