Ron Louie has over 33 years of law enforcement experience and was the Chief of the Hillsboro, Oregon, Police Department from 1992 to his retirement in 2007.  He was recently called back out of retirement to serve as interim Hillsboro Chief of Police, retiring a second time this past June. He was the Chief of the Astoria, Oregon, Police Department from 1987-1992. Prior to assuming command in Astoria, Chief Louie served 13 years with the Palo Alto, California, Police Department.



Chief Louie’s interest in public scrutiny over police practices motivated him to develop a formalized citizen complaint process at the Hillsboro Police Department that was summarized and presented as part of a regular reporting protocol. In 2000, he sponsored the first racial profiling data collection protocols in Oregon and shared his findings with various community and advocacy groups. This early data collection effort led to his appointment to Governor Kulongoski’s Committee on Law Enforcement Contacts (Racial Profiling Data Collection Committee). He has taught “Policing in America; Citizen Oversight of Police” at Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon and currently teaches elements of this course at Portland State University.

He is a graduate of the FBI Executive Leadership Institute as well as the FBI National Academy, Quantico, Virginia.

Chief Louie holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from California State University, Hayward, a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from San Francisco State University, a Bachelors of Arts in Social Science (graduating Magna Cum Laude) from California State University, Hayward, and an Associates of Arts Degree (with Honors) in Business Administration from the College of San Mateo, California.

He is an active participant in issues of diversity and anti-discrimination, and has served 10 years with the Oregon Committee, U.S. Civil Rights Commission. He also served on the Oregon Attorney General’s Use of Force Task Force, State of Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, is a past member of the Human Rights Council of Washington County, the Pacific Institute of Ethics and Social Policy (Pacific University) and the Board of Directors of Community Action of Washington County. Chief Louie recently served as a member of Governor Kitzhaber’s Driver’s License Committee which advised the Governor on immigration and motor vehicle driver privileges issues, resulting in the current successful legislation. Chief Louie is a recipient of the prestigious Vollum Ecumenical Ministries Humanitarian of the Year Award.

Based on his years as a Hostage Negotiator and Crisis Intervention instructor, he published Tactical Communication in Crisis Incidents; Interpersonal Crisis Intervention Skills when Dealing with People in Stressful Situations. This text and college course focuses on how to train police to effectively communicate with people experiencing emotional distress and mental illness rather than resort to use of physical force. He is currently an adjunct professor of Criminal Justice at Portland State University and Portland Community College.

The son of a Chinese immigrant and Classic Chinese Opera actor, Chief Louie was born and raised in San Francisco, dropped out of high school at age 16,  joined the U.S. Marines, also at age 16, and served in Vietnam. Chief Louie and his wife Jo Anne, a Registered Nurse, live in Hillsboro, Oregon with their adult son and daughter living nearby.