About the Oregon State Police

The State Police organization was designed by a committee appointed by Governor Julius L. Meier , who had made a survey of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Texas Rangers, the State Police of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and other states that had been highly successful. Governor Meier incorporated the best features of these agencies into the Department of Oregon State Police.

The Senate passed the bill creating the Oregon State Police on February 25, 1931, and the House approved it on March 1, l931. The first Superintendent of the State Police was Charles P. Pray, State Parole Officer and a former Department of Justice Agent.  His appointment was effective June 7, l93l.  Mr. Pray, upon creation of the Department of State Police, announced its objective to be "dignified and courteous law enforcement service devoted to the needs of the public."  This concept has not changed throughout the years.

The department is organized into three bureaus: Intergovernmental Services Bureau, Bureau of Investigations, and Central Operations Command. Some of the agency's specialized programs and services include: transportation safety; major crime investigations; forensic services including DNA identification, automated fingerprint identification, and computerized criminal history files; drug investigation; fish and wildlife enforcement; gambling enforcement and regulation; state emergency response coordination; state Fire Marshal Service and Conflagration Act coordination; statewide Law Enforcement Data System; coordination of federal grants for public safety issues; coordination of Criminal Justice Information Standards; medical examiner services; Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), and serves as the point of contact to the National Office of Homeland Security.

Source:

oregon.gov/OSP