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Chief Kathy McAlpine joined the Tigard Police Department after a long career at the Tacoma, Washington Police Department.  She quickly showed Tigard officials that her people skills and knowledge of data driven management would benefit the City.

The City of Tigard has seen its population increase 13.6% since the 2010 Census.  Calls for service, however, have jumped 27% in the same period.  The increase is exacerbated by a 4% reduction in Police Department staffing.  Personal and property crimes have decreased, but “societal crimes” that are tied to substance abuse, mental health, and welfare issues have greatly increased.  Welfare checks “tie-up officers’ time,” said Chief McAlpine, and they have been increasing in number.  In addition, crime from neighboring communities can extend into Tigard.  A high-speed chase that begins in Beaverton, for instance, can spill over into Tigard.  While neighboring community police forces routinely provide support for each other, the fact is that Tigard has three to four police patrol officers on duty at a given time.  In addition to vacation and sick-time, officers can be called away from duty by court appearances, training, and military service.   

On the upside, online crime reporting is coming to Tigard in May.  The ability of residents to complete police reports online will provide some time relief to officers’ workload.

Kathy McAlpine is a graduate of Southern Illinois University and Columbia College, where she earned a Master of Science in Criminal Justice.  She spent over 30 years with Tacoma Police Department where she served all ranks within the Department.  She retired as an Assistant Chief serving the Administrative and Investigation Bureaus.  She joined the Tigard Police Department in 2017.