Jamey McDonald named new Tigard police chief

After serving as Tigard’s interim police chief for nearly six months, Jamey McDonald has been selected as the city’s new chief.

The appointment by Tigard City Manager Steve Rymer became official Thursday, June 20.

“I consider it an honor and a privilege to continue serving Tigard as your chief of police,” McDonald said in a statement. “This is not a role I take lightly, and I recognize the responsibility that comes with this position. As your chief, I will continue to prioritize transparency, engagement and professionalism at all levels within our department, to best serve the needs of our growing community.”

McDonald, who joined the Tigard Police Department in 2001, is the city’s first police chief to rise through the ranks — starting as a patrol officer — and then lead the department, according to city officials.

He replaces Chief Kathy McAlpine who retired from the department earlier this year and now works for the Oregon Department of Public Safety & Training.

“Chief McDonald has continued to impress me with his leadership and forward-thinking actions during his time as our interim chief. He is a proven leader for our police department and all of Team Tigard,” Rymer said in a news release. “Chief McDonald has also demonstrated that serving our entire community is of the highest priority for him and our entire Police Department. I have great trust and confidence that Chief McDonald will embrace his responsibilities with positivity, transparency, and a willingness to listen.”

In addition to his position as a patrol officer, McDonald also served as a school resource officer, field training officer, firearms instructor and a commercial crimes unit detective sergeant. Promoted to sergeant in 2010, he became a lieutenant in 2014 and was named commander in 2016.

McDonald holds a bachelor's degree in geography and regional planning from Eastern Oregon University as well as an executive certification from the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training — the agency that licenses and certifies all Oregon police officers.

A graduate of the FBI National Academy, he’s active in both the Oregon & international chiefs of police and the FBI National Academy Associates, where he is a past president of the Oregon chapter.

As a lifelong Oregon resident, when he’s not working, McDonald enjoys spending time with his grandkids, playing competitive soccer and being outdoors.