In 2019, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) began publishing the Control Event Statistics Quarterly Report. Data for these reports are from the MCSO QuickREPORT data system.Beginning in June 2023, MCSO moved to a new Control Event Reporting system, Benchmark Analytics. This change helped modernize
our use of force reporting.

Value Statement

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office respects the value and sanctity of human life and recognizes the inherent dignity of every person. The Sheriff’s Office understands that investing members with the authority to use physical force to protect the public welfare creates a solemn obligation to guide members as they balance the important social and individual interests involved.

The Sheriff’s Office further recognizes that the use of deadly physical force will emotionally, physically, and psychologically impact the member involved, the subject of the deadly physical force, and he family and friends of both and can impact the community as well.

The Sheriff’s Office requires that members be capable of applying, when needed, effective and reasonable physical force and tactics on behalf of the community. The Sheriff’s Office places a high value on resolving confrontations, when practical, with less physical force than the maximum that may be allowed by law.

Force Reasons
(General Events Only)
Definition 
 Prevent Offense Prevent or terminate the commission or attempted commission of an offense 
 Make an arrest Lawfully take a person into custody, make an arrest, or prevent an escape 
 Prevent self-harm Prevent a suicide or self-inflicted injury 
 Safety/security - person Defend the member or other person from injury or the use of force 
 Safety/security/efficiency - operations Maintain the safety, security, and efficient operation of a Multnomah County facility 
 Prevent property damage/loss  Prevent or minimize property damage or loss
 Official purpose/perform duty Accomplish an official purpose or perform a duty authorized by law or judicial decree 
Stop/prevent adult in custody fight Prevent adult in custody fight
Defend self/other from injury Maintain the safety and security of Multnomah County Sheriff's Office members, other Multnomah County employees, third parties, or the general public in a Multnomah County facility

 

Force Types are categories of tools and techniques used to control an event. Force Type numbers are for all Force Types used, as more than one Force Type may be used in an event.

 Force Types Definition 
 Restraints  Tools physically applied to partially or completely restrict mobility. These include arm restraint band, restraint chair, restraint board, and flex cuffs.Typically used in response to restraint.
Control Techniques Control techniques are applied to a part of the body in response to resistance, to gain compliance, and to avoid higher levels of force.  This includes directional control, joint control, carry and slide.  Control techniques are not intended to or reasonably likely to cause substantial pain or physically injury.
 Takedowns Techniques where the deputy physically takes the person to the floor or ground in response to resistance, to gain control, and to avoid higher levels of force.  These include arm, hair, joint, leg, leg sweep, and tackle.  There are dynamic takedowns and controlled takedowns where the risk of injury is very minimal.
Pressure Points When pressure is physically applied to part of the body in response to resistance. Used to gain compliance, and to avoid higher levels of force or to restrict mobility.
Handhelp Chemical Incapacitant  Handheld Chemical Incapacitant means the following, together or separately: Handheld munitions and devices are specifically designed to cause temporary pain, temporary irritation, temporary disruption of vital processes, temporary incapacitation, temporary disability or permanent harm through the toxic properties of toxic chemicals, or their precursors, that would be released as a result of the employment of the handheld munitions and devices; and any equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with the employment of handheld munitions and devices as described above.  Handheld chemical incapacitant” does not include tear gas (HB 4008).
Conducted Electrical Weapon (CEW/Taser) A less lethal system capable of delivering electrical energy designed to cause involuntary muscle contractions and overrides the subjects voluntary muscle responses.  Used in response to resistance, to defend the member and/or the public and to avoid higher levels of force. Can be deployed through projected probes or pushing directly against the skin (drive stun).
 Impact Weapon  Impact weapons are tools such as a baton, asp, and long bat or shield used in response to resistance, to defend the member and/or the public and to avoid higher levels of force.
 Kinetic Impact Projectiles

 All nonlethal, less-lethal or semi lethal projectiles, including but not limited to rubber and plastics bullets, beanbag rounds, sponge rounds and pellet rounds. Used in response to resistance, to defend the member and/or the public and to avoid higher levels of force.

 Strikes (Hands, elbows, knees, feet)  A focused strike to the person’s body. Strikes are used in response to resistance, to defend the member and/or the public, to gain compliance, and to avoid higher levels of force.
Deadly Physical Force  Any force, under the circumstances in which it is used, readily capable of causing Serious Physical Injury or death. ORS 161.015 (3)
 Other  Police canine (engagement), Pursuit Intervention Strategies (Dynamic Box-in)

 

Demographic data represent each person involved in the event from data obtained from police reports.

Data for the location are based on the actual event locations.

 Location Definition 

Corrections Division

Reception Booking area to include reception and holding
 MCDC Housing  Multnomah County Detention Center modules
 MCDC Other Includes lobby, hallways, elevator, Close Street, visiting
room, law library
 MCIJ Housing  Multnomah County Inverness Jail dorms
 MCIJ Other MCIJ processing, hallways, visiting room, kitchen, video
court room, work crew
 Other Includes Court, Gresham Temporary Holding, Hospital; in
addition FSO areas include JDH, libraries, Gateway
 Bookings  Standard Bookings Only
 Jail Beds Number of inmate occupied jail beds, as of 4 am, totaled for each day of the quarter
   

Enforcement Division

 District 10 Northwest unincorporated Multnomah County, including Sauvie Island 
District 20 Southwest unincorporated Multnomah County, including Dunthorpe and parts of Lake Oswego 
District 30 Maywood Park, Wood Village, and parts of unincorporated Multnomah County west of Troutdale 
District 40 Unincorporated Multnomah County, west of the Sandy river, including Pleasant Valley 
District 50 Unincorporated Multnomah County east of Troutdale, including the Columbia River Gorge and Corbett 
District 60 Troutdale, north of SW Cherry Park Road
District 70 Troutdale, south of SW Cherry Park Road
District 80 Fairview 
River Multnomah County Columbia and Willamette Rivers 
Other Includes incorporated cities (Portland and Gresham) and other areas outside of MCSO Patrol Districts 

 

For additional questions, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For archived reports, please emal: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Control Event Statistics

2022 4th quarter

2022 3rd quarter

2022 2nd quarter

2022 1st quarter

2021 4th quarter

2021 3rd quarter

2021 2nd quarter

2021 1st quarter