Donnell Tanksley sworn in as police chief at Portland State

In a brief ceremony Wednesday on campus, Donnell Tanksley was sworn in as Portland State University’s new campus safety/campus police chief.   

PSU President Rahmat Shoureshi welcomed Tanskley to Portland and the PSU campus, praising his law enforcement experience in both urban and campus environments.  He will oversee 28 staff in the Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO), including 14 sworn police officers.

Tanksley comes from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash, where he was assistant chief of police and assistant director of public safety.  Before that he served more than 20 years with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and was a 22-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force.

In addition to swearing in the new police chief, one lieutenant, one sergeant and seven officers were also officially sworn in to CPSO service.

Contact Kurt Bedell at kbedell@pdx.edu.