Tom Potter

Tom Potter
50th Mayor of Portland, Oregon
In office
January 3, 2005  January 1, 2009
Preceded byVera Katz
Succeeded bySam Adams
38th Chief of the Portland Police Bureau
In office
April 7, 1987  November 18, 1990
MayorBud Clark
Preceded byRichard D. Walker
Succeeded byCharles A. Moose
Personal details
Born
Thomas Jay Potter

(1940-09-12) September 12, 1940
North Bend, Oregon, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseKarin Hansen
ProfessionPoliceman and police chief (former)

Thomas Jay Potter (born September 12, 1940) is an American politician and law enforcement officer in the U.S. state of Oregon. He served as Mayor of Portland from 2005 to 2009, and had been the chief of the Portland Police Bureau from 1987 to 1990. As mayor he continued his advocacy of community policing and expressed interest in other reforms of the Portland Police Bureau. He marched against the Iraq War on the first anniversary of American involvement in March 2004 and was dismayed at the black uniforms and the militarized appearance of the Portland police he saw. He made it part of his campaign to rid the police of such a militarized appearance.