PORTLAND, OR - Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell was sworn-in as Sheriff of Multnomah County on Wednesday, January 4. She is the first woman to serve in this role in the Sheriff Office’s nearly 170 years of operation.

Sheriff Morrisey O’Donnell has been dedicated to public safety service since she began her career with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) in 1996. Throughout her more than 25 years of service, her desire to learn every aspect of public safety has propelled her through the ranks of our agency. She is one of only two Multnomah County Sheriffs to hold dual certifications in both corrections and police disciplines.

Community engagement has been, and will continue to be, a cornerstone of her approach to law enforcement. Throughout her career, Sheriff Morrisey O’Donnell has helped the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office develop strategies to understand and address the unique public safety needs of our area. She is deeply dedicated to building trust through open, honest community partnership and service.

A ceremony was held at the Multnomah Building in Southeast Portland where Morrisey O’Donnell took her Oath of Office. More than 160 people were in attendance including Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and several county commissioners, District Attorney Mike Schmidt, public safety leaders from surrounding cities, and Sheriffs from our neighboring counties, as well as former Governor Ted Kulongoski, Oregon Supreme Court Justice Adrienne Nelson and Oregon Circuit Judge Nan Waller. The ceremony began with the posting of the colors by the MCSO Honor Guard and the singing of the National Anthem.

Musse Olol, the President of the Somali American Council of Oregon, and outgoing Sheriff’s Office Chief of Business Services, Erin Hubert, spoke to Sheriff Morrisey O’Donnell’s integrity and commitment to our community.

“I have always noticed her level of humility and her openness to learn from the community,” said Olol. “This is exactly the combination we need from the ideal Sheriff for our county.”

“She charts a visionary course and forges forward to the results she knows matter and are needed for success,” said Hubert. “She finds a way to bring people along with her, despite the twists and turns of that course.”

The Oath of Office was delivered by Justice Nelson and the Presentation of the Badge was pinned by the Sheriff’s husband, retired Multnomah County sheriff’s deputy Bob O’Donnell.

In her address to the community, Sheriff Morrisey O’Donnell said, “I will lead and serve our community with compassion, pride, and unwavering resolve to build stronger communities. Because stronger communities make everyone safer.”

Voters elected Sheriff Morrisey O’Donnell in May 2022, with nearly 62-percent of the vote.

Sheriff Morrisey O’Donnell is a life-long Oregonian and University of Portland Criminal Justice graduate. Her post-graduate training includes the Oregon Executive Development Institute and Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association Command College. She holds executive level certification from the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. 

The Sheriff’s Office offered a livestream of the event and it can be viewed on YouTube.

Photos from the ceremony can be viewed here.