Dispatched calls are calls for police assistance that are generated by the community, through a call or text to 911 or the non-emergency line (503-823-3333). The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) counts all calls for service where at least one Portland Police unit was dispatched.  When a call for service is received by a dispatcher at Bureau of Emergency Communications (BOEC), it is assigned a priority level based on the severity of the incident and is used to prioritize the police response. A call for service can be escalated to a higher priority before being cleared if the nature of the incident changes and more police units are necessary.  High priority calls are in-progress events where persons or high-value property are in immediate danger. These calls require a multiple unit and officer response.

There has been a decreasing trend in high priority dispatched calls for service. These calls decreased 24% between FY2020 and FY2024. During that same period, the number of filled PPB non-trainee officer positions decreased 23% (~126). PPB officer positions respond to high priority calls for service. The decreased staffing levels impact the resources available to respond, contributing to the reduction in high priority dispatched calls with a police response. High priority calls also require a multiple unit and officer response, which multiplies the impact of staffing reductions.

The makeup of high priority calls has changed over time. Call types related to behavioral health and shots fired represent a greater volume and proportion of high priority calls than previously. These calls are complex, require multiple patrol units, and assistance from specialized PPB resources. They can also take hours on scene to resolve, reducing the availability of patrol units to respond to other calls. Other calls that are usually quicker to resolve, such as those related to false alarms, have decreased. While this performance measure demonstrates the decrease in the volume of high priority dispatched calls, it does not capture the full workload and resource strain associated with the response overtime.

Count of the number of calls generated by the community, through a call or text to 911 or the non-emergency line (503-823-3333) with a Portland Police unit dispatched during the fiscal year with a priority level of 1, 2, or 3 (high priority).

Police call data is sourced from RegJIN. 

Please note that high priority calls require a multiple unit and officer response. Police calls vary in complexity with some requiring multiple resources and hours on scene to resolve. 

The Portland Police Bureau’s Open Data Site (https://www.portland.gov/police/open-data) includes additional data and information on police calls.

Link to interactive dispatched calls for service dashboard and data download: https://www.portland.gov/police/open-data/police-dispatched-calls

Introduction to dispatched calls for service: https://www.portland.gov/police/open-data/police-dispatched-calls#toc-introduction-to-calls-for-service