Off-Duty Portland Cop Cited For DUII

PORTLAND, OR — The Portland Police Bureau's Commander of the Professional Standards Division was cited for drunk driving early Thursday after officers found he was responsible for a single-vehicle crash in Southwest Portland, police officials said.

Steve Jones was cited and released by Oregon State Police. He was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants (alcohol) and placed on paid administrative leave, officials said. An internal investigation is being conducted.

Central Precinct officers with the PPB were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash in the 2600-block of Southwest Third Avenue just before 2 a.m. June 28.

Jones, who was reportedly off-duty, struck a telephone pole while driving a City of Portland vehicle. He was not injured in the crash, police said, adding that his blood-alcohol content (BAC) registered at .10 percent. The legal limit in Oregon is .08 BAC.

"As law enforcement officers, we are held to a higher standard, regardless of rank or classification, that demands accountability," PPB Chief Danielle Outlaw said in a statement. "This incident will be thoroughly investigated."

PPB officials asked Oregon State Police to conduct the criminal investigation while its own administration will conduct an internal investigation, which will later be reviewed by the Police Review Board.

Jones is a 23-year veteran with the Portland Police Bureau.

"We believe we should be above reproach," OSP spokesman Capt. Tim Fox told Patch. "We will hold our officers to a higher standard."

This post will be updated when more information is made available.

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