Former Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw Now Navigating Politics in City of Brotherly Love

This month’s edition of Philadelphia magazine examines the tenure of Philly’s police chief, Danielle Outlaw, as the first Black woman atop the cop shop faces criticism for her handling of protests and a spike in gun homicides.

Sound familiar? Outlaw was Portland police chief for just over two years, seeking greater authority to separate dueling protests groups and cracking down on leftist demonstrators before decamping to Philadelphia in 2019.

Related: She learned the ropes at one of the most corrupt police departments in the country. Now Danielle Outlaw runs the Portland police—and she wants more power.

The magazine profile closes with the glowing performance evaluation Mayor Ted Wheeler gave Outlaw just months before she left Portland, granting her the highest marks she could receive.

But Wheeler also warned: “This position is inherently political, not in a partisan manner, but in the sense that it is under public scrutiny and maintaining public trust is done in a political environment. You have good instincts and judgment already, but learning more about political history and relationships in Portland is important to being successful in the position in the long term.”