Nicole Morrisey O'Donnell explained
Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell is an American law enforcement officer who currently serves as the 41st Sheriff of Multnomah County, Oregon, the county where Portland is located.[1] [2] She is the first woman to serve as sheriff in the county's history.
Career
Morrisey O'Donnell attended the University of Portland.[3] She started at the Sheriff's office in 1996 as a Deputy, before being promoted to lieutenant, captain, chief deputy and undersheriff. She ran for Sheriff in 2022, facing Captain Derrick Peterson and Corrections Deputy Nicholas Alberts, both employees of the Sheriff's Office.[4] [5] On May 17, 2022 Morrisey O'Donnell was elected with 62% of the vote.[6]
Multnomah County Sheriff
Morrisey-O'Donnel was sworn in as Sheriff on January 4, 2023, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the county's history.[7]
In August 2023, Morrisey-O'Donnel issued a directive clarifying that the county jail would only book suspects accused of felony and misdemeanor offenses, not those violating city ordinances.[8] In late July 2024, when Portland Police made the first arrest under a policy restricting times and places where homeless residents could camp on public property, the sheriff's office declined to book the suspect pursuant to this directive.[8] After criticism from Mayor Wheeler, Morrisey-O'Donnel defended the policy arguing that the corrections system should be used for individuals who pose a genuine danger to the public.[9] On August 20, 2024, Morrisey-O'Donnel agreed to begin booking people accused of violating the ordinance for a 120 day trial period while evaluating the effectiveness and sustainability of the new approach.[10]
Personal life
Morrisey O'Donnell lives in Portland with her husband. She is a long-time supporter of Special Olympics Oregon.[11]
She cites her father's near-death experience during an armed robbery as a primary reason for her choice to become a law enforcement officer.
Notes and References
- Web site: New Multnomah County sheriff sworn in, the first woman in the job . 2023-02-26 . opb . en . 26 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230226235957/https://www.opb.org/article/2023/01/04/new-multnomah-county-sheriff-nicole-morrisey-odonnell-sworn-in/ . live .
- Web site: January 4, 2023 . First female sheriff of Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office sworn in . 2023-02-26 . kgw.com . en-US . 26 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230226235949/https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/nicole-morrissey-odonnell-first-female-sheriff-multnomah-county/283-c11e2feb-4881-41ab-84b2-17b446b779a9 . live .
- Web site: 2023-01-04 . Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell sworn in as Multnomah County Sheriff; first woman to hold the office in the organization's near 170 year history. . 2023-02-26 . Multnomah County . en . 27 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230227000006/https://www.multco.us/multnomah-county/news/nicole-morrisey-o%E2%80%99donnell-sworn-multnomah-county-sheriff-first-woman-hold . live .
- Web site: Egener . Max . Meet the candidates for Multnomah County sheriff . 2023-02-26 . PortlandTribune.com . en . 26 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230226235954/https://www.portlandtribune.com/news/meet-the-candidates-for-multnomah-county-sheriff/article_5a82cc0b-cb5d-5a29-b29f-a89d910be825.html . live .
- Web site: Zielinski . Alex . After Previous Rejection, Sheriff Candidate Peterson Approved to Obtain Law Enforcement Certification . 2023-02-26 . Portland Mercury . en . 25 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230225083340/https://www.portlandmercury.com/news/2022/05/12/42100371/after-previous-rejection-sheriff-candidate-peterson-approved-to-obtain-law-enforcement-certification . live .
- News: Gaitán. Catalina. May 17, 2022. Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell wins historic Multnomah County sheriff’s race. live. The Oregonian. https://web.archive.org/web/20230110004816/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/05/nicole-morrisey-odonnell-wins-historic-multnomah-county-sheriffs-race.html. January 10, 2023. October 20, 2023.
- News: January 4, 2023. New Multnomah County sheriff sworn in, the first woman in the job. Oregon Public Broadcasting. August 20, 2024.
- News: Peel. Sophie. July 29, 2024. Sheriff’s Office Declines to Book First Person Arrested by Portland Police for Violating City’s Camping Rules. Willamette Week. August 20, 2024.
- News: Shaikh. Zaeem. July 31, 2024. Multnomah County sheriff defends decision not to jail 1st person arrested for violating Portland’s camping rules. The Oregonian. August 20, 2024.
- News: Zielinski. Alex. August 20, 2024. Multnomah County sheriff agrees to jail people under Portland camping policy, for now. Oregon Public Broadcasting. August 20, 2024.
- Web site: 2023-04-19 . Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell Multnomah County Sheriff's Office . 2024-04-02 . www.mcso.us . en.
