A Portland Police Bureau officer has found himself on the wrong side of the law after being taken into custody by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. According to a news release from Portland Police Bureau, the North Precinct's Officer Jimmy Pryce, who has served for 27 years, faced arrest for charges stemming from an off-duty incident. The Clackamas County Sheriff's deputies were the first to respond to the scene on the 29th of November, with Pryce's arrest occurring on December 8th.
The charges levied against Pryce include Strangulation, Assault in the Fourth Degree, and Harassment. The Portland Police Bureau was quick to distance itself from the officer’s alleged off-duty conduct, affirming that such actions "do not reflect the values or expectations of the Portland Police Bureau." Chief Bob Day further emphasized that, "We take this extremely seriously," and underlined that, "While the involved officer, like any individual, is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the charges do not reflect the values or expectations of the Portland Police Bureau." These statements were made in a release that the Portland Police Bureau has made available to the public.
Officer Pryce has since been placed on administrative leave following his arrest. The PPB's Professional Standards Division has been notified and is currently cooperating with external authorities, further conducting their own internal review to fully investigate the incident.
While the PPB has refrained from providing additional comments on the matter, assuring an ongoing internal investigation, inquiries regarding the criminal allegations have been directed solely to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. The Internal Affairs Division at PPB will also be opening an investigation, which as articulated by the Bureau, emphasizes that such "thorough investigations of allegations of criminal misconduct by Bureau members are essential to the maintenance of Bureau integrity, effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability."
