Policy

Policy and Procedure serve as the foundation for all Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) operations and services. Policy provides members with the objectives, limits, and requirements that apply to their work for the public. Procedure provides detailed direction governing how a task is to be accomplished. 

MCSO is actively reviewing and updating all agency policy, which is available as a comprehensive reference via the Agency Policy and Procedure Manual. 

MCSO has a responsibility to engage community stakeholders in the policy process. The public is invited to provide feedback on proposed policy and procedure(s) through a 30-day period known as the Stakeholder Review. 

During the policy’s Stakeholder Review, the public is encouraged to submit comments or proposals relevant to the content of the policy drafts. Individuals who submit comments should be aware that their remarks become public record.

To submit feedback individuals may select a policy draft of interest from the list below, scroll to the bottom of the document, and select the link next to the statement – please provide feedback here.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the community’s time and input during the review process. All comments are taken into collective consideration as policy is finalized.

To sign up for email notifications when reviews occur or get additional press releases from MCSO, click here.

The Sheriff’s Office is currently in the process of reviewing the following draft(s):

Stakeholder Review Period: 4/12/24 - 5/12/24

• Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) 
• 920.00 Temporary Alternative Work Assignment (TAWA) Program 

MCSO Agency Policy 105.00 – Policy and Procedure Manual describes the MCSO’s policy process in depth. 

For a brief breakdown of the process please see below: 

• Microsoft Teams is utilized as the policy review platform. 
• Subject matter experts (SMEs) are asked to review policy drafts dependent on their knowledge / experience in an area. 
• After the SME Review, the Policy Team reviews the draft before it goes to Stakeholder Review for 30-days. The Policy Team is a group of MCSO members, that includes the Sheriff, Chief of Staff, Division Chiefs, Equity and Inclusion Manager, Professional Standards Manager, and the Policy Advisor; that meet to review and update policy, in conjunction with feedback from subject matter experts and stakeholders. 
• At the conclusion of Stakeholder Review, feedback is considered in an additional review by the Policy Team and the draft is provided to all union representative groups for review (the Deputy Sheriff’s Association (DSA), the Multnomah County Corrections Deputy Association (MCCDA), and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 88). 
• Each union representative group and their attorneys have 15 days to provide feedback. The Policy Team meets for a third time to review any additional comments/requests for changes.
• Lastly the policy is enacted and members are required to review and acknowledge the policy within 30 days. The policy is marked for its next review cycle. If it had a comprehensive review, it goes to an internal review, and vice versa. Legislative reviews (as noted below) occur as needed. 

Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office has three types of reviews/cycles:

• Comprehensive Review (At Least Once Every 4 Years)

          SMEs  →  Policy Team → Stakeholder Review → Policy Team → Unions → Enactment

• Internal Review (At least Once Every 4 Years)

          SMEs → Policy Team → Unions → Enactment

• Legislative Review (As Needed)  

          SMEs → Policy Team → Unions → Enactment

MCSO’s Commitment to Trauma Informed and Culturally Responsive Policy and Procedure 

The MCSO recognizes that trauma is a pervasive issue affecting individuals, communities and organizations and it is the responsibility of the MCSO to train all staff members in best practices to aid individuals who have experienced trauma, both within the organization and the community the Sheriff’s Office serves. MCSO shall incorporate the principles of trauma-informed practices which are based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice, and choice; and culture, history, and gender) in the creation, review and implementation of policy and procedure.

Strategies to incorporate these principles include: 

• Examining how people, place, process, and power impact and/or are impacted by a policy, procedure (i.e., the positive and negative impacts on staff and/or community members that may result from a policy, the number of voices involved in the decision-making process, availability of resources and support, defining and measuring success to ensure accountability).  
• Providing continued education to members on issues such as power, position, identity, cultural stereotypes and biases, equity, racial and social justice, and trauma-informed care.