Chief Danielle Outlaw has announced she will be promoting Lieutenant Stephanie Lourenco to the rank of captain on June 28, 2018. Because this appointment is pending due to a pending retirement, Lieutenant Lourenco will serve as the Acting Captain until her promotion, and will oversee the Bureau's Traffic Division. Acting Captain Lourenco is the first transgender person in the Bureau's history to be promoted to the rank of Captain.
"I selected Acting Captain Lourenco to be promoted because I am impressed by her leadership skills," said Chief Danielle Outlaw. "She has demonstrated professionalism, ability to get things done and understands the importance of community engagement at a time when it is so needed. Since it is Pride Week, we wanted to highlight her accomplishments, but do not want to diminish the fact that this promotion is based solely on her skills and abilities."
Acting Captain Lourenco was appointed to the Portland Police Bureau on August 12, 1999. After rotating through the precincts as part of her training, she was assigned as a patrol officer at various precincts. In 2005, she was promoted to sergeant and assigned to Northeast Precinct. In 2011, she transferred to the Family Services Division/Domestic Violence Reduction Unit. In 2015, she was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to Central Precinct. Acting Captain Lourenco has most recently been assigned to the Family Services Division.
Acting Captain Lourenco has numerous letters of commendation, many of which thank her for her community policing efforts in North Portland and professionalism and compassion demonstrated as a member of the Family Services Division. She has volunteered as a Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) instructor, Shop with a Cop and other community activities. She was an instructor for the annual in-service, where she helped teach Perspectives on Profiling and earned a Unit Commendation Medal as part of the Crisis Intervention Team. In 2012, Acting Captain Lourenco volunteered to be a part of the Bureau's "It Gets Better" video, which discusses the difficulties members of the LGBTQ+ communities face, and strives to empower others, especially youth.
Twenty years ago, Acting Captain Lourenco founded TCOPS (Transgender Community of Police Officers/Sheriffs), with several other transgender police officers across the country. TCOPS provides support and encouragement to its members.
Acting Captain Lourenco will lead the Traffic Division, which is comprised of Motor Officers; the DUII Enforcement Unit; Major Crash Team (traffic investigations); Photo Radar/Red Light Camera program; Aggressive Driver Enforcement; and Emergency Management Unit.
Source: Portland Police Bureau