Bob Day (police officer)

Robert Day is an American police officer who currently serves as Chief of the Portland Police Bureau in Portland, Oregon.

Early life and education
Day received his associate degree in Criminal Justice from Clackamas Community College in 1991, and received a bachelor's degree in Organizational Management from George Fox University in 2018.

Career
Day started at the Portland Police Bureau in April 1991. Throughout his career, he has served as Captain of the Training Division and later as Commander of the Central Precinct, which covers Downtown.

In 2018, Day was appointed Deputy Chief, a position he served in for a year before retiring in 2019. Between 2019 and 2023, He served as a Project Manager in the Mayor's office, worked for a consulting firm, and was Director of Strategic Initiatives for the nonprofit Red Door Project. In 2021, he founded Reluctant Change, a DEI consulting firm.

In January 2020, Day was appointed to the Board of Badge of Life and Public Safety Chaplaincy. He has also served on the Board of the San Day Foundation since 2017.

Chief of the Portland Police
On September 20, 2023, Day came out of retirement and was appointed as Acting Chief of the PPB by Mayor Ted Wheeler after Chuck Lovell demoted himself to an Assistant Chief over Community Engagement. As Chief, Day has been notable for an increase in "broken windows policing" and a crack down on property and vehicle theft. His term has also dealt with a significant increase in public drug use, which has been fueled by Oregon's recent decriminalization of hard drugs.