Danielle Outlaw

In 2017, when Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Outlaw would be replacing interim chief Mike Marshman, Outlaw said that she has been trying to change the perception of policing nationwide.[2][8] Outlaw began serving as chief of police for the Portland Police Bureau in 2017.[9][10][5]

One of the biggest changes for Outlaw that has come with her new position was the move from Oakland to Portland. Outlaw is one of five Portland chiefs hired from outside of the PPB in the last twenty years.[11][8] Before moving to Portland Outlaw had a long history in the city of Oakland. Not only was she born and raised in Oakland, but she also joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority two years before her move to Portland. The sisterhood, which was created to join African-American women together, helped her build a community in Oakland. One significant ally that Outlaw has found is Portland Trailblazer and fellow Oakland native Damian Lillard. Lillard was quick to extend a welcome to the new chief by inviting her to parties and showing support for Outlaw via social media posts.[2]

When Outlaw was hired as chief of police for the Portland Police Bureau, she became the first African American woman to hold this position.[8][11] Before her, there had been two other female chiefs in Portland: Penny Harrington and Rosie Sizer.

When Outlaw joined the Portland force in 2017, the city's Office of Equity released data stating that a quarter of PPB officers were women, and a quarter of officers identified as people of color. In the short time that she has been in Portland, she has stated that she hopes to improve this statistic and make a difference within the bureau.[8][2] Outlaw said that she had a "...hope to support both demographic diversity and 'diversity of thought' in the bureau."[8]

Outlaw has also been part of communities such as the San Francisco Bay Area National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Human and Civil Rights Committee. Both of these organizations aim to implement diversity in the police force. These groups heavily influenced Outlaw's principles of policing and lead her direction for the Portland Police Bureau.[2]

Prior to her resignation, Outlaw faced scrutiny for her perceived bias against antifa in Portland. During an interview with conservative talk radio host, Lars Larson, Outlaw compared antifa protesters to children who "whine and complain" about losing a schoolyard fight.[12] Outlaw served as Portland's Police chief for a little more than two years before moving on to Philadelphia.[13]

On December 30, 2019, the City of Philadelphia and Mayor Jim Kenney announced the appointment of Outlaw as the new Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, beginning February 10.[14] Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler accepted Outlaw's resignation the same day,[15] and she was succeeded by her deputy, Jami Resch.