Danielle Outlaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Danielle Outlaw
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| Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department | |
| In office February 10, 2020 – September 22, 2023 |
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| Mayor | Jim Kenney |
| Preceded by | Richard Ross Jr. |
| Succeeded by | John M. Stanford Jr. |
| Chief of the Portland Police Bureau | |
| In office October 2, 2017 – December 31, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Marshman |
| Succeeded by | Jami Resch |
| Deputy Chief of the Oakland Police Department | |
| In office 2013–2017 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Danielle Bowman
September 1976 (age 48) Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | |
Danielle Outlaw (born September 1976) is an American who used to be a law enforcement officer. She was a top police leader in three big cities. She served as the police commissioner for the Philadelphia Police Department from 2020 to 2023. Before that, she was the chief of police for the Portland Police Bureau in Oregon from 2017 to 2019. She also worked as the deputy chief of the Oakland Police Department in California from 2013 to 2017.
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Early Life and Education
Danielle Outlaw was born in Oakland, California. Her parents worked for the California Department of Transportation and AT&T. She went to Holy Names High School in Oakland.
When she was younger, Outlaw did not have a good opinion of the Oakland police. However, during high school, she visited the police department as part of a career program. She even got to patrol with officers. This experience changed her mind, and she realized that many police officers were just like her.
Outlaw studied at the University of San Francisco. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. Later, she received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Pepperdine University. She wanted to get her MBA to stand out in her field.
She has also received several awards. These include the Oakland Black Officers' Association Trailblazer Award. She also got the Holy Names High School Alumnae Association Citation for Service. In 2015, she received the Gary P. Hayes Award from the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).
While she was a student at the University of San Francisco, Outlaw appeared on the TV show Wheel of Fortune. This was during the College Championship in 1996. She won one game and made it to the finals. Even though she didn't win the championship, she still won over $40,000 in cash and prizes!
Career in Law Enforcement
Danielle Outlaw started her police career with the Oakland Police Department in California. She worked her way up through different roles. These included Patrol, Community Services, and the Criminal Investigation Division. She eventually became Deputy Chief.
During her time in Oakland, Outlaw believed that police should communicate better. She thought that women's "soft skills" could help officers talk to communities. This could also help avoid dangerous situations.
Leading the Portland Police Bureau
In 2017, Danielle Outlaw became the chief of police for the Portland Police Bureau in Oregon. She was chosen by Mayor Ted Wheeler. Outlaw said she wanted to change how people see policing across the country.
Moving from Oakland to Portland was a big change for her. Outlaw was one of only a few Portland chiefs hired from outside the Portland Police Bureau in the last 20 years. She was born and raised in Oakland. She was also part of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, which helped her build a community there.
When she moved to Portland, she found an ally in Portland Trailblazer basketball player Damian Lillard. He is also from Oakland. Lillard welcomed her to the city and showed his support on social media.
When Outlaw became chief of police in Portland, she made history. She was the first African American woman to hold this important position. Before her, two other women had been chiefs in Portland: Penny Harrington and Rosie Sizer.
In 2017, when Outlaw joined the Portland police force, data showed that about a quarter of officers were women. Also, about a quarter of officers were people of color. Outlaw hoped to improve these numbers. She wanted to support both different backgrounds and different ways of thinking within the police bureau.
Outlaw has also been involved with groups like the San Francisco Bay Area National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). She was also part of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Human and Civil Rights Committee. These groups work to bring more diversity into police forces. They helped shape Outlaw's ideas about policing.
Outlaw served as Portland's Police Chief for a little over two years. She then moved on to a new role in Philadelphia.
Commissioner in Philadelphia
On December 30, 2019, the city of Philadelphia announced that Danielle Outlaw would be their new Commissioner. Mayor Jim Kenney made the announcement. She started her new job on February 10, 2020. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler accepted Outlaw's resignation the same day. Her deputy, Jami Resch, took over as chief in Portland.
On September 5, 2023, Outlaw announced she would be leaving her role in Philadelphia. She took a new job as the deputy chief security officer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She was replaced by interim commissioner John M. Stanford Jr. on September 22, 2023.
Personal Life
Outlaw is a member of The Links, a group of professional women.
See also
- List of Pepperdine University people
